According to the latest figures from the Quarterly Labour Force Survey, the number of unemployed South Africans now stands at 30.1% with young people and women still the hardest hit. Releasing the figures for the first quarter of 2020, Statistician Risenga Maluleke said the unemployment rate among the youth is higher irrespective of their education level and for those aged between 25-34, it is more than double that of people in the age group of 45-54.  Youth unemployment in the Northern Cape stands at 41.6%, followed by KwaZulu-Natal and the North West.

Countywide, approximately 8,5 million (41,7%) of the 20,4 million young people aged 15-34 years were not in employment, education or training.

Maluleke has further indicated that the Eastern Cape recorded the highest official and expanded unemployment rates.

He said the black African and coloured population groups remain vulnerable in the labour market, irrespective of gender.

The report futher paints a bleak picture indicating that the number of unemployed people in the country has increased from 4,6 million in Q1:2010 to 7,1 million in Q1:2020.

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