South Africa’s official unemployment rate increased marginally to 33.7% in the third quarter of 2026, up from 33.6% in the second quarter, as job creation failed to keep pace with labor force growth.
According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey released by Statistics South Africa on Tuesday, the total number of unemployed citizens rose by 97,000 to reach 8.58 million between July and September.
Although the economy added 101,000 jobs during the period to bring total employment to 16.8 million, the overall labor force expanded by 198,000 people entering or re-entering the job market.
The broader unemployment measure which includes discouraged job-seekers who have stopped actively looking for work – worsened to 44.0% from 43.8% in the previous quarter, pushing total joblessness affecting South Africans even higher.
Sectoral figures revealed structural disparities across the economy. Formal-sector employment grew by 268,000 positions, anchored by job gains across the finance, manufacturing, and mining industries.
However, these gains were eroded by severe contractions in informal employment, which shed 98,000 jobs, alongside further headcount losses across private households, agriculture, and construction sectors.
Regional employment outcomes were similarly divided. The Western Cape led job creation by adding 48,000 positions, while Free State and Mpumalanga recorded employment losses of 34,000 and 30,000, respectively.
This latest data marks the third consecutive quarterly increase in South Africa’s unemployment rate during 2026, underlining ongoing growth challenges facing the coalition government formed in 2024.
