South Africa's unemployment rate rose to 33.7% in the third quarter as the labor force grew faster than employment, leaving 8.6 million people without work despite a gain in jobs.
Statistics South Africa reported Tuesday that the rate increased from 33.6% in the second quarter. Employment rose by 101,000 to 16.8 million people, while the labor force expanded by 198,000. The number of unemployed people increased by 97,000.
The figures show why the jobless rate rose even as employment increased: the economy added fewer jobs than the number of people entering the labor force. Employment also remained 215,000 below its level a year earlier.
The agency's broader unemployment measure, which includes potential workers outside the labor force, rose to 44% from 43.8%. The number of discouraged job seekers increased by 70,000 to about 3.7 million.
Employment in Statistics South Africa's finance category rose by 111,000. The category includes insurance, real estate and business services. Employment in private households fell by 68,000, and agriculture lost 34,000 jobs.
The data came after South Africa's Nov. 4 municipal election. The African National Congress (ANC), which leads the national coalition government formed after the 2024 election, received about 31% of the vote. It secured no majority in South Africa's eight major metro areas; seven face coalition talks, while the Democratic Alliance won Cape Town outright.
