SA’s unemployment rate drops to 31.9% in Q3

Johannesburg
Nokukhanya Mntambo

Nokukhanya Mntambo

11 November 2025 | 10:13

While this brings the number of employed people to 17.1 million, 8 million other people eligible to work still remain jobless.

SA’s unemployment rate drops to 31.9% in Q3

Picture: @vadymvdrobot/123rf.com

The country’s unemployment rate has dropped to 31.9% in the third quarter from 33.2% in the second quarter.

While this brings the number of employed people to 17.1 million, eight million other people eligible to work still remain jobless.

Six out of the 10 occupational categories recorded employment gains in the quarter under review.

This includes sales and services, followed by craft and related trade, skilled agriculture, clerks, plant and machine operators and domestic workers.

Statistician general at Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) Risenga Maluleke released the latest data on Tuesday.

JOIN US ON WHATSAPP

Stay ahead of the story: Join our WhatsApp channel today.

Want breaking news at your fingertips, the moment it happens? Our WhatsApp Channel is the fastest way to stay connected with the stories that matter most.

From breaking news alerts to exclusive stories, analysis and must-read features - you’ll get it all directly on your phone.

Joining is simple.

Just click Follow on our WhatsApp Channel and stay informed.

Get the whole picture 💡

Take a look at the topic timeline for all related articles.

Trending News