Unemployment stats: Good news as more than 200 000 jobs gained in SA

Loading player...
Risenga Maluleke - Stats SA statistician-general talks about Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) released the results of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) on Tuesday for the third quarter of 2022 with a strong and positive outlook.

Between the second and third quarter of 2022, 204 000 jobs were gained. The total number of people employed in South Africa was 15.8 million in the third quarter of 2022.

The number of unemployed people decreased by 269 000 to 7.7 million.
The number of discouraged work-seekers also decreased by 54 000 to 3.5 million when compared to the previous quarter.
The number of people who were not economically active for reasons other than discouragement increased by 264 000 between the two quarters resulting in a net increase of 210 000 in the not economically active population.
Unemployement rate decreases by 1%
The QLFS results from Stats SA showed the official unemployment rate decreasing by 1.0 percentage point from 33.9% in the second quarter of 2022 to 32.9% in the third quarter.
The unemployment rate according to the expanded definition of unemployment also decreased by 1.0 percentage point to 43.1% in the third quarter.
The manufacturing (123 000), trade (82 000), construction (46 000) and transport (33 000) industries recorded the largest job gains, while job losses were recorded in finance (80 000), private households (36 000) as well as mining and agriculture (1 000) each.
Sectors that recorded job increases were the formal and informal with 235 000 and 6 000 respectively.
29 Nov 2022 1PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

Premier Bakes H1’2026 Operating Profit Surge Of 52.5%

Premier FMCG reported a strong set of interim results, with earnings growth, expanding margins and early benefits emerging from its acquisition of RFG Holdings. CEO Kobus Gertenbach discusses integration progress, consumer spending trends, commodity price dynamics and how Premier plans to sustain growth as it scales into a larger and…
10 Nov 12PM 16 min

South Africa’s Construction Capacity Question

South Africa is betting heavily on infrastructure to drive economic growth, yet concerns remain about project delays, contractor failures, skills shortages and shrinking industry capacity. We speak to Tshidiso Lekgetho, Acting Registrar of the SACPCMP, about the real state of the construction sector, the importance of professionalisation and accountability, and…
10 Nov 11AM 18 min

Vodacom HY Heps Surges 25.7% on Safaricom’s Transformational Impact

Vodacom delivered one of its strongest sets of interim results in recent years, boosted by the consolidation of Safaricom, rapid growth in financial services and expanding digital revenues. CEO Shameel Joosub joins us to discuss the future of African fintech, the evolution of Vodacom beyond traditional telecoms, and whether the…
10 Nov 12PM 11 min

South Africa's R1.16 Trillion Logistics Problem

South Africa's logistics bill is projected to reach a record R1.16 trillion in 2026, equivalent to 14.6% of GDP and the highest logistics cost burden recorded in more than two decades. The latest State of Logistics 2026 for South Africa report paints a picture of a freight system under pressure…
9 Nov 1PM 13 min

Your Vote, Your Wealth: Why Politics Shapes Property Prices

For most South Africans, their home is their largest financial asset. So, what happens when poor governance starts eroding property values? Herschel Jawitz, CEO of Jawitz Properties, joins us to discuss the powerful relationship between local government performance, infrastructure, service delivery and household wealth.
9 Nov 12PM 19 min