Unemployment statistics up to 27.5% in third quarter

Statistics SA said yesterday the unemployment rate increased by 0.3 of a percentage point to 27.5% between July and September this year.

The Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the third quarter found the number employed rose by 92 000 to 16.4 million and the number of unemployed rose by 127 000 to 6.2 million.

The informal sector recorded employment gains of 188 000, while the formal sector, private households and agriculture recorded declines in employment.

Discouraged workseekers declined by 131 000 and the number of other not economically active people increased by 65 000, resulting in a decrease of 66 000 in the number of people not in the labour force between the second and third quarters.

The number of employed persons declined in seven of the 10 industries.

There were employment gains in finance and other business services and trade and construction, resulting in a net increase of 92 000 in the third quarter.