South African unemployment rate falls to 31.4 percent in fourth quarter

Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) reported on 17 February 2026 that the official unemployment rate in South Africa ZA fell to 31.4% in the fourth quarter of 2025. This figure represents a decline from the 31.9% recorded in the third quarter of 2025. The reduction is mirrored in the absolute number of unemployed individuals, which decreased to 7.836 million in the fourth quarter from 8.007 million in the previous quarter.

The official quarterly labour-market release noted that employment gains occurred in seven of the ten industries tracked by Statistics South Africa. These gains were specifically observed in the community and social services sector, the construction sector, and the finance sector. These developments contributed to the overall decrease in the national unemployment rate for the final quarter of the year.