Unemployment rate in Q2 rises to 33.5% - Economist Xhanti Payi weighs in

According to Stats SA's Quarterly Labour Force Survey, South Africa's unemployment rate has jumped from 32.9% to 33.5%. Stats SA reported a 92,000 decrease in the number of employed persons to 16-point-7 million in Q2 2024. The number of persons who were not economically active for reasons other than discouragement decreased by 75, 000 (down by 0-point-6%) between Q1 and Q2. Stats SA also noted that women in South Africa continue to shoulder a disproportionate burden of unemployment, underemployment and lower workforce participation compared to men. Senior economist Xhanti Payi further unpacks some of these figures. For more news, visit sabcnews.com and #SABCNews on all Social Media platforms.