SA unemployment falls to 31.9% in third quarter.
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GUEST: Solly Molayi – Acting Deputy Director-General for Population and Social Statistics at Stats SA
South Africa’s unemployment rate has fallen to 31.9% the first decline this year and the lowest level since late 2024 as construction, community services and trade added new jobs.
Stats SA’s latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey shows an increase of 248,000 people employed, bringing the total number of employed South Africans to 17.1 million. But the drop in joblessness also comes with some important statistical changes.
Stats SA has updated how it defines and tracks the “Not Economically Active” and “Potential Labour Force” populations making this quarter’s results not directly comparable to earlier data. The agency says these changes provide a more complete picture of labour underutilisation, which now includes discouraged jobseekers, part-time workers who want more hours, and those available but not actively looking for work.
South Africa’s unemployment rate has fallen to 31.9% the first decline this year and the lowest level since late 2024 as construction, community services and trade added new jobs.
Stats SA’s latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey shows an increase of 248,000 people employed, bringing the total number of employed South Africans to 17.1 million. But the drop in joblessness also comes with some important statistical changes.
Stats SA has updated how it defines and tracks the “Not Economically Active” and “Potential Labour Force” populations making this quarter’s results not directly comparable to earlier data. The agency says these changes provide a more complete picture of labour underutilisation, which now includes discouraged jobseekers, part-time workers who want more hours, and those available but not actively looking for work.
