SA's unemployment rate increases

South Africa's official unemployment number has increased. Stats SA data shows that in the first quarter, unemployment rose to 32.7%, up 1-point-3 percentage points from the fourth quarter in 2025.
Stats SA says some 345 000 people lost jobs between January and March, dropping the number of employed to 16.8 million. The largest decreases were in the community and social services sectors, construction and transport. There were positive employment numbers in the manufacturing, mining and agriculture sectors. Meanwhile, unemployment among the country's youth remained high, increasing by 2-percentage points to 45.8%. Nompumelelo Siziba filed this report.

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