South Africa’s official unemployment rate declined to 31.4% in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) results released by Statistics South Africa.
The rate decreased by 0.5 of a percentage point from 31.9% in the third quarter of 2025. This comes after the number of employed people increased by 44 000 to 17.1 million, while the number of unemployed people fell by 172 000 to 7.8 million.
However, the labour force also shrank during the same period, decreasing by 128 000 (0.5%). At the same time, discouraged work-seekers increased by 233 000 to 3.7 million. Other available job-seekers declined by 110 000 to 855 000, while unavailable job-seekers dropped by 41 000 to 42 000. Overall, the potential labour force increased by 82 000 to 4.6 million.
People outside the labour force increased by 165 000 to 12.5 million. When combined with the potential labour force, the total number of people outside the labour force rose by 248 000 to 17.1 million in the fourth quarter.
Other measures of labour underutilisation also showed some improvement. The combined rate of unemployment and time-related underemployment (LU2) declined by 0.6 of a percentage point to 34.3%. The combined rate of unemployment and the potential labour force (LU3) fell by 0.3 of a percentage point to 42.1%. Meanwhile, the broad measure of labour underutilisation (LU4) stood at 44.5% in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke said the figures show slight progress but highlight ongoing challenges in the labour market. “While we have seen a modest decline in the official unemployment rate, the increase in discouraged work-seekers indicates that many South Africans remain on the margins of the labour market,” he said.
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