Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) – Q2:2023
15 August 2023
The official unemployment rate was 32,6% in the second quarter of 2023.
The results of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) indicate that the number of employed persons increased by 154 000 to 16,3 million in the second quarter of 2023 compared to the first quarter of 2023.
The number of unemployed persons decreased by 11 000 to 7,9 million during the same quarter. Additionally, the number of people who were not economically active for reasons other than discouragement increased by 93 000 to 13,3 million. The discouraged work-seekers decreased by 94 000 in the second quarter of 2023 compared to the first quarter of 2023 resulting in a net decrease of 1 000 in the not economically active population.
The above changes in employment and unemployment resulted in the official unemployment rate decreasing by 0,3 of a percentage point from 32,9% in the first quarter of 2023 to 32,6% in the second quarter of 2023. The unemployment rate according to the expanded definition decreased by 0,3 of a percentage point to 42,1% in Q2:2023 compared to Q1:2023.
The formal sector employment increased by 143 000 in Q2: 2023 and informal sector employment decreased by 33 000 over the same period. The following industries Construction (104 000), Trade (92 000), and Community and Social Services (63 000) recorded the largest employment gains. While employment losses were recorded in Manufacturing (96 000), Finance (68 000), Transport (7 000) and Utilities (6 000).
Limpopo (up by 80 000), Western Cape (up by 54 000) and KwaZulu-Natal (up by 48 000) recorded the largest employment increases in Q2:2023. Employment losses were recorded in Free State (down by 59 000) and Northern Cape (down by 17 000) during the same period.
The youth remain vulnerable in the labour market, with the second quarter of 2023 results showing that the total number of unemployed youth (15-34 years) decreased by 131 000 to 4,7 million while there was an increase of 105 000 in the number of employed youth to 5,7 million during the same period. This resulted in a decrease in youth unemployment rate by 1,1 percentage points to 45,3% in Q2:2023.
Issued by Statistics South Africa, 15 August 2023
