Statistics South Africa has announced that the country’s official unemployment rate increased to 32.7% in the first quarter of 2026, up from 31.4% recorded in the final quarter of 2025.
According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) released on Tuesday, the number of employed people declined by 345,000 to 16.8 million, while the number of unemployed persons rose by 301,000 to 8.1 million. The labour force also decreased by 44,000 during the same period.
“According to the QLFS Q1: 2026 results, there was a decrease of 345 000 in the number of employed persons to 16,8 million, while there was an increase of 301 000 in the number of unemployed persons to 8,1 million compared with Q4: 2025 results. This resulted in a decrease of 44 000 (-0,2%) in the labour force during the same period.”
The report further revealed that discouraged job-seekers increased by 178,000 to 3.9 million, contributing to a rise in broader measures of labour underutilisation. The expanded unemployment rate, which includes discouraged work-seekers, climbed to 43.7%, while the composite labour underutilisation rate reached 46.3%.
Formal sector employment dropped by 189,000 jobs, while the informal sector shed 127,000 jobs. The largest employment losses were recorded in community and social services, construction, and transport. However, manufacturing, mining, and agriculture sectors posted modest gains.
KwaZulu-Natal was the only province to record an increase in employment during the quarter. Major job losses were observed in North West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape, and Limpopo.
Youth unemployment also worsened, with the unemployment rate among people aged 15 to 34 rising by 2 percentage points to 45.8%. The number of unemployed youth increased to 4.7 million during the first quarter of the year.
Statistics South Africa said the latest figures highlight ongoing challenges in the labour market and the growing number of South Africans struggling to find work.
About The Author
