South Africa’s official unemployment rate climbed for the second consecutive quarter, reaching 33.2% in the April-June period of 2025, according to data released on Tuesday by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA). The new figure represents a 0.3 percentage point increase from the 32.9% recorded in the first quarter of the year.
The latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) paints a challenging picture of the country’s job market. While the number of employed people saw a modest increase of 19,000 to 16.8 million, this was overshadowed by a substantial rise in the number of unemployed individuals.
The number of jobless people grew by 140,000, bringing the total to approximately 8.4 million. This means that while 159,000 more people entered the workforce between April and June, only a fraction of them found employment.
Meanwhile, the data also highlighted persistent disparities within the labor market. The unemployment rate for women stood at 35.9%, compared to 31.0% for men. This gender gap is even more pronounced among those with lower educational qualifications.
Youth unemployment remains a particularly acute issue, with the rate for individuals aged 15-24 soaring to 62.4%. This indicates a decade of deteriorating job prospects for millions of young South Africans.
Despite the increase in the official unemployment rate, the expanded definition of unemployment, which includes discouraged job seekers, saw a slight decrease to 42.9% from 43.1% in the previous quarter.
suggesting a marginal decrease in the number of people who have given up looking for work.
Gains were primarily observed in the formal sector (up by 34,000 jobs) and private households (up by 28,000). However, these gains were offset by significant job losses in community and social services (42,000 jobs), as well as finance and agriculture (24,000 jobs each).
The new statistics come just days after the implementation of a 30% tariff by the United States on South African goods, a measure expected to further impact key industries such as agriculture, vehicle manufacturing, and steel, potentially exacerbating the country’s employment challenges.
