South Africa
Unemployment rate in South Africa
% of labor force · World Bank · Annual
Methodology & source
How this is measured.
Definition
Share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. ILO modeled estimate.
Calculation
International Labour Organization modeled estimate, harmonised across countries.
Primary source
Update frequency
Annual
Caveats
Captures only those actively seeking work — does not reflect informal-sector under-employment, which dominates many African labour markets.
Cite this dataset
For researchers and journalists.
Cusp Africa. 2026. "South Africa — Unemployment rate." Sourced from World Bank (Indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS). Accessed June 3, 2026. https://cuspafrica.com/data/unemployment-rate/south-africa.
Cross the bridge
South Africa, beyond the chart.
The country is more than its hardest numbers — and more than any single statistic can hold.