As of the second quarter of 2023, nearly 3.97 million people in South Africa worked within the community and social services industry. The sector concentrated the highest number of employees, followed by the trade industry, which employed about 3.36 million people.
South Africa is the most income-unequal country in the world, as it registered a Gini score of 63 in 2021. The major reasons for this inequality originate from the country’s infamous Apartheid regime and the failure of the job market to provide enough opportunities for its people. For example, the unemployment rate among Black South Africans was close to 37 percent, compared to eight percent for white South Africans. Furthermore, unemployment in the country was more widespread among individuals with a lower level of education. Specifically, in 2023, over 50 percent of the jobless South Africans had an education level lower than matric (grade 12).
Number of people employed in South Africa in Q3 2022, by industry
(in 1,000s)
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Statistics South Africa. (August 15, 2023). Number of people employed in South Africa in Q3 2022, by industry (in 1,000s) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved July 22, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1129815/number-of-people-employed-in-south-africa-by-industry/
Statistics South Africa. "Number of people employed in South Africa in Q3 2022, by industry (in 1,000s)." Chart. August 15, 2023. Statista. Accessed July 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1129815/number-of-people-employed-in-south-africa-by-industry/
Statistics South Africa. (2023). Number of people employed in South Africa in Q3 2022, by industry (in 1,000s). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: July 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1129815/number-of-people-employed-in-south-africa-by-industry/
Statistics South Africa. "Number of People Employed in South Africa in Q3 2022, by Industry (in 1,000s)." Statista, Statista Inc., 15 Aug 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1129815/number-of-people-employed-in-south-africa-by-industry/
Statistics South Africa, Number of people employed in South Africa in Q3 2022, by industry (in 1,000s) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1129815/number-of-people-employed-in-south-africa-by-industry/ (last visited July 22, 2024)
Number of people employed in South Africa in Q3 2022, by industry (in 1,000s) [Graph], Statistics South Africa, August 15, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1129815/number-of-people-employed-in-south-africa-by-industry/