In Conversation with Sizwe Magwaza
Loading player...
New data from Statistics South Africa shows that the country’s official unemployment rate has eased to 31.4% in the fourth quarter of 2025. On paper, this signals marginal improvement in a labour market long defined by stagnation and structural inequality. However, analysts caution that the headline number does not necessarily reflect meaningful economic inclusion particularly for young people entering or re-entering the workforce.
Independent research consultant Dimakatso Manthosi argues that beneath the slight statistical decline lies a more sobering reality: youth unemployment remains disproportionately high, and many of the jobs reflected in the data may be temporary, informal, or insecure. For organisations like EmpowaYouth, which work directly with young people navigating the labour market, the critical question is not whether unemployment has dipped but whether sustainable, dignified opportunities are being created.
Independent research consultant Dimakatso Manthosi argues that beneath the slight statistical decline lies a more sobering reality: youth unemployment remains disproportionately high, and many of the jobs reflected in the data may be temporary, informal, or insecure. For organisations like EmpowaYouth, which work directly with young people navigating the labour market, the critical question is not whether unemployment has dipped but whether sustainable, dignified opportunities are being created.
