Statistician General Maluleke explains new labour survey, as unemployment edges above 33%
The latest Stats SA figures show that the official unemployment rate was 33.2% in the second quarter of 2025.
Statistician-General (SG) of South Africa and Head of Statistics South Africa Risenga Maluleke. Picture credit: @StatsSA
The Money Show's Stephen Grootes is joined by Risenga Maluleke, Statistician General of South Africa, and Rand Merchant Bank chief economist Isaah Mhlanga.
South Africa's official unemployment rate edged up to 33.2% in the second quarter of 2025.
That's an increase of 0.3 percentage points from 32.9% in the first quarter of the year.
The number of employed persons rose by 19,000 to 16,8 million, according to Statistics SA's latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey, or QLFS. (Click here for the key findings)
At the same time there was an increase of 140 000 in the number of unemployed persons to 8,4 million.
In terms of the expanded unemployment definition, the unemployment rate in the second quarter of 2025 decreased by 0,2 of a percentage point to 42,9%,
compared with the first quarter when it was 43,1%.
Stephen Grootes talks to Statistician General Risenga Maluleke about the latest numbers, and coming changes to the agency's survey questionnaire.
Official unemployment rate for Q2:2025, Stats SA
Mululeka explains that Stats SA's new questionnaire does not tamper with the standing definition of employment - the changes are aimed at collecting more data attributes.
"Say there are ten people out there who are employed and five who are unemployed, this will remain the same but they'll be collecting more attributes in terms of the number of hours these people are working, so that we can look at issues like underemployment and the like."
Risenga Maluleke, Statistician General
Grootes asks the Statistician General whether these changes were in any way influenced by the suggestion from outgoing Capitec CEO Gerrie Fourie in June that our methodology needed to be reviewed.
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Maluleke makes the point that Stats SA make additions in line with global developments, as they are guided in their meetings with the International Labour Organization.
Commenting on these statements, RMB's Isaah Mhlanga also emphasizes that South Africa's methodology fits international best practice.
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation