“Unemployment Rate South Africa: 33.7% in the Third Quarter of 2026”
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The Unemployment Rate in South Africa in Q3 2026
The numbers come from the Quarterly Labour Force Survey, which Stats SA runs every three months. The table compares the third quarter of 2026 with the quarter before it.
| Measure | Q3 2026 | Change from Q2 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Official unemployment rate | 33.7% | Up 0.1 of a percentage point |
| Wider rate, with the potential labour force (discouraged job seekers included) | 44.0% | Up 0.2 of a percentage point |
| Youth unemployment rate (ages 15 to 34) | 47.3% | Down 0.1 of a percentage point |
| People with work | 16.8 million | Up 101,000 |
| Unemployed people | 8.6 million | Up 97,000 |
| Discouraged job seekers | 3.7 million | Up 70,000 |
Both numbers went up at the same time: more people found work, and more people were looking for work. The labour force, which is everyone who is working or looking for work, grew by 198,000 people (0.8%). The economy added 101,000 jobs, which was not enough for all of them, so the rate moved up slightly.
Stats SA said this was the first time since 2021 that unemployment rose in a third quarter.
Official Rate and Wider Rate: What Is the Difference?
The official rate of 33.7% counts only people who have no work and are looking for it. It leaves out discouraged job seekers, who want work but have given up searching.
The wider measure adds what Stats SA calls the potential labour force, which was 4.6 million people in Q3 2026. Most of them are the 3.7 million discouraged job seekers. On this measure the rate was 44.0%, up from 43.8%. Many people know it as the expanded unemployment rate.
Stats SA also published two more measures on 10 November 2026:
- Unemployment plus people who work too few hours and want more: 36.5%, down 0.1 of a percentage point.
- All of these groups together (Stats SA’s composite measure of labour underutilisation): 46.3%, unchanged.
Unemployment Rate by Province
The Eastern Cape had the highest official unemployment rate in the third quarter of 2026 and the Western Cape had the lowest. These are the official rates that Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke gave at the release.
| Province | Official unemployment rate, Q3 2026 |
|---|---|
| Eastern Cape | 44.3% |
| Free State | 39.1% |
| North West | 38.1% |
| Mpumalanga | 37.8% |
| Gauteng | 35.7% |
| KwaZulu-Natal | 33.3% |
| Limpopo | 30.2% |
| Northern Cape | 30.0% |
| Western Cape | 19.4% |
Five provinces are above the national rate of 33.7% and four are below it. The Free State had the biggest increase in the quarter, at 1.8 percentage points, followed by the Northern Cape (1.3) and Mpumalanga (1.2). The Eastern Cape’s rate is still the highest, but it came down in the quarter.
The provinces that gained and lost the most jobs were:
| Province | Change in jobs, Q2 to Q3 2026 |
|---|---|
| Western Cape | Up 48,000 |
| North West | Up 45,000 |
| Eastern Cape | Up 36,000 |
| Gauteng | Up 25,000 |
| Mpumalanga | Down 30,000 |
| Free State | Down 34,000 |
Youth Unemployment
Stats SA counts youth as people aged 15 to 34. Their unemployment rate was 47.3% in the third quarter of 2026, down by 0.1 of a percentage point. That means almost half of the young people who want work and are looking cannot find it.
The small drop is not good news on its own. The number of unemployed young people fell by 23,000 to 5.0 million, but the number of young people with jobs also fell, by 5,000 to 5.5 million.
Where Jobs Were Gained and Lost
The job gains were in the formal sector, which grew by 268,000 to 12.3 million jobs. The informal sector lost 98,000 jobs and private households, where domestic workers are counted, lost 68,000.
| Industry | Change in jobs, Q2 to Q3 2026 |
|---|---|
| Finance | Up 111,000 |
| Manufacturing | Up 33,000 |
| Mining | Up 31,000 |
| Construction | Down 8,000 |
| Agriculture | Down 34,000 |
| Private households | Down 68,000 |
The Unemployment Rate in 2026 So Far
| Quarter of 2026 | Official unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| First quarter (January to March) | 32.7% |
| Second quarter (April to June) | 33.6% |
| Third quarter (July to September) | 33.7% |
The rate has gone up in each quarter of 2026. The big jump came in the second quarter, when it rose by 0.9 of a percentage point.
If You Are Looking for Work
A national figure does not find anyone a job, but these government programmes are free to use. You should never pay anyone to apply for a job, a learnership or a grant.
- SA Youth is the free government network that links young people to jobs, learnerships and work experience. See our guide to SA Youth registration.
- Learnerships pay a monthly stipend while you train for a qualification. Our learnerships 2027 guide explains how to find real ones.
- The Expanded Public Works Programme offers temporary work in your own area. Read how to apply for EPWP jobs.
- If you lost a job and paid into the Unemployment Insurance Fund, you can claim. See how to apply for UIF and check your claim.
- Unemployed adults with no income may qualify for the R370 Social Relief of Distress grant. Our page on SRD status meanings explains each step.
When the Next Figures Come Out
Stats SA publishes the Quarterly Labour Force Survey four times a year. The figures for the fourth quarter of 2026 (October to December) are expected in February 2027. This page will be updated when they are released.
Unemployment Rate South Africa Questions
What is the unemployment rate in South Africa currently?
33.7%, for the third quarter of 2026. Stats SA released it on 10 November 2026. Counting people who have stopped looking for work, the rate is 44.0%.
How many people are unemployed in South Africa?
About 8.6 million people in the third quarter of 2026, which is 97,000 more than in the second quarter. Another 3.7 million are discouraged job seekers, who are not counted in that number.
What is the youth unemployment rate in South Africa?
47.3% for people aged 15 to 34 in the third quarter of 2026. About 5.0 million young people were unemployed.
Which province has the highest unemployment rate?
The Eastern Cape, at 44.3% in the third quarter of 2026. The Western Cape has the lowest rate, at 19.4%.
How is the unemployment rate calculated in South Africa?
Stats SA divides the number of unemployed people by the labour force, which is everyone who is working or looking for work. In the third quarter of 2026 that was about 8.6 million unemployed people out of a labour force of about 25.4 million, which is roughly one in every three.
Why did unemployment go up if more people have jobs?
Because the number of people looking for work grew faster. Jobs rose by 101,000, but the labour force grew by 198,000, so 97,000 more people were left without work.
More: SA Youth registration, learnerships 2027, EPWP jobs and UIF status check.