Economy sheds jobs again in first quarter, unemployment worse than year ago
Most of the industries in the Quarterly Labour Survey shed jobs during the first quarter of 2025, with only manufacturing adding 2 000 jobs.
The economy shed jobs again in the first quarter of 2025, with unemployment also worse than a year ago, as employment decreased by 95 000 or -0.9% between March 2024 and March 2025 as full-time as well as part-time employment decreased.
According to Statistics SA, its Quarterly Employment Statistics for the first quarter of the year show that total employment decreased by 74 000 or -0.7% compared to the fourth quarter of 2024, from 10 653 000 in December 2024 to 10 579 000 in March 2025.
This was due to decreases in trade that shed 52 000 jobs (-2.2%), community services that shed 17 000 jobs (0.6%), mining that shed 4 000 jobs (-0.9%), business services that shed 1 000 jobs (0.0%), construction that also shed 1 000 jobs (-0.2%) and electricity that also shed 1 000 jobs (-1.6%).
Employment in the transport industry remains unchanged, while manufacturing added 2 000 jobs (0.2%.
ALSO READ: Is South Africa's unemployment rate really only 10%?
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