South Africa

South Africa — Unemployment

Name: Unemployment rate (% of labour force)
Creator: World Bank

ZA desk: South Africa first; United States, United Kingdom, euro area, Australia and New Zealand alongside.

32.39%

+0.11 pp

As of 2025 | % of labour force

Mean: 25.24%
Median: 23.46%
Min: 22.26% 2007
Max: 34.01% 2021

Year	Value
2025	32.39%
2024	32.28%
2023	32.10%
2022	33.27%
2021	34.01%
2020	29.22%
2019	28.47%
2018	26.91%
2017	27.04%
2016	26.54%
2015	25.15%
2014	24.89%
2013	24.56%
2012	24.73%
2011	24.64%
2010	24.68%
2009	23.52%
2008	22.41%
2007	22.26%
2006	22.30%
2005	22.47%
2004	22.57%
2003	22.68%
2002	22.58%

#CountryUnemploymentChangeYear

2South Africa32.39%+0.11 pp2025 73Euro area6.28%−0.06 pp2025 98New Zealand5.08%+0.35 pp2025 109United Kingdom4.75%+0.39 pp2025

113China4.62%+0.03 pp2025

119India4.22%+0.05 pp2025

120United States4.20%+0.18 pp2025 121Australia4.09%+0.15 pp2025

What the unemployment rate is

The unemployment rate is the share of the labour force without work but available for and seeking work. World Bank indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS, ILO modelled estimates — a common definition across economies, not a national labour-force survey. Latest: 32.39% in 2025.

A rise is more people unemployed relative to the labour force, not necessarily more people out of work if participation also moves. From 1991 to 2025 (35 years): mean 25.24%, median 23.46%; low 22.26% (2007), high 34.01% (2021).

Source: World Bank Open Data. Licence: CC BY 4.0 (terms).