While the national unemployment rate rose slightly in the third quarter (Q3) of 2026, the Western Cape unemployment rate decreased.

Statistics South Africa released the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) on Tuesday, 10 November.

It shows that South Africa’s official unemployment rate increased to 33.7%, compared to 33.6% in Q2. The Western Cape, which had an unemployment rate of 19.5% in Q2, dropped to 19.4% in Q3.

The Eastern Cape has the highest official unemployment rate in the country, more than double that of the Western Cape, at 44.3%.

Stats SA says the top job-creating sectors in Q3 were in finance, manufacturing and mining, while jobs were lost in private households, agriculture and construction.

Premier Alan Winde says that, looking at the provincial stats over 12 months, the Western Cape is home to 69,000 more jobs than it was a year ago, with total employment in the province estimated at 2.88 million.

When compared to the same time last year, the Western Cape is also the only province to experience growth in employment.

Seven out of ten sectors in the province recorded job gains, with the construction sector recording a net increase of 33 000 jobs compared with last year (compared to a loss in construction jobs nationally).

The agriculture and finance and services sectors followed, adding 26 000 and 25 000 net jobs respectively.

“We welcome this reduction in the unemployment rate. We must work harder than ever to keep getting more residents out of poverty and into the provincial economy,” said Premier Alan Winde.

“Despite significant challenges, we are making progress in building a resilient and inclusive economy that creates more opportunities for our residents. There is still much more to do, and we are determined to do it. The sustained success we see over successive sets of employment stats clearly shows that we are on the right path. The Western Cape has become emblematic of what can be achieved when government creates an enabling environment for business and allows opportunities to grow and flourish for our residents.”

The Western Cape MEC of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, Dr Ivan Meyer, says these figures demonstrate that sustained investment in growth-enabling sectors such as agriculture, trade, tourism, manufacturing, and infrastructure is delivering tangible results.

“While we welcome this further decline in unemployment, our focus remains on creating more jobs, expanding opportunities for entrepreneurs, and ensuring that economic growth reaches every community across the province.”