Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS)

Q4:2023

Risenga Maluleke
Statistician-General

statssa.gov.za twitter.com/StatsSA facebook.com/StatsSA

 Total employment decreased by 22 thousand to 16,7 M in Q4:2023

Not Economically Active (NEA)

Employed Unemployed 3,2M Other NEA

Q3:2023

work seekers
13,1M

Discouraged
16,7M 7,8M

Employed Unemployed 3,0M

Q4:2023 Other NEA

16,7M 7,9M 13,4M

work seekers
Discouraged
22 000 Fewer Employed 46 000 More 107 000 218 000 More Other Not
between Q3:2023 and Unemployed between Fewer Discouraged Economically Active
Q4:2023 Q3:2023 and Q4:2023 between Q3:2023 between Q3:2023 and
and Q4:2023 Q4:2023
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 After eight consecutive increases, employment decreased by 22 000 in the last quarter of 2023.
Employment changes Q4:2019-Q4:2023
THOUSAND

1000
648
370 399
500
262 204 169 258
154
0

-22
-500

-1000

-1500

-2000

-2500
Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

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 The number of employed persons remains at 16,7M in Q4:2023 compared to Q3:2023 having surpassed
pre-COVID level of 16,4M in Q1:2020
Employment Q4: 2019 – Q4: 2023

Pre - COVID

16,4M 16,7M 16,7M

16,4M 16,2M 16,3M
15,8M 15,9M
15
15,6M
Million

14,7M 15,0M 15,0M 14,9M 14,9M

14,3M 14,5M
14,1M
12

0
Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

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 The official unemployment rate stands at 32,1 %, an increase of 0,2 of a percentage point in
Q4:2023 compared to Q3:2023.

41,0 million
People of working age in South Africa (15 – 64-year-old)

Labour force Not Economically Active

24,6 million 16,4 million

Employed Unemployed Other NEA

16,7M 7,9M 3,0M 13,4M

work seekers
Discouraged
SA’s official unemployment rate
stands at

32,1% ILO hierarchy – Employed first then unemployed and the

remainder is NEA (including discouraged job-seekers). 3
Increased by 0,2 of a percentage point between mutually exclusive groups. Cannot be in two groups at the same
Q3:2023 and Q4:2023
time.
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 The number of Not Economically Active persons increased by 111 000 in Q4:2023 compared to
Q3:2023
Characteristics of the not economically active, Q3:2023 vs Q4:2023

Q/Q
Q3:2023 Q4:2023 Percentage Change Changes
Student 38,0% Remained unchanged 35 000

Discouraged work
18,6% q 0,8% point - 107 000
seekers

Home-maker 15,0% p 0,3 % point 69 000

Illness/disability 10,4% p 0,2 % point 49 000

Too old/young to work 10,3% q 0,1% point -3 000

Other 7,8% p 0,4 % point

68 000

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 In Q4 of 2023, the labour force participation rate and absorption rate both decreased by 0,2 of a
percentage point to 60,0% and 40,8%, respectively.

Labour force participation and absorption rates Q4:2013-Q4:2023

Labour force participation rate is the proportion of the working-

age population that is either employed or unemployed 60,2% 60,0%
60,3%
57,1%

13,8% Points
difference Pre - COVID 19,2% Points difference
43,3%
42,1%

Absorption rate is the proportion of 41,0%40,8%

the working-age population that is employed

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

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 The expanded unemployment rate decreased by 0,1 of a percentage point to
41,1% when comparing Q4:2023 and Q3:2023.
Official vs Expanded unemployment: Q4:2013-Q4:2023
Expanded Definition includes the following

- Official unemployment (searched and available) 7,9 M

50%
- Available to work but are/or
• Discouraged work-seekers 3,0 M 11,7 million unemployed
45% 41,2%
• Have other reasons for not searching 0,8 M
41,1%
40%
34,0%
Expanded
35% 7,9 million unemployed
32,1%
30%
Official
25%
24,1% 31,9%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%
Q4:2013 10 year period Q4:2023

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 NW (52,2%) recorded the highest expanded unemployment rate in Q4:2023, followed by EC (47,1%).
LP and NC recorded more than a 15 percentage points difference between expanded and official unemployment rates.

Provincial unemployment rate: Official vs Expanded Q4:2023

Official Expanded
EC 41,9% 47,1%

NW 39,0% 52,2%

FS 37,0% 43,9%

MP 34,9% 45,8%

GP 33,8% 38,4%

RSA 32,1% 41,1%

LP 30,3% 16,4% points difference 46,7%

15,8 % points difference

KZN 29,5% 43,4%

NC 26,9% 16,0% points difference 42,9%

WC 20,3% 25,6%

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 While the unemployment rates in WC and KZN have consistently been below the official unemployment
rate in SA for the past ten years, the unemployment rate in EC has continuously exceeded it.

Official Unemployment rates by province, SA Provincial Unemployment Rate

Q4:2013-Q4:2023 Unemployment Rate
60%

50%

41,9%
39,0% 34,9%
37,0%
40% 33,8% 26,9%
30,3%
29,5% 20,3%

30%

20%

10%

EC NW FS MP GP LP KZN NC WC
0%
Q4 Q4
2013 2023

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 45,0 The unemployment rate increased in six provinces between Q3:2023 and Q4:2023.
45,0
The largest increase was recorded in EC up by 3,1 percentage points
41,9%
Official unemployment rate by province: Q3:2023-Q4:2023
40,0 39,0% 38,8%
40,0 38,6%
38,5% p
3,1%
37,0%

35,5% q p
35,0 1,5% 0,4%
33,7% q 34,9%
-0,6%
SA 33,8%
31,9%
32,1% 30,8% p
0,1%
30,0 29,4% 29,5% q 30,3%
-0,5%
p
26,9% 0,1%
26,3%

25,0 p
0,6%

20,2%
20,3%
20,0
p
0,1%

WC NC KZN LP GP MP FS NW EC
15,0
Q3:2023 Q4:2023 Q3:2023 Q4:2023 Q3:2023 Q4:2023 Q3:2023 Q4:2023 Q3:2023 Q4:2023 Q3:2023 Q4:2023 Q3:2023 Q4:2023 Q3:2023 Q4:2023 Q3:2023 Q4:2023

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 The number of unemployed people in South Africa increased from 4,8 million in Q4:2013 to
7,9 million in Q4:2023. The proportion of those in long-term unemployment increased from 66,4% in Q4:2013 to
77,1% in Q4:2023

*Long term unemployment –unemployed for a year or longer

9
7,8 M
8 7,9M
7 Number of unemployed 1,9

22,9%
1,8

6
4,8M
5 Short-term unemployed
Million
33,6%

4 1,6

77,1%
2
Long term unemployed*
66,4%

0
Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

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 The formal sector in South Africa accounts for 68,7% of total employment.
Employment share by sector, Q4:2013 to Q4:2023

Formal sector employment

68,7%
11,5M
10,8M FORMAL SECTOR

Private Household 1M
3,2 M 19,0%
2,4M
Informal sector employment

1,2M Private Households 1,1 M 6,8%

713 000 Agriculture 920 000 5,5%

Q4:2013 Q4:2023

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 Formal sector employment decreased by 128 thousand jobs between Q3:2023 and Q4:2023.

Employment changes by sector, (Quarter-on-quarter)

14
q by
128 000
12 Q3:2023 Q4:2023
10

6
p by
4 124 000
p by
Million

q by
2 35 000 18 000

0
Formal sector (non- Informal sector (non- Agriculture Private households
agricultural) agricultural)
(11,5 million) (3,2 million) (920 thousand) (1,1 million)
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 Employment decreases were mainly in the Services, Construction, and Agriculture industries.
However, the largest employment increases were recorded in Finance, Transport and Mining.
Percentage
Employment changes by industry, Quarter-on-quarter change (‘000) change

Finance 128 4,5%

Transport 57 5,9%

Mining 37 9,0%

Private households 18 1,7%

Utilities 9
8,4%
-1 -1Manufacturing 0,0%

-28 Trade -0,8%

-35 Agriculture -3,7%

-36 Construction -2,6%

-171 Manufacturing Community and social services

-4,2%

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 EC, LP and NW recorded the largest decreases in employment in Q4:2023 while KZN,MP and WC
recorded the largest employment increases.
Quarter-on-quarter change in employment by province (‘000) (Q3:2023 and Q4:2023)

KZN
(‘000)

80

MP
60
62
40
WC 48
GP FS
20

EC LP NW NC 15 15 23
0

-2
-2
-20
-30
-40
-40

-60

-80

-100
-111
-120

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 Graduate unemployment rate increased by 1,1 percentage points to 9,6% in Q4:2023 compared to
8,5% in Q3:2023. Those with less than matric remain vulnerable with an unemployment rate of
38,6% which is higher than SA official unemployment rate.

Official Unemployment rate by level of education, Q4:2023

Less than matric 38,6%

Matric 33,7%

Other tertiary 20,6%

SA Official
Unemployment
Rate 32,1%

Graduates 9,6%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

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Youth aged 15-24 years and
25-34 years continue to have
the highest unemployment
Unemployment rate Absorption rate Participation rate
rates at 59,4% and 39,0%
respectively.
55-64 11,4% 38,3% 43,2%
Labour market rates by
age group, Q4:2023
45-54 20,4% 58,7% 73,8%

35-44 27,7% 57,4% 79,5%

25-34 39,0% 45,1% 74,0%

74% of those in the working

age 25-34 are participating
AGE 15-24 59,4% 10,7% 26,4% in the labour market with
45,1% of working age in
employment
IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS Quarterly Labour Force Survey Q4:2023

Labour force participation rate is the proportion of the working- Absorption rate is the proportion of the working-
age population that is either employed or unemployed 18 age population that is employed
 Youth aged 15-34 years are more vulnerable to unemployment when compared to
older age groups
Official Unemployment rates by age group,
Q4:2013-Q4:2023

45% 44,3%

15-34 years 43,4%

34,0%

30%
23,3%

23,0%

15,4%
15%
35-64 years

SA Unemployment rate
0%
Q4 Q4
2013 2023

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 Approximately 3,4 million (33,0%) out of 10,2 million young people aged
15-24 years were not in employment, education or training (NEET).

8
10,2 Mil
Million

6
4
Number of NEET for ages 15-24 Q3 2022
2
0
0-4 5-9 10-14 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80+

Working Age Population

Number of NEET for ages 15-24

Q4:2023
6,9 Million
Employed or in
3,4 Million Education or Training
NEET
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 The overall NEET rate (15 – 24yrs) decreased by 0,7 of a percentage point in Q4:2023 compared
to Q4:2022.
Q4:2019-Q4:2023 NEET rate for ages 15-24 & 15-34 year old

1 Year

50% 15- 34 Years q 1,1 % point y/y

43,4%
40,1%
42,2%
40%

33,0%
30% 33,6%
32,0% q 0,7 of a % point y/y
15- 24 Years
20% 1 Year

10%

0%
Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

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 The unemployment rate among the Black African (36,1%) population group
remains higher than the national average and other population groups.
OFFICIAL unemployment rate by population group, Q4:2023

SA

White Indian/Asian Coloured Black African

Unemployment Rate 8,5% 11,7% 21,7% 32,1% 36,1%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

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 Black African unemployment rates have been consistently higher than other
population groups over the past 10-year period.
Official Unemployment rates by population group,
Q4:2013-Q4:2023

36,1%
40%
Black African Coloured White
Indian/Asian

23,0%
27,1%
20% 11,7%
21,7%
8,5%
12,5%
SA Unemployment 7,2%
rate
0%
Q4 Q4
2013 2023

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 RECAP (QLFS, Q4:2023)
❖ Unemployment rate increased by 0,2 of a percentage point to
32,1% in Q4:2023. Both Absorption rate and labour force
participation rate decreased by 0,2 of a percentage point to 40,8%
and 60,0% respectively.

❖ The number of unemployed persons increased by 46 000 in

Q4:2023 compared to Q3:2023. While the number of those who
were employed decreased by 22 000 in the same quarter.

❖ The largest industry employment losses were recorded in

Community and social services (171 000), Construction (36 000),
and Agriculture (35 000). While the largest industry employment
gains were recorded in Finance (128 000), Transport (57 000), and
Mining (37 000).

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 QLFS
Q4:2023

Ndzi hela kwala!

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