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2021-02-23 15:55:52 GMT2021-02-23 23:55:52(Beijing Time) Xinhua English
PRETORIA, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) South Africa s unemployment rate increased by 1.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2020 to 32.5 percent, the highest since 2008, said Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) on Tuesday in its Quarterly Labor Force Survey (QLFS).
Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke said the number of unemployed people increased by 701,000 to 7.2 million in Q4. According to an expanded definition of unemployment that includes those discouraged from seeking work, 42.6 percent of the labour force was without work in the fourth quarter, amounting to 11.1 million people.
The unemployment rate among the black African (36.5 percent) population group remains higher than the national average and other population groups. Black African women are the most vulnerable with an unemployment rate of 38.5 percent.
South Africa’s unemployment rate increased by 1.7 percentage points to an unprecedented 32.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared from 30.8 percent in the previous quarter.
The ranks of the informally employed are swelling, says Statistics SA. File photo. Image: Thapelo Morebudi/The Sunday Times.
SA, like many other African economies, has shown an increasing trend of informal employment, a report by Stats SA showed on Tuesday.
The report showed that informal employment grew by 754,000 jobs from 4.2 million jobs in 2013 to five million in 2019.
This accounted for almost a third of total employment.
During 2013 and 2019, the formal sector accounted for 71.2% and 68.5% respectively, of a percentage of total employment, while the informal sector increased by 2.8 percentage points from 15.3% to 18.3%.
Participation of males in the informal employment sector was more dominant than that of females. Males recorded an increase from 52.3% in 2013 to 56.2% in 2019. Female representation in informal employment was 47.7% in 2013 and 43.8% in 2019.
SA unemployment rate increased to 32.5% in Q4 of 2020 - Stats SA While the results from the Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the fourth quarter of 2020 showed that the number of employed people increased to 15 million, it also showed that the number of unemployed people increased to 7.2 million. Picture: Flickr.com
41 days ago
JOHANNESBURG - South Africa’s unemployment rate increased to 32.5% in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to the third quarter, according to data from Statistics SA.
While the results from the Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the fourth quarter of 2020 showed that the number of employed people increased to 15 million, it also showed that the number of unemployed people increased to 7.2 million.