South African Unemployment Rate for Women Continues To Rise As South Africans Face Hopelessness

• Statistics South Africa revealed the new unemployment statistics, which showed an increase in the number of jobless South African women
• The number of those without jobs in the country increased by 0.3% according to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey
• South Africans pointed their fingers at various causes, including corruption, political instability, and undocumented migrants

Tebogo Mokwena, a dedicated Briefly News current affairs journalist, contributed coverage of international and local social issues, including health, corruption, education, unemployment, labour, service delivery protests, and immigration in South Africa, during his seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

JOHANNESBURG — Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) revealed on 12 August 2025 that the unemployment rate for women is higher than for men, as the rate rose from 32.9% to 33.2% in the current quarter, according to its Quarterly Labour Force Survey.

According to StatsSA, women continue to carry the highest share of joblessness, as 35.9% of women in the country are unemployed. About 31% of men in the country are unemployed, by contrast, which is a gap of 4.9%. Women without a matric recorded an unemployment rate of 42.8% compared to the 37% of men in the same category.

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How many women were employed?

Stats SA said that in the second quarter of 2025, a total of 65.6% of working-age men were participating in the labour force. The figure was lower for women, at 54.9%. Furthermore, most of the women who are employed work in community and social services, while only 18% of employed women work in the finance sector.

Why are women unemployed?

StatsSA discovered that 2,4 million people listed themselves as homemaker as their reason for not being employed. Of these, 2.1 million were women, while the rest were men.

Unemployment in South Africa

The Democratic Alliance slammed Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi as the province's unemployment rate hit 34.7% in May 2025. The party blamed his leadership capabilities, as 2.7 million residents were unemployed.

Stats SA revealed in June that more than 80,000 people lost their jobs between March 2024 and March 2025. Sectors including the mining and services sectors were the hardest hit by the job losses.

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What did South Africans say?

Netizens on Facebook discussed the unemployment rate.

Kamohelo Mepha said:

"And our parents are busy voting for the ANC."

Velocity Meme said:

"It means the GNU is failing."

Tahekp Mojaki said:

"And then the ANC is busy preaching a national dialogue."

Isrsel Tolo Mchenge said:

"I always disagree with these stats. It's 70% according to me."

Mfundoh Nqinileyo said:

"I believe there are many jobs in this country but occupied by foreign nationals."

Khumbudzo Ravele said:

"And our president is more concerned about holding a dialogue."

South African woman vents about unemployment

In a related article, Briefly News reported that a South African woman shared her frustrations with the country's unemployment crisis. She posted a video of people outside on the streets before 1 pm.

She postulated that many of them are unemployed and shared her struggles as an unemployed degree holder. Many South Africans related to her struggles.

Source: Briefly News