By Rachel Mohamed
Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has announced a review of its Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS). This announcement follows the release of the agency’s most recent unemployment data, which showed that 140,000 people had lost their jobs this year alone and that the unemployment rate had increased by 0.3% to 33.2% in the second quarter of 2025.
Speaking to VOC News, the Chief Director of Labour Statistics at Stats SA, Desiree Manamela, clarified that the agency is aiming to ensure that its standards are in line with international standards, which are mandated by the International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS), while attempting to broaden the metrics it monitors.
“The definitions of ’employment’ and ‘unemployment’ have not changed since Statistics South Africa adopted them. We are trying to capture labour underutilisation more broadly because we have been using the unemployment rate as the only underutilisation metric for our population,” said Manamela.
Manamela further stated that these definitional changes will also apply to the informal sector.
“According to the most recent International Standards, which were adopted in 2023, we are looking at expanding our status in employment in terms of how people define their work relationships between employee and employer, as well as the informal sector, which is about the characteristics of the workplace,” stated Manamela.
Listen to the full interview:
VOC News
Photo: Pixabay
