South Africa's official unemployment rate decreased by 1,4 percentage points to 32,1% in Q3:2024

(Media Release: Issued and provided by Stats SA)

South Africa’s unemployment trends show positive movement in Q3 2024, with the official unemployment rate declining from 33.5% to 32.1%, and the expanded unemployment rate decreasing slightly to 41.9% — employment rose by 294,000, reaching 16.9 million workers.

Meanwhile, the number of unemployed persons decreased by 373 000 reaching 8,0 million, the lowest figure in almost a year.

The unemployment rate based on the expanded definition of unemployment, which includes discouraged workers and those no longer actively looking for work, decreased by 0,7 percentage points (pps) to 41,9% when compared with the Q2 2024. Discouraged work-seekers increased by 160 000 (up by 5,0%) and the number of persons who were not economically active for reasons other than discouragement increased by 54 000 (up by 0,4%).

Read the full report here.

Also see the National Treasury summary.