Looking for a job in South Africa just got a little tougher. The country’s official unemployment rate has risen to 33.6%.
That’s according to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey from Stats SA, which compares employment trends across the country.
The increase means the unemployment rate is now 0.9 percentage points higher than it was in the first quarter of 2026.
The numbers behind it are pretty stark:
- 8.5 million people are unemployed.
- 345 000 more people became unemployed.
- Employment fell by 16 000 to 16.7 million.
Young people are taking one of the biggest hits.
Youth unemployment has jumped to 47.4%, meaning almost half of young people in the labour force are without a job.
The number of unemployed young people rose by 264 000 to 5 million, while youth employment fell by 40 000.
There was some movement in the right direction, though. Trade created 70 000 jobs, construction added 39 000, and finance added 11 000 jobs.
But losses in other industries canceled out some of those gains, with community and social services losing 57 000 jobs and mining losing 26 000.
The provincial picture was also mixed. Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape and Free State recorded employment increases, while Western Cape, Gauteng and North West saw jobs decline.
Another interesting shift: discouraged job-seekers fell by 227 000 to 3.7 million. These are people who are available to work but have stopped looking.
South Africa still has a huge employment challenge, and for young people, getting onto the career ladder remains especially difficult.
