In its first quarter survey published on this week, unemployment has increased by 0.1% in South Africa; from 32.5% from the previous quarter to 32.6%.
Official data from the nation’s Chief Statistician shows the hard effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the nation’s economy.
Statistician-general, Risenga Maluleke says it’s the highest rate of unemployment since the country started taking a quarterly survey in 2008. South Africa has not had an unemployment below 20% in twenty years.
The population of unemployed South Africans rose to 7.2million in the first quarter of 2021, a figure that had been pegged at 7.192million in the fourth quarter of 2020.
The number of people of unemployable age and unwilling to work has also been increased by 0.6% from 42.6 to 43.2%. The age group most affected by the unemployment are those between 15 and 34 years.
COVID-19 has taken its toll on South Africa with the country recording more than 56,000 fatalities from 1.6m cases.
