By Garrin Lambley
South Africa’s unemployment rate has climbed to 32.9% in the first quarter of 2025, up from 31.9% in the final quarter of 2024.
South Africa’s unemployment rate has climbed to 32.9% in the first quarter of 2025, up from 31.9% in the final quarter of 2024.
South Africa’s unemployment rate has climbed to 32.9% in the first quarter of 2025, up from 31.9% in the final quarter of 2024 – a full 1 percentage point increase, according to data released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) in Pretoria on Tuesday.
The Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) revealed that 291 000 more people were unemployed in the first three months of 2025, bringing the total number of jobless South Africans to 8.2 million.
“These are people who are actively looking for employment,” said Stats SA General Risenga Maluleke.
“They represent an unemployment rate of 32.9%, which becomes our headline number for the first quarter of 2025.”
Youth unemployment crisis
The report highlights the youth unemployment crisis as one of the country’s most urgent socioeconomic issues.
In two of the hardest-hit provinces:
North West recorded a youth unemployment rate of 58.8%, with just 43% of people aged 15 to 34 active in the labour market
Eastern Cape followed closely, with a youth unemployment rate of 54.3% and the lowest youth labour force participation rate nationally at 39.8% – meaning fewer than four in 10 young people are working or job-seeking
Economic inactivity
The report also indicated changes in economic inactivity.
While the number of students not participating in the labour force dropped by 206 000, the number of discouraged work seekers – people who have given up looking for jobs – increased by 7 000.
This surge in unemployment paints a sobering picture of South Africa’s ongoing struggle to create sustainable jobs and integrate young people into the workforce, especially in economically marginalised regions.
