Overview
- Statistics SA reports employment rose by 248,000 to 17.1 million and the number of unemployed fell by 360,000 to 8 million, lowering the official rate from 33.2% to 31.9%.
- The combined unemployment and time-related underemployment rate eased to 34.9%, the unemployment–potential labour force rate slipped to 42.4%, and the composite underutilisation measure stood at 44.9%.
- Discouraged work-seekers increased by 36,000 to 3.5 million and the potential labour force grew by a net 230,000 to 4.5 million, with those outside the labour force rising to 16.9 million.
- Job gains were concentrated in construction (+130,000), community and social services (+116,000) and trade (+108,000), while manufacturing (-62,000), finance (-54,000) and utilities (-30,000) shed jobs.
- Statistics SA revised formal and informal sector definitions in Q3 based on an international resolution, so informality estimates are not comparable with earlier quarters.