JOHANNESBURG - The rate of unemployment remained unchanged in South Africa at 29.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2019 compared to the third quarter, despite more people getting jobs in the period.
Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) said the number of employed persons increased by 45 000 to 16.4 million in the three months to December 2019.
The number of unemployed persons decreased by 8 000 to 6,7 million in the period, resulting in an increase of 38 000 in the labour force.
StatsSA’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) also showed that the South African working-age population increased by 145 000 in the fourth quarter.
But the number of discouraged work-seekers increased by 62 000 and those who were not active in the labour market for other reasons other than discouragement increased by 45 000.
This resulted in a net increase of 107 000 in the number of those who were not economically active.
StatsSA said employment increased in two of the four sectors in the fourth quarter.
The formal sector recorded the largest employment increase of 117 000 followed by Agriculture with 6 000 jobs.
The statistics agency said employment in the informal sector declined by 77 000 and remained unchanged in the private households.
An increase of 45 000 in the number of people in employment in the fourth quarter of 2019 was mainly driven by community and social services with 113 000, followed by finance and transport.
Trade, manufacturing, and utilities suffered a decline in employment.
StatsSA said there were approximately 10.3 million persons aged 15–24 years in the fourth quarter.
It said the share of these young people who were not in employment, education or training (NEET) decreased by 0,4 of a percentage point from 32,3 percent in the third quarter to 32 percent, or 3,3 million, in the fourth quarter.
Of the 20,4 million young people aged 15-34 years, StatsSA said 40,1 percent were not in NEET in the fourth quarter, a decrease of 0,3 of a percentage point compared to the third quarter.
A deeper look at the stats from Stats SA:
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/Unemployment?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Unemploymentamongst the Black African population group remains higher than the national average and other population groups.
Read more here: https://t.co/QxCW8v7vg8 #StatsSA pic.twitter.com/ssCguePsEX
— Stats SA (@StatsSA)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/unemployment?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#unemploymentrate of over 30%.
Read more here: https://t.co/QxCW8v7vg8 #StatsSA pic.twitter.com/6gJ3YXF88c
— Stats SA (@StatsSA)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/employment?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#employmentlosses were observed in Trade (159 000), Manufacturing (39 000) and Utilities (14 000)
Read more here: https://t.co/QxCW8v7vg8 #StatsSA pic.twitter.com/noM3cpoKAz
— Stats SA (@StatsSA)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/Employment?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Employmentgains were mainly driven by Services (113 000), Finance (76 000), Transport (36 000) and Construction (12 000).
Read more here: https://t.co/QxCW8v7vg8 #StatsSA pic.twitter.com/19MmoYKJHo
— Stats SA (@StatsSA)