South Africa Unemployment Rate Rises to 33.7 Percent
Statistics South Africa reported the official unemployment rate rose to 33.7 percent in the third quarter of 2026 as the labor force expanded faster than job growth.
The official unemployment rate in South Africa rose to 33.7 percent in the third quarter of 2026, according to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey released by Statistics South Africa on November 10. This figure represents an increase from 33.6 percent in the previous quarter and 31.9 percent a year earlier. The number of unemployed individuals grew by 97,000 to approximately 8.6 million, while a wider measure including discouraged work-seekers rose to 44.0 percent.
Total employment grew by 101,000 to 16.8 million, but this growth was offset by a larger expansion of the overall labor force, which grew by 198,000. Job gains were concentrated in the formal sector, specifically within finance, business services, manufacturing, and mining. In contrast, the informal sector lost 98,000 jobs, and losses were also recorded in agriculture, construction, and private households.
Regional disparities remain sharp, with the Eastern Cape reporting the highest unemployment rate at 44.3 percent and the Western Cape the lowest at 19.4 percent. While the Western Cape saw the highest employment increase, the Free State and Mpumalanga experienced declines, with the Free State seeing the largest quarterly jump in unemployment to 39.1 percent.
Economic pressures contributing to these figures include subdued demand and rising input costs linked to fuel prices from the US-Iran war. Additionally, the coalition government formed in 2024 has struggled to boost job creation despite implementing economic reforms.
