As youth unemployment in South Africa surges to 46.1%, the Federation of Unions of South Africa warns of a deepening jobs crisis that demands a coordinated national employment strategy. young South Africans continue to bear the brunt of unemployment,
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As young South Africans continue to bear the brunt of unemployment, data shows that education plays a crucial role in determining future job prospects in the country.
According to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) from Statistics South Africa, the country’s official unemployment rate rose to 32.9% in the first quarter of 2025, up from 31.9% in the previous quarter of 2024.
The data also painted a grim picture for the country’s youth, with the number of unemployed young people increasing by 151,000 to 4.8 million. While the number of employed youth declined by 153,000 to 5.7 million, pushing the youth unemployment rate up to 46.1%.
"The 15-24 age group—representing around 10,3 million individuals—faces the highest barriers to entering the workforce, with unemployment figures significantly outpacing that of older youth," the Stats SA report noted.
"The challenges facing young South Africans in the employment space are not new, but they are trending negatively in many cases. Over the past ten years, youth unemployment has remained persistently high."
How qualifications shape employment outcomes in South Africa
According to Stats SA, individuals without a matric qualification continue to struggle the most, facing an unemployment rate of 51.6%—the highest across all education levels.
On the other hand, those who complete matric see a slight improvement in their situation; however, the unemployment rate for this group remains high at 47.6%.
Youth with vocational or technical training (classified as “Other Tertiary”) also fare somewhat better, with an unemployment rate of 37.3%.
University graduates are the least affected by the harsh labor market conditions in the country, boasting an unemployment rate of just 23.9%.
mthobisi.nozulela@iol.co.za
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