These two provinces have more people who are unemployed than working
Do you live in one of these provinces?
Stats SA has released the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey, and while there's a glimmer of hope in the national figures, the Eastern Cape and North West are facing a steep climb.
The national unemployment rate saw a slight dip to 31.4% by the end of 2025. This means roughly 44,000 more South Africans found employment, bringing the total number of employed people to 17.1 million.
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Despite the national improvement, the Eastern Cape and North West remain the only two provinces where the number of people without work outweighs those with jobs.
The Eastern Cape has now overtaken the North West for the highest "combined" unemployment rate (which includes those who have stopped actively looking for work), at a staggering 51.4%. The North West isn’t far behind at 50.9%.
The provincial breakdown:
- Western Cape: Continues to lead the pack with the lowest rate at 18.1%.
- Gauteng: 33%
- Northern Cape: 27.1%
- Limpopo: 28.2%
- KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga: Both sitting at 32.3%.
While the number of unemployed individuals dropped by 172,000, the total labour force actually shrank, suggesting that many people have opted out of the job hunt entirely.
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The broader "combined rate" for the country now stands at 42.1%.
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