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Labour · Sub-Saharan Africa · Upper-middle income

South Africa: the labour market

Labour force is 26.7m (2025), 26th of 187 in the world and 5th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Participation rate is 55.6% (2025), 137th of 187 in the world and 37th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women's participation is 49.9% (2025), 119th of 187 in the world and 34th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Labour force26.7m2025 · world 26/187 · region 5/47Participation rate55.6%2025 · world 137/187 · region 37/47Women's participation49.9%2025 · world 119/187 · region 34/47Employment rate37.6%2025 · world 171/187 · region 42/47
Labour force
South Africa
010.0m20.0m30.0m1995200020052010201520202025South Africa26.7m
Participation rate
South AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaUpper-middle incomeWorld
50%60%70%80%1995200020052010201520202025South Africa55.6%Sub-Saharan AfricaUpper-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: South Africa in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Sub-Saharan Africa; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Labour forceLabour force, total26.7m202526/1875/4717.6m19.3m22.3m+20%since 2015527m1.5bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+55.6%2025137/18737/4757.3%52.3%50.5%+1.0 ppsince 201570.3%62.7%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+49.9%2025119/18734/4746.6%44.8%44.1%+2.2 ppsince 201565.2%53.4%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)37.6%2025171/18742/4744.2%39.4%35.8%−3.3 ppsince 201566.3%59.5%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)32.4%20252/1872/4722.8%24.7%29.2%+7.2 ppsince 20155.7%5.2%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)34.0%20254/1872/4726.2%26.9%31.0%+6.5 ppsince 20156.3%5.1%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)59.9%20252/1871/4743.2%50.5%59.6%+9.8 ppsince 201510.1%15.6%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %34.6%202422/17012/4431.8%35.9%201132.4%+3.3 ppsince 2014—17.3%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment82.7%202554/1871/4783.4%84.3%83.3%−2.7 ppsince 201522.3%61.3%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)11.7%2025142/18747/4710.9%10.2%10.7%+2.2 ppsince 201571.0%34.8%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment5.4%2025130/18746/478.5%4.8%5.5%−0.2 ppsince 201549.3%19.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment20.8%202573/1876/4724.5%24.8%21.2%−3.1 ppsince 201512.2%27.7%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment73.8%202543/1872/4767.0%70.5%73.3%+3.3 ppsince 201538.5%52.4%50.6%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

South Africa and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with South Africa. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorSouth AfricaMozambiqueZimbabweNamibiaBotswanaLesotho
Labour force26.7m202515.7m20256.9m20251.2m20251.2m2025889,5302025
Participation rate55.6%202578.7%202567.7%202558.8%202568.8%202557.1%2025
Women's participation49.9%202577.1%202562.2%202554.9%202563.7%202548.1%2025
Employment rate37.6%202573.5%202561.4%202547.5%202552.0%202547.8%2025
Unemployment32.4%20256.6%20259.3%202519.3%202524.5%202516.3%2025
Female unemployment34.0%20257.2%20259.4%202518.4%202527.9%202518.4%2025
Youth unemployment59.9%202511.6%202515.5%202538.0%202546.0%202524.7%2025
Youth NEET rate34.6%202419.2%202228.8%202531.6%202338.0%202438.0%2024
Wage workers82.7%202514.7%202529.2%202563.5%202571.9%202561.5%2025
Mozambique: labourZimbabwe: labourNamibia: labourBotswana: labourLesotho: labour
Labour in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedLabour: upper-middle-income countries59 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesSouth Africa: all key statisticscountry profile