Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has reported a significant decline in formal sector employment, with 74,000 jobs lost between January and March 2025. This brings the total number of people employed in the formal sector to just over 10 million.
The data, released in Stats SA’s Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES) report on Tuesday, 24 June, paints a sobering picture of the country’s labour market. The largest job losses were recorded in the trade and community services sectors.
According to Stats SA’s Matlapane Masupye, full-time employment fell by 55,000 jobs, while part-time employment declined by 19,000. Total gross earnings across all industries decreased by more than R47 billion over the quarter.
A year-on-year comparison reveals an even sharper downturn, with South Africa recording 95,000 fewer jobs in early 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
“Several industries experienced declines in full-time employment,” said Masupye.
“The trade industry lost 34,000 jobs, the business services industry shed 11,000, and the community services industry saw a reduction of 10,000 jobs. Mining and electricity were also affected, losing 4,000 and 1,000 jobs respectively.”
“On the other hand, the construction industry gained 5,000 full-time jobs. The manufacturing and transport industries reported no change during the quarter,” he added.
VOC News
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