South Africa’s job crisis is worsening, and one province is feeling it harder than the rest. The North West stands out as the only province where more people are unemployed than working – a situation some say should be declared a provincial disaster.
According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for Q2 2025 from Stats SA, unemployment nationally rose to 33.2 percent, up from 32.9 percent in Q1 and 31.9 percent at the end of 2024. The data paints a mixed picture across provinces, but the North West is by far the outlier in South Africa.
Between April and June 2025 159 000 people entered the labour force, yet only 19 000 secured jobs, while 140 000 joined the ranks of the unemployed.
Read the full version of the “SA’s unemployment rates are SKY-HIGH in this ONE province“ article.
SA’S UNEMPLOYMENT RATES ARE SKY-HIGH
The number of discouraged work-seekers, people who have given up looking, dropped slightly by 28 000. The expanded unemployment rate, which includes discouraged job seekers, eased a fraction from 43.1 percent to 42.9 percent.
And the North West province is in the direst position. The stats indicated that the official unemployment rate was 40.1 percent, while the expanded unemployment rate was 54.7 percent
WATCH MORE VIDEOS FROM THE SOUTH AFRICAN
Looking for quick updates?
Watch News in a Minute videos on The South African’s YouTube page for all the key stories you need to know!
Catch all the latest videos on news, lifestyle, travel, sports and more – there’s always something to watch!
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky to stay connected and get your news on the go!
