Natalie Cowling
Research Expert South Africa
Employment in South Africa - statistics & facts
South Africa has the highest unemployment rate on the African continent. In 2021, the already troubled labor market took a significant hit due to the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and recorded the lowest employment-to-population ratio that year . Between 2022 and 2024, a unemployment and finding jobs was cited as a primary concern among South Africans. As of May 2024, around two-thirds of survey respondents reported being concerned about the job situation in the country.
The youth are not absorbed in the labor market
South Africa has a large young population. As of 2021, of the almost 60 million South Africans, 26.7 million were aged 24 years and younger. The job market should eventually absorb these youth. Although unemployment rates were high among adults of both genders, the main driver of unemployment in the country was the extremely high level of unemployment among youth. The share of unemployed youth in the labor force reached an astounding 60 percent in 2020. Also, the share of economically active population aged 15-24 years has been dropping significantly since 2000. In that year, the youth labor force participation rate was 37 percent, compared to 21 percent in 2020.Higher unemployment among women and lower-educated people
South African women have a higher unemployment rate than men. As of the first quarter of 2022, the unemployment rate for women was 36.4 percent, while for men was 33 percent. In addition, among the unemployed individuals, the majority had not completed grade 12. On the other hand, the share of unemployed with a tertiary degree was around 9.5 percent. The COVID-19 pandemic also shocked the job market due to lockdowns in the second quarter of 2020. The unemployment rate and the labor force participation rate registered a drop as more people stopped looking for work during that quarter.Working hours and minimum wage
Most employed South Africans work 40 to 45 hours a week. As of the first quarter of 2022, over 8.1 million employees were working 40-45 hours a week, while almost 4.1 million worked over 45 hours a week. In March 2022, South Africa's Minister of Employment and Labor, Thusla Nxesi, announced a new minimum wage. The minimum salary was raised from 21.69 South African rands per hour to 23.19 South African rands per hour. In contrast, professionals with a job in executive management and change management were the highest paid in the country.
