South Africa: South Africa's Jobs Crisis Deepens As 345,000 Join Unemployed

What the report says

South Africa’s unemployment crisis worsened in the second quarter of 2026, according to Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey, as reported by Scrolla and distributed by AllAfrica. The official unemployment rate rose from 32.7% to 33.6% between April and June, leaving about 8.5 million people without jobs. The report said the number of unemployed people increased by 345,000 over the quarter, while the number of people in work fell slightly to 16.7 million.

The story said the deterioration reflects an economy that is not creating enough jobs for people entering the labour market. It also noted that job losses were uneven across sectors, with community and social services, mining, agriculture and manufacturing among those affected. At the same time, the number of discouraged job seekers declined, but the broader picture remained severe because many people who want work are not counted in the official rate.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions, through parliamentary coordinator Matthew Parks, described the situation as a national crisis and warned that young people are bearing the heaviest burden. The article said youth unemployment is above 62%, with about five million young people unable to find work. More broadly, it highlighted the social impact of long-term joblessness for households relying on grants, relatives or informal work. The report underscores South Africa’s continuing challenge to expand employment opportunities in a slow-moving labour market.