Stats SA: 29,000 jobs added in formal sector, but year-on-year losses mount

Employment in South Africa’s formal non-agricultural sector edged up in the third quarter of 2025.

This is according to the latest Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES) released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA).

The survey shows a gain of 29,000 jobs, with employment rising to 10.5 million in September.

The community services industry recorded the highest job gains during the reporting period, adding 39,000 jobs. Modest growth also occurred in trade and mining.

These gains were offset by losses in business services (12,000 jobs), manufacturing (5,000 jobs), and construction (4,000 jobs).

The transport and electricity industries saw no change.

Despite the marginal formal non-agricultural quarter-on-quarter increase, the year-on-year figures paint a different picture.

At least 79,000 jobs were lost between September 2024 and September 2025.

“Part-time employment increased by 50,000 jobs, rising from 1,094,000 in June 2025 to 1,144,000 in September 2025. This increase was mainly due to the community services industry, which gained 42,000 jobs. The Trade sector added 8,000 jobs, while the Business Services industry increased by 6,000 jobs. The transport and electricity industries remained unchanged during this period.”