SA unemployment rises – latest figures paint grim picture
South Africa’s unemployment rate has climbed again, dealing another blow to millions of people searching for work. The official unemployment rate rose to…
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South Africa’s unemployment rate has climbed again, dealing another blow to millions of people searching for work.
The official unemployment rate rose to 33.6% in the second quarter of 2026, according to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS).
That marks an increase of 0.9 percentage points from 32.7% in the first quarter.
The number of unemployed people increased by 345 000 to 8.5 million during the quarter.
South Africa’s unemployment rate rises
Statistics South Africa released the latest labour force figures on Tuesday, 11 August.
The data shows that South Africa’s jobs crisis worsened between April and June.
The number of employed people decreased by 16 000 to 16.7 million.
At the same time, the labour force grew as more people entered the job market looking for work.
This pushed the official unemployment rate higher.
The expanded unemployment rate, which includes discouraged work-seekers, also remains significantly higher than the official rate.
Several major industries recorded job losses during the second quarter.
The biggest decreases came from community and social services, mining, agriculture and manufacturing.
However, some industries managed to add jobs during the quarter.
The mixed performance was not enough to prevent the country’s overall unemployment rate from increasing.
South Africa continues to battle one of the world’s highest unemployment rates.
The latest figures mean about 8.5 million South Africans are officially unemployed.
The increase comes after unemployment had already risen during the first quarter of the year.
South Africa recorded an official unemployment rate of 32.7% in the first quarter, up from the previous quarter.
The latest increase takes the rate to 33.6%.
The figures underline the scale of the challenge facing the country as government looks to accelerate economic growth and job creation.
For millions of South Africans looking for work, however, the latest numbers show that the jobs crisis remains far from over.