US EditionPolitical parties urge immediate action as unemployment hits 32. 9% in South Africa
- In the first quarter of 2025, South Africa’s official unemployment reached 32.9%, marking a rise from the previous quarter, as reported by Statistics South Africa based in Pretoria.
- This increase stems from a rise of 1 percentage point since the last quarter of 2024, reflecting 291,000 more unemployed people nationwide.
- The labour market shows uneven job changes, with losses in trade and construction but gains in transport and finance, while youth remain especially vulnerable.
- Economist Casey Sprake highlighted that the rising unemployment rate undermines recovery efforts, emphasizing that the benefits of recent reforms have not reached a large portion of the South African population in terms of job creation.
- The ongoing rise highlights structural issues like skills gaps and labour rigidities, emphasizing urgent need for job creation especially for youth in marginalized provinces.
19 Articles
19 Articles
South Africa's unemployment rate jumps to 32.9% in Q1 2025
South Africa’s unemployment rate has climbed to 32.9% in the first quarter of 2025, up from 31.9% in the final quarter of 2024 – a full 1 percentage point increase, according to data released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) in Pretoria on Tuesday. The Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) revealed that 291 000 more people were unemployed in the first three months of 2025, bringing the total number of jobless South Africans to 8.2 million. …
SA’s unemployment rate edges up to 32.9% – The Mail & Guardian
South Africa’s official unemployment rate increased to 32.9% in the first quarter of the year from 31.9% in the last quarter of 2024. The number of employed people decreased by 291 000 to 16.8 million quarter-on-quarter, while the number of people without jobs increased by 237 000 to 8.2 million, Statistics South Africa said on Tuesday. Jobs in the formal sector fell by 245 000, and losses were also recorded in trade (194 000), construction (…
Seeff urges bold action as South Africa faces unemployment and growth crises
In a stark warning to policymakers, Samuel Seeff, chairman of the Seeff Property Group, has vehemently called for the South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to take decisive action ahead of their upcoming meeting, Cape {town} Etc reports. The plea comes in light of alarming new unemployment statistics, which indicate that another 237 000 South Africans have lost their jobs in the first quarter of the year, pushing th…
South Africa’s unemployed population rises to 8.2 million – Stats SA
South Africa’s unemployment rate climbed to 32.9% in the first quarter of 2025, rising from 31.9% recorded at the end of 2024. This 1 percentage point increase is highlighted in the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) published by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA). The increase means that 291 000 more South Africans are now unemployed, bringing the total number of jobless individuals to 8.2 million. Youth unemployment crisis deepens The…
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