South Africa’s unemployment rate fell to 25% in the second quarter of the year, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said yesterday.
“The unemployment rate decreased by 1.4% to 25% between the first and second quarters of 2015,” statistician-general Pali Lehohla said as he released the results of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the period.
According to Lehohla, since 2011, there has been growth in employment even though it fluctuates.
The QLFS showed that unemployment declined by 305 000 on a quarterly basis. It found that South Africa’s working age population was at 36 million, with 15.7 million being employed, 5.2 million being unemployed and 15.1 million being not economically active.
The formal sector accounted for the largest share of employment at 69.2%, while agriculture accounted for the lowest share at 5.6%.
Employment growth was largely supported by a rise of 177 000 jobs in the informal sector on a quarterly basis. Employment in the formal sector of the economy increased by 39 000.
According to the report, large quarterly gains were seen in the community and social services at 98 000, construction at 79 000 and trade at 73 000 industries.
Job losses were recorded in the finance, manufacturing and agriculture industries at 31 000, 23 000 and 22 000, respectively.
Around 16% of the not economically active population was accounted for by discouraged work-seekers, while more than 80% were due to other reasons, such as student and home-maker.
Source: SAnews.gov
