26 September 2007
The results of the Labour Force Survey conducted in March 2007 indicate
that:
* A total of 12 648 000 South Africans were employed in the year to March
2007.
* There was a net gain of 197 000 jobs in South Africa. The most job gains
were seen in the formal sector excluding agriculture (364 000) while the
sharpest decline was in the informal/subsistence agriculture which went down by
243 000.
* The major contributing industries to new jobs were community and personal
services up by 127 000 jobs, finance up by 126 000 jobs and construction up by
102 000 jobs.
* Employment in the formal sector excluding agriculture has been on an
upward trend since March 2001
* Eastern Cape was the hardest hit by loss of jobs in the informal
subsistence agriculture.
* The unemployment rate at 25.5% in March 2007 remained virtually unchanged
compared with 25.6% unemployment rate in March 2006 despite the considerable
decline in informal agriculture jobs.
* The number of discouraged work-seekers dropped by 180 000.
Key labour market outcomes: March 2007
Labour market indicators
A: Employed
Estimate for March 2006: 12 451 000
Estimate for March 2007: 12 648 000
Difference: 197 000
B: Unemployed (official definition)
Estimate for March 2006: 4 275 000
Estimate for March 2007: 4 336 000
Difference: 61 000
C: Labour force = A + B
Estimate for March 2006: 16 726 000
Estimate for March 2007: 16 984 00
Difference: 258 000
D: Not in the labour force
Estimate for March 2006: 13 126 000
Estimate for March 2007: 13 211 00
Difference: 85 000
E: Population of working age = C + D
Estimate for March 2006: 29 852 000
Estimate for March 2007: 30 195 00
Difference: 343 000
F: Discouraged work-seekers
Estimate for March 2006: 3 683 000
Estimate for March 2007: 3 503 000
Difference: 180 000
Rates (percentage)
Unemployment rate = B/C x 100
Estimate for March 2006: 25,6
Estimate for March 2007: 25,5
Difference: -0,1
Labour force participation rate = C/E x 100:
Estimate for March 2006: 56,0
Estimate for March 2007: 56,2
Difference: 0,2
Labour absorption rate A/E * 100:
Estimate for March 2006: 41,7
Estimate for March 2007: 41,9
Difference: 0,2
Enquiries:
Solly Kganyago
Tel: 012 310 4732
Cell: 082 5686122
Issued by: Statistics South Africa
26 September 2007
