South Africa's unemployment rate rises to 33.7%
Graduates still have a better chance of finding work, with an 11.9% unemployment rate in the third quarter of 2026.
South Africa's official unemployment rate edged up to 33.7% in the third quarter of 2026, leaving about 8.58 million people actively seeking work, according to Statistics South Africa's Quarterly Labour Force Survey. Employment rose by 101 000 from the previous quarter to 16.84 million, but the number of unemployed people also grew, by 97 000.
Graduates recorded an unemployment rate of 11.9% between July and September, down 0.6 of a percentage point from the previous quarter, while people without a matric qualification faced 39.2%. Compared with the same quarter of 2025, the national rate climbed from 31.9%, and unemployment rose across all education levels.
Youth unemployment among people aged 15 to 24 stood at 63.6%, and 35.7% of them were not in employment, education or training.
Why it mattersJob seekers without a matric qualification face unemployment of 39.2%, while graduates face 11.9%, according to the latest survey.