KZN records highest employment increases as joblessness rate drops in SA

It's come down by 0.7 percentage points from the second quarter's figure of 32.6%.

Stats SA's Director of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey, Dihlolelo Phoshoko released the Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the three months between July and September on Tuesday.

"The results of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) indicate that the number of employed persons increased by 399 000 to 16,7 million in the third quarter of 2023 compared to 16,3 million in the second quarter of 2023."

"The number of unemployed persons decreased by 72 000 to 7,8 million during the same quarter."

Phoshoko says the absorption rate increased by 0.9 points from 40.1% in the second quarter to 41% in the third quarter.

She says the number of discouraged work seekers decreased. 

"The number of people who were not economically active for reasons other than discouragement decreased by 160 000 to 13,1 million, while the discouraged work-seekers decreased by 26 000 in the third quarter of 2023 compared to the second quarter of 2023."

The formal sector accounted for 69.4% of the job gains - adding 287,000 thousand jobs.

The following industries; finance up by 237 000, community and social services up by 119 000 and agriculture up by 61,000 recorded the largest employment gains. While employment losses were recorded in Manufacturing down by 50 000, mining down by 35 000, transport down by 20 000 and Utilities down by 16 000," says Phoshoko. 

KZN recorded the largest employment increases in the third quarter of 2023.

"KwaZulu-Natal, up by 152 000, Limpopo, up by 70 000, North-West (up by 61 000 and Mpumalanga, up by 44 000 recorded the largest employment increases in Q3:2023. Employment losses were only recorded in Free State down by 3,000 during the same period."