South Africa’s unemployment rate has climbed to 32.7% in the first quarter of 2026, representing a 1.3 percentage point increase from the previous quarter’s 31.4%, according to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA).

The Quarterly Labour Force Survey revealed that 345 000 people lost their jobs between the fourth quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, bringing total employment down to 16.8 million.

Simultaneously, the number of unemployed individuals rose by 301 000 to 8.1 million. These shifts resulted in a net decrease of 44 000 people in the labour force, representing a 0.2% decline during the three-month period.

Youth unemployment soars to alarming levels. Young South Africans aged between 15 and 34 years bore the heaviest burden, with youth unemployment jumping by 2.0 percentage points to reach 45.8%. The number of unemployed youth increased to 4.7 million, while employed youth decreased to 5.6 million. This means that nearly half of all young South Africans seeking work cannot find employment.

Based on Q 1 2026 data, the official unemployment rate in the Free State stands at about 37.9%, placing the province among the highest in the country. The province has the third-highest official unemployment rate in South Africa, trailing only the North West (40.4%) and the Eastern Cape (39.3%). The Free State’s expanded unemployment rate stands at 44.3%, which reflects heavy concentration of discouraged workers, Stats SA revealed.