South Africa’s official unemployment rate edged up to 33.7% in the third quarter of 2026, from 33.6% in the previous quarter, as the number of unemployed people increased to 8.578 million, according to data released by Statistics South Africa on Tuesday.
The latest figures, covering July to September, compare with 8.481 million unemployed people recorded between April and June. The marginal increase in the unemployment rate reflects continuing difficulties in generating sufficient employment despite efforts by the country’s coalition government to stimulate economic activity and expand job opportunities.
South Africa’s official unemployment rate has remained above 30% for six years and is among the highest in the world. The persistent level of joblessness represents a prolonged challenge for the country’s labour market, with millions of people unable to secure employment.
An expanded measure of unemployment, which provides a broader assessment of joblessness, also increased during the third quarter. Statistics South Africa reported that the expanded unemployment rate rose to 44.0%, from 43.8% in the preceding three months.
Employment trends varied across economic sectors during the July-September period. Private households, agriculture and construction recorded declines in employment, while finance, manufacturing and mining were among the sectors that added jobs.
The contrasting sectoral figures indicate that employment gains in parts of the economy were insufficient to prevent an overall increase in unemployment. The statistics agency’s latest release did not provide further details on the scale of the employment changes in each sector in the figures supplied.
The latest increase comes as South Africa’s coalition government, formed in 2024, continues to face pressure to improve employment opportunities. Job creation has been among its stated priorities, alongside economic reforms intended to support growth and improve economic performance.
Although the country has recorded a modest pickup in economic growth, the improvement has yet to translate into a sustained reduction in unemployment. The government’s efforts to stimulate job creation have therefore continued amid a labour market in which more than one-third of the official labour force remains unemployed.
The increase to 33.7% in the third quarter, together with the rise in the expanded unemployment rate to 44.0%, highlights the continuing scale of the employment challenge facing South Africa.
