The Eastern Cape may be rivalling the Western Cape for the title of South Africa’s most popular semigration hotspot, but when it comes to being able to offer its residents jobs, it fails dismally.
In fact, the province has the highest unemployment rate in the country, with 38.8 percent of its people not working; the Western Cape, on the other hand, has an unemployment rate of 20.2 percent – the lowest in the country.
Stats SA’s Q3 Quarterly Labour Force Survey reveals, however, that job opportunities in the Eastern Cape are improving, with 1,459 million people in the province now employed – this is a quarter-on-quarter increase of 15,000 and year-on-year growth of 99,000.
Still, the Western Cape’s employment figures grew by 22,000 from Q2 to Q3 2023, and 305,000 from Q3 2022 to Q3 2023.
When it comes to the highest employment gains though, KwaZulu-Natal takes the top spot, with 152,000 more people employed in the July to September (Q3) period than in the April to June (Q2) period. Compared to last year, 255,000 more people in KZN have jobs.
The provinces with the lowest unemployment rates are the Western Cape, Northern Cape, and KZN, while the provinces with the highest levels of unemployment are the Eastern Cape, North West, and Free State.
The official unemployment rate in South Africa is now 31.9 percent. Overall, employment numbers improved in eight of South Africa’s nine provinces, with only the Free State recording job losses.
Q3 Employment levels by province
WESTERN CAPE
– Unemployment rate: 20.2 percent
– Total number of employed people: 2,734 million
– Quarter-on quarter change: 0.8 percent increase (+22,000 jobs)
– Year-on-year change: 12.6 percent increase (+305,000 jobs)
EASTERN CAPE
– Unemployment rate: 38.8 percent
– Total number of employed people: 1,459 million
– Quarter-on quarter change: 1 percent increase (+15,000 jobs)
– Year-on-year change: 7.3 percent increase (+99,000 jobs)
NORTHERN CAPE
– Unemployment rate: 26.3 percent
– Total number of employed people: 328,000
– Quarter-on quarter change: 1.9 percent increase (+6,000 jobs)
– Year-on-year change: 1.4 percent increase (+5,000 jobs)
FREE STATE
– Unemployment rate: 38.5 percent
– Total number of employed people: 727,000
– Quarter-on quarter change: 0.4 percent decrease (-3,000 jobs)
– Year-on-year change: 8.8 percent decrease (-70,000 jobs)
KZN
– Unemployment rate: 29.4 percent
– Total number of employed people: 2,794 million
– Quarter-on quarter change: 5.7 percent increase (+152,000 jobs)
– Year-on-year change: 10.1 percent increase (+255,000 jobs)
NORTH WEST
– Unemployment rate: 38.6 percent
– Total number of employed people: 942,000
– Quarter-on quarter change: 6.9 percent increase (+61,000 jobs)
– Year-on-year change: 9.7 percent increase (+84,000 jobs)
GAUTENG
– Unemployment rate: 33.7 percent
– Total number of employed people: 5,019 million
– Quarter-on quarter change: 0.6 percent increase (+31,000 jobs)
– Year-on-year change: 2.0 percent increase (+96,000 jobs)
MPUMALANGA
– Unemployment rate: 35.5 percent
– Total number of employed people: 1,202 million
– Quarter-on quarter change: 3.8 percent increase (+44,000 jobs)
– Year-on-year change: 0.3 percent increase (+4,000 jobs)
LIMPOPO
– Unemployment rate: 30.8 percent
– Total number of employed people: 1,539 million
– Quarter-on quarter change: 4.8 percent increase (+70,000 jobs)
– Year-on-year change: 15.1 percent increase (+202,000 jobs)
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