According to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), South African youth between the ages of 15 – 25 currently hold the highest rate of unemployment in the country at 58.2%.
The report was released by Statistician General Risenga Maluleke in Pretoria on 29 October 2019.
“The unemployment rate for those aged 15 to 24 remains relatively higher than any other age [group] sitting at 58.2%. When we contrast that with those aged 55 to 64, their unemployment rate is sitting at 9.9%.”, Maluleke said. “The unemployment rate among the youth was higher, irrespective of educational level. The unemployment rate for graduates aged 15 to 24 was sitting at 33.6%, while those aged 25 to 34 years was 14.3%, and that of graduates aged 35 to 64 was at 3.8%. Young people remain vulnerable to labour markets,” he continued.
Maluleke reported that the overall unemployment rate in South Africa increased by 0.1 of a percentage to 29.1% between the second and third quarter of 2019.
In an article published by Bizcommunity, the writer said, “Meanwhile, approximately 3.3 million out of 10.3 million young people aged 15 to 24 were not in employment, education or training (NEET), while the overall NEET rate increased by 1.2% in the third quarter.”
