In the fourth quarter of 2023, the labor force participation rate among Black South Africans reached over 59 percent, marking a year-on-year change of two percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2022. However, the participation rate of the labor force among Indian/Asian South Africans dropped from about 61 percent in the previous year to 58 percent.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - Black or African American (LNS14000006) from Jan 1972 to Jul 2025 about African-American, 16 years +, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

The labor force participation rate for males in South Africa saw no significant changes in 2024 in comparison to the previous year 2023 and remained at around 64.5 percent. In comparison to 2023, the rate decreased not significantly by 0.1 percentage points (-0.15 percent). Male labor force participation is the share of men over 15 years who are economically active. For example, all men providing labor in a specific period for the production of goods and services.Find more statistics on other topics about South Africa with key insights such as youth unemployment rate, labor participation rate among the total population aged between 15 and 64, and female labor force participation rate.

In the second quarter of 2024, the unemployment rate among Black South Africans was 36.9 percent, marking a year-on-year change of 0.8 percent compared to the second quarter of 2023. On the other hand, the unemployment rate among white South Africans was 7.9 percent in the second quarter of 2024, with a 0.5 percent year-on-year change. Unemployment prevalent among youth and women The unemployment rate is the share of the labor force population that is unemployed, while the labor force includes individuals who are employed as well as those who are unemployed but looking for work. South Africa is struggling to absorb its youth into the job market. For instance, the unemployment rate among young South Africans aged 15-24 years reached a staggering 60.7 percent in the second quarter of 2023. Furthermore, women had higher unemployment rates than men. Since the start of 2016, the unemployment rate of women has been consistently more than that of men, reaching close to 36 percent compared to 30 percent, respectively. A new minimum wage and most paying jobs      In South Africa, a new minimum hourly wage went into effect on March 1, 2022. The minimum salary reached 23.19 South African rand per hour (1.44 U.S. dollars per hour), up from 21.69 South African rand per hour (1.35 U.S. dollars per hour) in 2021. In addition, the preponderance of employed South Africans worked between 40 and 45 hours weekly in 2021. Individuals holding Executive Management and Change Management jobs were the highest paid in the country, with salaries averaging 74,000 U.S. dollars per year.

Unemployment Rate in South Africa increased to 33.20 percent in the second quarter of 2025 from 32.90 percent in the first quarter of 2025. This dataset provides - South Africa Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

As of the second quarter of 2024, nearly 3.83 million people in South Africa worked within the community and social services industry. The sector concentrated the highest number of employees, followed by the trade industry, which employed about 3.36 million people. A struggling labor market The South African labor market faces severe challenges and obstacles. In 2023, the country had the highest unemployment rate in Africa, with almost 30 percent of the labor force being jobless. In addition, only 40 percent of the population was employed in 2021. Indeed, South Africans were the most concerned globally about finding jobs and being unemployed. According to a survey, 64 percent of South African respondents reported being worried about unemployment as of September 2023. A highly unequal country South Africa is the most income-unequal country in the world, as it registered a Gini score of 63 in 2021. The major reasons for this inequality originate from the country’s infamous Apartheid regime and the failure of the job market to provide enough opportunities for its people. For example, the unemployment rate among Black South Africans was close to 37 percent, compared to eight percent for white South Africans. Furthermore, unemployment in the country was more widespread among individuals with a lower level of education. Specifically, in 2023, over 50 percent of the jobless South Africans had an education level lower than matric (grade 12).

South Africa is expected to register the highest unemployment rate in Africa in 2024, with around ** percent of the country's labor force being unemployed. Djibouti and Eswatini followed, with unemployment reaching roughly ** percent and ** percent, respectively. On the other hand, the lowest unemployment rates in Africa were in Niger and Burundi. The continent’s average stood at roughly ***** percent in the same year. Large shares of youth among the unemployed Due to several educational, socio-demographic, and economic factors, the young population is more likely to face unemployment in most regions of the world. In 2024, the youth unemployment rate in Africa was projected at around ** percent. The situation was particularly critical in certain countries. In 2022, Djibouti recorded a youth unemployment rate of almost ** percent, the highest rate on the continent. South Africa followed, with around ** percent of the young labor force being unemployed. Wide disparities in female unemployment Women are another demographic group often facing high unemployment. In Africa, the female unemployment rate stood at roughly ***** percent in 2023, compared to *** percent among men. The average female unemployment on the continent was not particularly high. However, there were significant disparities among African countries. Djibouti and South Africa topped the ranking once again in 2022, with female unemployment rates of around ** percent and ** percent, respectively. In contrast, Niger, Burundi, and Chad were far below Africa’s average, as only roughly *** percent or lower of the women in the labor force were unemployed.

In the fourth quarter of 2024, the unemployment rate in South Africa was 27.2 percent among workers aged 35 to 44 years. The figure decreased from 27.7 percent in the same quarter of the previous year. This age group corresponded to the largest share of the labor force participation in the country. Among young South Africans (15 to 24 years), the unemployment rate was at its highest, at 59.6 percent.

As of the fourth quarter of 2023, the unemployment rate in South Africa stood at 32.1 percent. The majority of unemployed individuals had an education level below matric (grade 12), while those that had finished their matric year represented around 34 percent. Graduates had the lowest share of unemployment at approximately 10 percent.

As of 2024, South Africa's population increased, counting approximately 63 million inhabitants. Of these, roughly 27.5 million were aged 0-24, while 654,000 people were 80 years or older. Gauteng and Cape Town are the most populated South Africa’s yearly population growth has been fluctuating since 2013, with the growth rate dropping below the world average in 2024. The majority of people lived in the borders of Gauteng, the smallest of the nine provinces in terms of land area. The number of people residing there amounted to 16.6 million in 2023. Although the Western Cape was the third-largest province, the city of Cape Town had the highest number of inhabitants in the country, at 3.4 million. An underemployed younger population South Africa has a large population under 14, who will be looking for job opportunities in the future. However, the country's labor market has had difficulty integrating these youngsters. Specifically, as of the fourth quarter of 2024, the unemployment rate reached close to 60 percent and 384 percent among people aged 15-24 and 25–34 years, respectively. In the same period, some 27 percent of the individuals between 15 and 24 years were economically active, while the labor force participation rate was higher among people aged 25 to 34, at 74.3 percent.