JOHANNESBURG - Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) today announced the third quarter results of South Africa's unemployment data.
Risenga Maluleke, the Statistician-General of South Africa, announced that SA’s official unemployment rate increased by 0.3 of a percentage point to 27.5% in the third quarter of 2018.
South Africa’s unemployment rate rose to 27.2 percent in the second quarter from 26.7 percent in the first quarter and now sits at 27.5%.
Maluleke said: "South Africa has 38 million people of working age.16.4 million people are employed, 6.2 million are unemployed and 15.4 million are not economically active."
Ahead of the announcement, NKC African Economics told Reuters, “the official South African unemployment rate probably will remain close to 27 percent in Q3, due to weak growth, continued policy uncertainty and a lack of measures to boost employment."
South Africa’s official #Unemployment rate increased by 0,3 of a percentage point to 27,5% in Q3:2018 #StatsSA https://t.co/figU3GCSg8 pic.twitter.com/x3f5abhv09
— Risenga Maluleke (@SGMaluleke) October 30, 2018
Starting the briefing session as we release the Quarterly Labour Force Survey looking at the South African labour market during the third quarter of 2018 #StatsSA #unemployment pic.twitter.com/9D950tEKy6
— Risenga Maluleke (@SGMaluleke) October 30, 2018
We are releasing the findings of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the third quarter of 2018 on Tuesday 30 October. Join us from 11am as @SGMaluleke releases the report looking at employment and #unemployment figures for Q3:2018 #StatsSA pic.twitter.com/yg0mYpw2Qm
— Stats SA (@StatsSA) October 29, 2018
The labour force participation rate increased by 0,4 of a percentage point from 59,2% in Q3:2008 to 59,5% in Q3:2018 #StatsSA https://t.co/lzTQPwYxEU pic.twitter.com/43kTNWjpR7
— Stats SA (@StatsSA) October 30, 2018
The #unemployment rate for those aged 25-34 is 52,8%, double that of the 45-54 year olds. #Youth unemployment rate is higher than other age groups irrespective of education level #StatsSA https://t.co/cUVPXbdCr6 pic.twitter.com/ABjZJclB17
— Stats SA (@StatsSA) October 30, 2018
Approximately 3,2 million (31,1%) out of 10,3 million young people aged 15-24 years were not in employment, education or training (NEET). The overall NEET rate increased by 0,8 of a percentage point in Q3:2018 compared to Q3:2017 https://t.co/lzTQPwYxEU pic.twitter.com/dmJLG5OnOp
— Stats SA (@StatsSA) October 30, 2018
Finance (102 000), Trade (86 000) and Construction (27 000) industries recorded growth in employment https://t.co/cUVPXbdCr6 pic.twitter.com/MJhrQa2KvA
— Stats SA (@StatsSA) October 30, 2018
Close to a third (29,3%) of all people employed in Q3:2018 were employed in elementary and domestic work occupations https://t.co/cUVPXbdCr6 pic.twitter.com/V4fK85C9I1
— Stats SA (@StatsSA) October 30, 2018
Five out of nine provinces showed decreases in their unemployment rate between Q2:2018 & Q3:2018 (MP, GP, NC, WC AND LP) https://t.co/cUVPXbdCr6 pic.twitter.com/XqcT2Jvcru
— Stats SA (@StatsSA) October 30, 2018