Cape Town – South Africa’s official unemployment rate rose to 32.9% in the first quarter of 2025, up 1% from the previous quarter, according to Stats SA.
Employment fell by 291,000, while the number of unemployed people rose by 237,000 to 8.2 million.
The expanded unemployment rate also climbed to 43.1%.
The formal sector shed 245,000 jobs, though informal sector employment rose slightly by 17,000.
🧵#ZAunemployment || The official unemployment rate increased by 1,0 percentage point to 32,9% in Q1:2025 compared to Q4:2024.
Read more here: https://t.co/lO8z2dejxE#StatsSA #ZAemployment #GovZAUpdates pic.twitter.com/919oKigqaO
— Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) (@StatsSA) May 13, 2025
The biggest job gains were seen in transport (67,000), finance (60,000), and utilities (35,000), while major losses occurred in trade (194,000) and construction (119,000).
Youth unemployment remains a serious concern, increasing to 46.1%, with 151,000 more youths unemployed and 153,000 fewer employed.
“The youth (15–34 years) remain vulnerable in the labour market. The results for the first quarter of 2025 show that the total number of unemployed youth increased by 151 000 to 4,8 million, while employed youth recorded a decrease of 153 000 to 5.7 million. As a result, the youth unemployment rate increased from 44.6% in the fourth quarter of 2024 to 46.1% in the first quarter of 2025,” said StatsSA.
Provincial data showed job increases in the Western Cape (+49,000) and Gauteng (+9,000), but significant decreases in KwaZulu-Natal (-104,000) and several other provinces.
Below, is the breakdown provincial breakdown:
- Western Cape: 49 000 increase
- Gauteng: 9000 increase
- Free State: 4000 increase
- KwaZulu-Natal: 104 000 decrease
- Eastern Cape: 83 000
- North West: 57 000 decrease
- Limpopo: 55 000 decrease
- Mpumalanga: 43 000 decrease
- Northern Cape: 12 000 decrease
