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The unemployment rate increased by 0.6 of a percentage point from 32.9% in the first quarter to 33.5% in the second quarter of 2024, with the expanded unemployment rate increasing by 0.7 of a percentage point to 42.6%.
Stats SA announced on Tuesday the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) tracked a decrease of 92,000 in the number of employed people to 16.7-million in the second quarter.
It found an increase of 158,000 in the number of unemployed to 8.4-million compared with the first quarter.
“Discouraged work-seekers increased by 147,000, up by 4.8%, while the number of people who were not economically active for reasons other than discouragement decreased by 75,000, down by 0.6%, between the two quarters,” Stats SA said.
This led to an increase of 72,000 in the number of not economically active people to 16.3-million in the second quarter.
The QLFS said six out of the 10 occupational categories recorded employment losses in the second quarter compared with the first quarter.
“Large decreases in employment were observed in plant and machine operator occupations with 260,000, followed by sales and services with 161,000, professional with 127,000 and clerical with 103,000.
“During the same period, employment gains were recorded in elementary occupations with 249,000, followed by technician with 190,000, manager with 148,000 and skilled agriculture with 12,000 occupations.”
Informal sector employment increased by 48,000 people in the second quarter compared with the previous quarter.
“Gains in the informal sector employment were mainly driven by finance with 15,000 jobs and mining with 13,000 jobs. Compared with the second quarter of 2023, the employment increase in the informal sector was mainly driven by transport with 73,000, manufacturing with 38,000, and trade with 35,000.
The losses in employment were recorded in construction, which shed 35,000 jobs, community and social services, which lost 26,000, and utilities which lost 4,000 jobs.
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