South Africa’s official unemployment rate rose to 32.7 percent during the first three months of 2026. Data from Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) shows a 1.3 percentage point increase from the previous quarter. This rise means that 8.1 million people are now without jobs across the country.
The economy shed 345,000 positions between January and March this year. Total employment decreased to 16.8 million people. Desiree Manamela, StatsSA Chief Director for Labour Statistics, noted that various industries shed jobs while very few created new opportunities.
SMread: Congolese cyclist pedals across Africa to raise awareness of DRC crisis
Impact on young job seekers
The youth remain the most vulnerable group in the current South African labour market. The unemployment rate for those aged 15 to 34 climbed to 45.8 percent. This represents 4.7 million young people currently without employment. Manamela highlighted a worrying trend regarding discouraged workseekers in this specific cohort.
“Now, we’re seeing a lot of people saying that they are discouraged because there are no jobs within the area where they stay,” Manamela said. She noted that many young people have lost hope of finding any employment. The number of discouraged workseekers has now reached 3.9 million people.
SMread: South Africans are not immune to Seasonal Affective Disorder
Sectoral shifts and provincial declines
The community and social services sector recorded the largest decline with 206,000 jobs lost. The construction industry followed with a loss of 110,000 positions. Transport and private households also saw significant decreases in their total workforces. Conversely, manufacturing, mining, and agriculture managed to add a small number of jobs.
Every province except KwaZulu-Natal recorded a decline in employment levels. The North West and Gauteng were among the hardest hit regions. Experts analyse the data to understand the long-term impact on the national economy. High unemployment continues to be a primary concern for the South African government.
Image via BEE Chamber.
