In the fourth quarter of 2023, South Africa’s official unemployment rate rose to 32.1%, with the number of employed individuals decreasing by 22 000 to 16.7 million compared to the previous quarter. Conversely, the number of unemployed persons increased by 46 000 to 7.9 million during the same period. The unemployment rate under the expanded definition decreased slightly to 41.1%. Formal sector employment declined by 128 000, while informal sector employment increased by 124 000. Industries like Finance, Transport, Mining and Private households saw employment gains, while others like Community and social services, Construction, Agriculture, Trade and Manufacturing experienced declines. Provincially, KwaZulu-Natal saw the largest employment increase, while losses were recorded in Eastern Cape, Limpopo, North West, and Northern Cape. The youth (15–34 years) continue to face challenges, with an increase in the youth unemployment rate to 44.3% in Q4 of 2023.
