SA records another slight drop in unemployment rate
South Africa's
unemployment rate has declined further to
33.9% in the second quarter of 2022, from 34.5% in the first, Statistics SA
announced on Tuesday.
Statistician-general Risenga Maluleke released the Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the second quarter of 2022 on Tuesday morning.
In the first quarter of the year, the country's jobless rate fell from a record high of 35.3% to 34.5%.
Maluleke said the latest stats show that 648 000 jobs were created between the first and second quarter of 2022.
READ: Vavi warns unions will intensify pressure on govt
"The biggest job gains were recorded in community and social services 276 000, trade 169 000, finance 128 000 and construction 104 000. However, there were job losses in manufacturing (73 000) and transport with 54 000. The total number of persons employed was 15,6 million in the second quarter of 2022.
“The number of unemployed persons increased by 132 000 to 8 million in the second quarter of 2022 compared to the previous quarter, "says Maluleke.
Maluleke said the number of discouraged work seekers decreased by 4,9%, while the number of people who were not economically active decreased by 3,3% between the two quarters.
READ NOW: eThekwini metro police ‘ready’ for national shutdown marches
According to the expanded definition, the unemployment rate decreased by 1,4 percentage points to 44,1 % in the second quarter.
The economy seemingly weathered the devastating April floods that hit KZN and the Eastern Cape - and the crippling rolling blackouts.
Efficient Group Chief Economist Dawie Roodt says the latest figures are encouraging.
" What I'm particularly happy about is that the broader definition, that employment rate is coming down quite a bit and this is good news. I, however, must caution that unemployment in South Africa is still exceptionally high and it can be a volatile number."
