THE Statistics South Africa said on Tuesday that unemployment in South Africa grew by 0.4 of a percentage point to reach 35.3% in the final quarter of 2021.
The expanded jobless rate, which includes discouraged workers not seeking employment, rose to 46.2%.
Up to 12.5 million people are out of work, according to the expanded definition of unemployment.
Releasing the Quarterly Labour Force Survey statistics on Tuesday, Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke said the final quarter of 2021 showed that the number of employed persons increased by 262 000 to 14.5 million.
“The unemployment rate according to the expanded definition of unemployment decreased by 0.4 of a percentage point to 46.2 % in quarter 4 2021 compared to quarter 3 2021,” said Maluleke during a press briefing at the Isibalo House in Pretoria.
“While the number of not economically active population decreased by 397 000 to 17.4 million during this quarter.”
“The number of discouraged work-seekers decreased by 56 000 (1.4%) and the number of people who were not economically active for reasons other than discouragement decreased by 341 000 (2.4%) between the two quarters.”
Stats SA said the changes in the labour market resulted in the official unemployment rate increasing by 0.4 of a percentage point from 34.9% in Q3.
The agency said while the number of not economically active population decreased by 397 000 to 17.4 million during this quarter.
The 2021 Q4 report also reveals that the number of people who were not economically active for reasons other than discouragement decreased by 341 000 (2.4%) between the two quarters.
“These changes in the labour market resulted in the official unemployment rate increasing by 0.4 of a percentage point from 34.9% in the third quarter of 2021 to 35.3% in the fourth quarter of 2021 – the highest since the start of the QLFS in 2008. The unemployment rate according to the expanded definition of unemployment decreased by 0.4 of a percentage point to 46.2% in quarter 4 2021 compared to quarter 3 2021.”
- Inside Politics
