The official unemployment rate increased by 0.2 of a percentage point to 32.9% in the first quarter of 2023, from the fourth quarter of last year, Statistics SA reported on Tuesday.
"It was observed that a large number of persons moved from the 'not economically active' category to 'employed' and 'unemployed' statuses between the two quarters, which resulted in an increase of 0.2 of a percentage point in the unemployment rate to 32.9%," Statistics SA said. But the number of employed persons increased by 258 000 to 16.2 million in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the fourth quarter of 2022.
Both the formal and informal sectors recorded increases in employment of 209 000 and 107 000, respectively. Finance, community and social services, and agriculture created the most jobs. But there were fewer positions in private households as well as small decreases in trade, mining, construction and manufacturing.Compared to a year ago, 1.3 million more people were employed. There was a net gain of 1 million jobs in the formal sector.