Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in South Africa
South Africa: Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) was 34.4% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in South Africa, 1997–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
South Africa recorded 34.4% for unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and up 27.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in South Africa peaked at 41.3% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 25.5%, in 2009.
South Africa ranks 3rd of 181 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 28 years of available data.
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 33.7% | — |
| 1998 | 30.0% | -11.1% |
| 1999 | 30.3% | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 35.7% | +17.9% |
| 2001 | 36.4% | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 41.3% | +13.5% |
| 2003 | 39.3% | -4.8% |
| 2004 | 36.4% | -7.5% |
| 2005 | 36.5% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 35.9% | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 33.2% | -7.6% |
| 2008 | 25.7% | -22.4% |
| 2009 | 25.5% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 27.0% | +5.7% |
| 2011 | 27.2% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 27.1% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 26.5% | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 27.0% | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 27.5% | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 29.0% | +5.3% |
| 2017 | 29.3% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 29.0% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 30.5% | +5.0% |
| 2020 | 31.0% | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 36.3% | +17.1% |
| 2022 | 35.4% | -2.5% |
| 2023 | 34.6% | -2.3% |
| 2024 | 34.4% | -0.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 34.4% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7.7%, 4.5× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 34.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.5%, 5.3× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 31.3% | 30.0% | 33.7% | 3 |
| 2000s | 34.6% | 25.5% | 41.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.0% | 26.5% | 30.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.4% | 31.0% | 36.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 1 Syrian Arab Republic 37.1% compare
- 2 Eswatini 36.6% compare
- 4 Palestine, State of 29.7% compare
- 5 Iraq 28.3% compare
- 6 Botswana 26.4% compare
More work & labour data for South Africa
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.2264 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.242 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.2122 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.8748 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 58,057 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 14,698 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 49,126 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 45,189 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 94,314 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in South Africa?
- Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in South Africa was 34.4% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 41.3% in 2002.
- What is the lowest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.5% in 2009.
- How does South Africa rank for unemployment, female (% of female labor force)?
- South Africa ranks 3rd out of 181 countries with data for 2024.
- Is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 28 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.