Youth unemployment is still the biggest warning sign in South Africa’s labour market, and the numbers are hard to ignore. According to Stats SA, young people aged 15–24 recorded an unemployment rate of 60,9%, while those aged 25–34 stood at 40,6%.
That means these two age groups remain the most affected, even though young people make up nearly half of the country’s working-age population.
In the first quarter of 2026, South Africa’s working-age population reached 42.2 million people, an increase of 121,000 from the previous quarter. Nearly half of them, 21 million people (49.7%), were aged between 15 and 34.
Yet despite making up such a large share of the population, many young people remain shut out of opportunities.
A generation struggling to find its footing
Among South Africans aged 15–34:
- 5.6 million were employed
- 4.7 million were unemployed
- 10.6 million were outside the labour force
The younger the age group, the tougher the reality.
South Africa’s overall unemployment rate stood at 32.7%, but youth unemployment remained far higher:
- 60.9% among those aged 15–24
- 40.6% among those aged 25–34
For the youngest group, only 10.1% of the working-age population had jobs — the lowest employment absorption rate across all age categories.
Among 25–34-year-olds, 72.0% were participating in the labour market, yet only 42.8% were actually employed. In other words, many are trying to work, but jobs simply aren’t there.
The crisis beyond unemployment
Millions of young South Africans are neither working nor studying. Known as the NEET category, those Not in Employment, Education, or Training, this group highlights just how many young people have become disconnected from both the economy and the education system.
In Q1 2026:
- 3.9 million people aged 15–24 were NEET.
- The NEET rate for this age group stood at 37.6%.
- Among those aged 15–34, the rate climbed to 45.6%.
- Both age groups recorded an increase of 0.5 percentage points compared to a year earlier.
That means more than four in every ten young South Africans aged 15–34 were neither earning, learning nor training.
Young women are being left further behind
The burden is not shared equally.
Among young people aged 15–24:
- 39.2% of women were NEET.
- 36.0% of men were NEET.
Compared with a year ago, the NEET rate among young women increased by 1.7 percentage points, while the rate for young men declined by 0.7 percentage points.
The gap between the two now stands at 3.2 percentage points, suggesting that young women continue to face greater barriers to opportunity.
Where young people are finding work
For those who do have jobs, employment remains concentrated in a few industries.
Top sectors employing young people:
- Trade: 23.6%
- Community and social services: 19.9%
- Finance: 18.5%
Most common occupations:
- Elementary occupations: 24.6%
- Sales and services: 19.2%
- Clerical roles: 13.8%
- Craft and related trades: 10.9%
By comparison, relatively few young people are employed in higher-skilled positions:
- Technicians: 9.1%
- Professionals: 6.1%
- Managers: 4.7%
What stands out most is how early the struggle begins.
- In the 15–24 category, the absorption rate is only 10,1%.
- That means only a small share of people in this age group are actually in work.
- So for many, the problem is not losing a job — it is never getting the first one.
For those aged 25–34, the picture shifts slightly, but the pressure is still intense.
- The participation rate is 72,0%, which shows this group is active and willing to work.
- Yet the absorption rate is just 42,8%.
- In other words, many are stepping forward, but the labour market is not meeting them halfway.
- About 3,9 million young people aged 15–24 were classified as NEET, not in employment, education or training.
- That means many are not just jobless; they are also disconnected from learning and skills development.
- Over time, that creates a deeper cycle of exclusion.
