Summary of the article “Statistics South Africa: South Africa’s Youth in the Labour Market: A Decade in Review”
- Esther Maseko
- Nov 10
- 2 min read
Summary of the article “Statistics South Africa: South Africa’s Youth in the Labour Market: A Decade in Review”
Young people aged 15-34 make up about 50.2% of South Africa’s working-age population — roughly 20.9 million individuals. Statistics South Africa
Within that group, those aged 15-24 (≈10.3 million) face the most severe labour-market barriers. Statistics South Africa
Over the past decade (from Q1 2015 to Q1 2025):
The unemployment rate for youth aged 15-34 rose from 36.9 % to 46.1% — an increase of 9.2 percentage points. Statistics South Africa
Among youth aged 15-24, unemployment climbed from 50.3 % to 62.4%. Statistics South Africa
For the 25-34 age band, the rate increased from 31.4 % to 40.4%. Statistics South Africa
The challenges are not uniform across regions:
In the North West Province in Q1 2025, youth unemployment for 15-34 was 58.8%, while labour-force participation was only 43%. Statistics South Africa
In the Eastern Cape, youth unemployment stood at 54.3%, with only 39.8% of young people participating in the labour force. Statistics South Africa
Gender and education disparities also loom large:
For ages 15-24, the NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) rate was 37.1% in Q1 2025; young women were slightly more affected (37.5%) than young men (36.7%). Statistics South Africa
In the broader 15-34 cohort, 48.1% of women were NEET compared to 42.2% of men. Statistics South Africa
Youth with less education face higher unemployment: no matric — 51.6%; matric only — 47.6%; vocational/technical (“Other Tertiary”) — 37.3%; university graduates — 23.9%. Statistics South Africa
On where youth work:
In Q1 2025, the largest share of employed youth were in Trade (retail/wholesale/hospitality) at 24.5%, followed by Community & Social Services (19.8%), Finance (18.4%), and Manufacturing (10.5%). Statistics South Africa
Many young workers are in low-skilled or service-based occupations: Elementary occupations (25.3%), Sales & Services (20.0%), Clerical (13.5%), Craft and Related Trades (11.2%). Statistics South Africa
A significant barrier: experience. Of the 4.8 million unemployed youth in Q1 2025, about 58.7% reported having no previous work experience. Statistics South Africa
Key takeaway:The labour-market outlook for young South Africans has grown worse over the past decade: rising unemployment, especially among the youngest youth; marked regional, gender and education disparities; and many youth trapped in roles with limited progression. The data suggest urgent need for targeted interventions — especially around first-job entry, youth skill development and regionally-tailored responses.
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