The Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) results for the third quarter of 2025 reveal a substantial increase in employment and a notable decrease in unemployment, Cape {town} Etc reports.
The number of employed individuals rose by 248 000, bringing the total to 17.1 million. In contrast, the number of unemployed individuals saw a decrease of 360 000, resulting in a total of 8 million job seekers actively looking for work.
This shift translates to a downward adjustment in the official unemployment rate, which fell by 1.3 percentage points from 33.2% in the second quarter to the current 31.9%.
The overall labour force saw a decline of 112 000 individuals, indicating a possible shift in South Africa’s job market. Meanwhile, the number of discouraged jobseekers has increased by 36 000 to 3.5 million, highlighting a persistent challenge in fully engaging those willing to work.
Nevertheless, there was also an increase in other available jobseekers, which rose by 130 000 to 965 000. This overall change resulted in a net increase of 230 000 individuals, bringing the potential labour force population to 4.5 million.
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Furthermore, statistics indicate a rise in the number of individuals outside the labour force, with an increase of 239 000, reaching a total of 16.9 million. This movement has mainly been attributed to the complexities of the South African labour market, where many people grapple with varying degrees of attachment to employment opportunities.
The breakdown of employment growth by sector presents an intriguing landscape; the construction industry saw the largest surge, adding 130 000 jobs during the quarter, followed closely by community and social services with 116 000 new roles, and the trade sector contributing an additional 108 000 jobs.
However, not all sectors fared equally; both the manufacturing and finance sectors experienced declines, shedding 62 000 and 54 000 jobs respectively.
In examining geographical trends, eight provinces reported increases in employed individuals, with the Western Cape seeing the most significant gain, adding 70 000 jobs.
Other provinces that achieved upward movement include KwaZulu-Natal with 54 000 new positions, Gauteng with 51 000, North West with 42 000, and Limpopo with 40 000. The Eastern Cape, however, was the sole province to report a decrease, losing 53 000 jobs during the same period.
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Picture: Lubabalo Lesolle / Gallo Images
