S. Africa’s unemployment climbs to 32.9% Q1 ’24

South Africa’s unemployment rate rose to 32.9 per cent in the first quarter of 2024, up from 32.1 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2023, according to data released by the country’s national statistics agency on Tuesday.

This increase comes just two weeks ahead of a crucial election where unemployment stands as a primary concern for voters.

Statistics South Africa reported that the number of unemployed individuals surged to 8.226 million in the first three months of the year, compared to 7.895 million in the final three months of the previous year.

As South Africans prepare to cast their votes in the national election on May 29, polls indicate that the ruling African National Congress (ANC), which has held power since the end of apartheid, faces the risk of losing its majority.

According to Reuters, the unemployment rate in the country has escalated by approximately 10 percentage points over the past three decades under ANC rule.

When factoring in a broader definition of unemployment, which includes individuals who have given up searching for work, the rate reached 41.9 per cent in January-March, up from 41.1 per cent in the preceding three months, according to Statistics South Africa’s report on Tuesday.

Attribution: Quarterly Labour Force Survey

Subediting: Y.Yasser