Unemployment Rate in South Africa increased to 32.90 percent in the first quarter of 2025 from 31.90 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024. This dataset provides - South Africa Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Youth Unemployment Rate in South Africa increased to 62.40 percent in the first quarter of 2025 from 59.60 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024. This dataset provides - South Africa Youth Unemployment Rate- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

In 2024, the youth unemployment rate in South Africa increased by 1.2 percentage points (+2.01 percent) compared to 2023. In total, the youth unemployment rate amounted to 60.89 percent in 2024. This increase was preceded by a declining youth unemployment rate.The youth unemployment rate of a country or region refers to the share of the total workforce aged 15 to 24 that is currently without work, but actively searching for employment. It does not include economically inactive persons such as full-time students or the long-term unemployed.Find more statistics on other topics about South Africa with key insights such as labor participation rate among the total population aged between 15 and 64, labor force participation rate for males, and female labor force participation rate.

Historical chart and dataset showing South Africa youth unemployment rate by year from 1991 to 2024.

ZA: Unemployment: National Estimate: Youth Female: % of Female Labour Force Aged 15-24 data was reported at 58.650 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 59.310 % for 2016. ZA: Unemployment: National Estimate: Youth Female: % of Female Labour Force Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 55.175 % from Dec 2008 (Median) to 2017, with 10 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 59.310 % in 2016 and a record low of 50.310 % in 2008. ZA: Unemployment: National Estimate: Youth Female: % of Female Labour Force Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank: Employment and Unemployment. Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in November 2017.; Weighted Average; The series for ILO estimates is also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

Historical chart and dataset showing South Africa unemployment rate by year from 1991 to 2024.

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.

South Africa ZA: Share of Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training: Total: % of Youth Population data was reported at 31.150 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 31.220 % for 2016. South Africa ZA: Share of Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training: Total: % of Youth Population data is updated yearly, averaging 31.265 % from Dec 2012 (Median) to 2017, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 32.210 % in 2012 and a record low of 30.500 % in 2015. South Africa ZA: Share of Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training: Total: % of Youth Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank: Employment and Unemployment. Share of youth not in education, employment or training (NEET) is the proportion of young people who are not in education, employment, or training to the population of the corresponding age group: youth (ages 15 to 24); persons ages 15 to 29; or both age groups.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in November 2017.; Weighted Average;

ZA: Unemployment: Modeled ILO Estimate: Youth Male: % of Male Labour Force Aged 15-24 data was reported at 51.919 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 48.625 % for 2016. ZA: Unemployment: Modeled ILO Estimate: Youth Male: % of Male Labour Force Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 46.350 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 52.137 % in 1992 and a record low of 31.521 % in 1995. ZA: Unemployment: Modeled ILO Estimate: Youth Male: % of Male Labour Force Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank: Employment and Unemployment. Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in November 2017.; Weighted average; Data up to 2016 are estimates while data from 2017 are projections. National estimates are also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

ZA: Share of Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training: Female: % of Female Youth Population data was reported at 33.750 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 33.870 % for 2016. ZA: Share of Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training: Female: % of Female Youth Population data is updated yearly, averaging 33.870 % from Dec 2013 (Median) to 2017, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 34.700 % in 2013 and a record low of 33.070 % in 2015. ZA: Share of Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training: Female: % of Female Youth Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank: Employment and Unemployment. Share of youth not in education, employment or training (NEET) is the proportion of young people who are not in education, employment, or training to the population of the corresponding age group: youth (ages 15 to 24); persons ages 15 to 29; or both age groups.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in November 2017.; Weighted Average;

South Africa ZA: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15-24: Male data was reported at 14.932 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 15.039 % for 2016. South Africa ZA: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15-24: Male data is updated yearly, averaging 14.985 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2017, with 18 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 19.652 % in 2008 and a record low of 9.640 % in 2002. South Africa ZA: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15-24: Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank.WDI: Employment and Unemployment. Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed. Employment is defined as persons of working age who, during a short reference period, were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period (i.e. who worked in a job for at least one hour) or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangements. Ages 15-24 are generally considered the youth population.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2018.; Weighted average; The series for ILO estimates is also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

South Africa ZA: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15-24: Female data was reported at 10.100 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 9.590 % for 2016. South Africa ZA: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15-24: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 10.535 % from Dec 2008 (Median) to 2017, with 10 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.800 % in 2008 and a record low of 9.590 % in 2016. South Africa ZA: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15-24: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank: Employment and Unemployment. Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed. Employment is defined as persons of working age who, during a short reference period, were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period (i.e. who worked in a job for at least one hour) or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangements. Ages 15-24 are generally considered the youth population.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in November 2017.; Weighted Average; The series for ILO estimates is also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

South Africa ZA: Employment To Population Ratio: Modeled ILO Estimate: Aged 15-24 data was reported at 11.086 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 12.263 % for 2016. South Africa ZA: Employment To Population Ratio: Modeled ILO Estimate: Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 14.878 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 21.960 % in 1995 and a record low of 11.086 % in 2017. South Africa ZA: Employment To Population Ratio: Modeled ILO Estimate: Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank: Employment and Unemployment. Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed. Employment is defined as persons of working age who, during a short reference period, were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period (i.e. who worked in a job for at least one hour) or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangements. Ages 15-24 are generally considered the youth population.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in November 2017.; Weighted average; Data up to 2016 are estimates while data from 2017 are projections. National estimates are also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

South Africa ZA: Employment To Population Ratio: Modeled ILO Estimate: Aged 15-24: Female data was reported at 8.295 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 9.549 % for 2016. South Africa ZA: Employment To Population Ratio: Modeled ILO Estimate: Aged 15-24: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 12.317 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18.375 % in 1995 and a record low of 8.295 % in 2017. South Africa ZA: Employment To Population Ratio: Modeled ILO Estimate: Aged 15-24: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.World Bank: Employment and Unemployment. Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed. Employment is defined as persons of working age who, during a short reference period, were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period (i.e. who worked in a job for at least one hour) or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangements. Ages 15-24 are generally considered the youth population.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in November 2017.; Weighted average; Data up to 2016 are estimates while data from 2017 are projections. National estimates are also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.