There is finally encouraging news for the unemployment rate in South Africa. After three consecutive quarters of joblessness increasing, the number is finally trending in the right direction. Ranging from July to September 2025, 17.1 million residents were employed in South Africa.
As a result, according to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for Q3 2025, South Africa’s overall unemployment rate now sits at 31.9%. This is an improvement over 33.2% from Q2 2025. A 1.3%-point improvement represents nearly 250 000 new jobs created between July and September.
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF SOUTH AFRICA
As far as the Western Cape goes, it outperformed the rest of the country’s unemployment rate. According to Stats SA’s QLFS, joblessness dropped to 19.7% from 21.1% previously. This is the lowest in South Africa and the only province below 20%. Therefore, the Western Cape added more than 70 000 jobs in the province quarter-on-quarter.
Western Cape Premier, Alan Winde (DA), says the improved unemployment rate is: “The result of the hard work and partnership between government and businesses. We are especially encouraged as the province signs six major new investment declarations for the province worth R50 billion at the start of November,” said the premier.
600 000 NEW JOBS BY 2035
Moreover, these investments are estimated to create an additional 45 000 jobs in the Western Cape over the next five years. “We will intensify efforts to attract and support investment into critical sectors of the provincial economy. This includes the likes of tourism, manufacturing, agribusiness, and services,” added Winde.
Furthermore, the Provincial Minister of Tourism, Ivan Meyer (DA) says the province has a goal to add 600 000 new jobs by 2035. This optimism in the medium term is in stark contrast to the unemployment rate elsewhere in the country:
- Western Cape 19.7%
- Limpopo 29.8%
- Northern Cape 31.2%
- KwaZulu-Natal 31.7%
- Gauteng 33.1%
- Mpumalanga 34%
- Freestate 36.2%
- North West 38.1%.
- Eastern Cape 41.2%
What do you think? What can the rest of South Africa learn from the DA-run Western Cape to improve the unemployment rate? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below …
