Unemployment with basic education in South Africa
South Africa: Unemployment with basic education was 39.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Unemployment with basic education in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total labor force with basic education.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment with basic education in South Africa is 39.3%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and up 24.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment with basic education in South Africa peaked at 40.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 28.3%, in 2008.
South Africa ranks 2nd of 130 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Unemployment with basic education in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force with basic education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 33.2% | — |
| 2001 | 34.2% | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 38.4% | +12.3% |
| 2003 | 37.2% | -3.2% |
| 2004 | 33.7% | -9.5% |
| 2005 | 33.4% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 32.7% | -2.1% |
| 2007 | 31.6% | -3.3% |
| 2008 | 28.3% | -10.4% |
| 2009 | 29.4% | +4.0% |
| 2010 | 30.6% | +3.8% |
| 2011 | 31.0% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 31.2% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 31.7% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 31.5% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 33.1% | +5.2% |
| 2017 | 33.9% | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 33.1% | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 35.5% | +7.1% |
| 2020 | 35.9% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 40.7% | +13.4% |
| 2022 | 40.7% | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 39.4% | -3.2% |
| 2024 | 39.3% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 33.2% | 28.3% | 38.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.4% | 30.6% | 35.5% | 9 |
| 2020s | 39.2% | 35.9% | 40.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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 with basic education in South Africa?
- Unemployment with basic education in South Africa was 39.3% in 2024, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment with basic education recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 40.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment with basic education recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.3% in 2008.
- How does South Africa rank for unemployment with basic education?
- South Africa ranks 2nd out of 130 countries with data for 2024.
- Is unemployment with basic education rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment with basic education (% of total labor force with basic education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The percentage of the labor force with a basic level of education who are unemployed. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).