Vital stats

Unemployment eases in fourth quarter

South Africa's unemployment rate eased to 26.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2017, according to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA).

The Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) released by Stats SA showed that there was a slight decrease from the third quarter, when the unemployment rate came in at 27.7 percent which was the same as the second quarter.

With regard to the educational level of the labour force, the QLFS found that the unemployment rate is higher for those with lower education levels.

“We can see that if you have less than matric, you will experience serious unemployment challenges,” said Statistician General Risenga Maluleke.

In the fourth quarter, those without matric had an unemployment rate of 31.2 percent, while the rate for those with matric was 27.5 percent. The unemployment rate among graduates was 6.6 percent in the fourth quarter.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate among the youth was found to be higher, irrespective of their education level.

With regard to those not in employment, education and training (NEET), the QLFS found that of the 10.3 million young people aged 15 to 24, 3.1 million were not in NEET.

The report indicated a 21 000 quarter-on-quarter decrease in the number of those employed, while formal sector jobs decreased by 135 000 quarter-on-quarter to 11.2 million people. However, informal sector employment rose by 119 00 quarter-on-quarter to 2.8 million.

Quarter-on-quarter gains were made by the services, manufacturing, agriculture and construction sectors at 75 000, 42 000, 39 000 and 26 000 respectively.

Informal sector employment has been growing, from 2.4 million in the first quarter of 2008 to 2.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2017.

In the fourth quarter of 2017, 5.9 million people were unemployed (a decrease of 330 000 quarter-onquarter).

Looking at population groups, unemployment was at 30 percent for black Africans, 23.5 percent for coloureds, 9.2 percent for Indian/ Asian and 6.7 percent for whites.

“When we look at males versus females, see that black African females we are sitting at 32.4 percent [unemployment]. Black women are mostly vulnerable when it comes to unemployment,” said Maluleke.

The QLFS said that irrespective of sex, black Africans and coloured population groups remain vulnerable in the labour market.

Provincially, the Eastern Cape had the highest unemployment rate at 35.1 percent, followed by the Free State at 32.6 percent.