Q1 employment stats see 8.5 million SA youth without jobs
The unemployment rate increased by 1 percentage point from 29.1% by December 2019.
JOHANNESBURG - Almost 40,000 South Africans lost their jobs in the first three months of 2020, bringing the country's unemployment rate to 30.1%.
This is according to the results of Statistics South Africa's (StatsSA) Quarterly Labour Force Survey released on Tuesday.
The unemployment rate increased by 1 percentage point from 29.1% by December 2019.
The expanded unemployment rate, which includes people who do not have jobs and have given up on looking for one, is edging on the 40% mark at 39.7%.
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— Stats SA (@StatsSA) June 23, 2020
South Africa’s unemployment rate increase by 1,0 percentage point to 30,1% in Q1:2020 compared to Q4:2019. The unemployment rate usually increases between Q4 and Q1 each year.
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Unemployment amongst the Black African population group remains higher than the national average and other population groups.
— Stats SA (@StatsSA) June 23, 2020
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The declining trend is not unusual, according to Stats SA, as the unemployment rate tends to increase between the last quarter of a previous year and the first quarter of a new year.
It's also important to note that these stats were recorded for the first three months of the year - before South Africa went under lockdown due to the coronavirus.
Predictions are that the lockdown will have a huge impact on job losses for the rest of the year, so we'll only to see a clear picture of how much damage this has done so far once Stats SA releases results for the second quarter of the year from April to June.
WOMEN, BLACK AFRICANS AND YOUTH WORST AFFECTED
Black Africans, women (particularly black women) and young people between the ages of 15 and 34 continue to be the worst affected groups with regards to unemployment.
Youth unemployment now stands at 41.7%. Divided between genders, 32.4% of women are unemployed, while 33.8% of black Africans are unemployed.
WC and GP recorded lower NEET rates than the national average (41,7%) among young people aged 15-34 years. The rate increased in all provinces except in EC.
— Stats SA (@StatsSA) June 23, 2020
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Black African women are the most vulnerable with an #unemployment rate of over 30%.
— Stats SA (@StatsSA) June 23, 2020
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The Eastern Cape recorded the highest official and expanded unemployment rates at 40.5% and 48.9% respectively, while the Western Cape recorded the lowest rates at 20.9% and 24.8% respectively.
EC recorded the highest official and expanded unemployment rates. LP, KZN and NC provinces all have more than 13,0 percentage points difference between their expanded and official unemployment rates.
— Stats SA (@StatsSA) June 23, 2020
Read more here: https://t.co/rsyaaGNHrt#StatsSA #unemployment pic.twitter.com/tkoKGWGdsJ