More than 8 million South Africans are jobless

The unemployment rate in South Africa increased to 33.5% in the second quarter of 2024, leaving 8.4 million citizens jobless.

This is according to the Statistics South Africa Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) released yesterday.

Youth aged 15-24 years and 25-34 years continue to have the highest unemployment rates, at 60.8% and 41.7% respectively, while KZN was one of three provinces that recorded the largest decrease in employment in Q2.

“The working age population increased by 0.3% in the second quarter of 2024 compared with the first quarter. The number of employed persons decreased by 92 000 to 16.7 million in Q2, while the number of unemployed persons increased by 158 000 to 8.4 million compared with Q1, resulting in an increase of 66 000, up by 0.3%, in the labour force,” said statistician-general Risenga Maluleke.

The number of discouraged work seekers increased by 147 000, up by 4.8%, while the number of people who were not economically active for reasons other than discouragement decreased by 75 000, down by 0.6%, between the two quarters, resulting in a net increase of 72 000 in the economically inactive population.

The latest figures show employment losses were observed in the formal sector, dropping by 77 000, the agricultural sector down by 45 000 and private households down by 18 000, while informal sector employment increased by 48 000 in Q2.

Compared with Q2 2023, the working age population increased by 550 000 or 1.4%.

The second quarter of 2024 recorded formal sector employment decreases in the trade (118 000), finance (24 000), construction (15 000), mining (10 000) and transport (1 000) industries compared with Q1 2024.

During the same period, increases in formal sector employment were recorded in manufacturing (41 000), community and social services (37 000) and utilities (8 000).