South Africa’s young people are facing an uphill battle in the job market, with new figures showing youth unemployment has hit alarming highs.

According to Stats SA’s latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the first quarter of 2025, youth aged 15 to 34 now make up over half of the country’s working-age population—about 20.9 million people.

Yet, nearly half of them are unemployed, with the official youth jobless rate rising to 46.1%, up from 36.9% a decade ago.

South Africa’s official unemployment rate stands at 32.9%, up from 31.9% at the end of 2024.

The youngest job-seekers are struggling the most. Among those aged 15 to 24, unemployment has soared to 62.4%, while youth in rural provinces like North West (58.8%) and the Eastern Cape (54.3%) face even harsher conditions, often with fewer than four in ten actively engaged in the labour market.

Adding to the burden, young women remain especially vulnerable. In the broader 15–34 age group, 48.1% of women are neither working, studying, nor training—compared to 42.2% of men.

The struggle to find that first job is also evident. Of the 4.8 million unemployed youth, nearly 60% have never worked before, locking them in a cycle where they need experience to get a job—but can’t get a job without experience.

Education plays a major role. Those without a matric face an unemployment rate of 51.6%, while university graduates fare far better, with a jobless rate of just 23.9%.

Despite the challenges, some sectors continue to absorb young workers. The Trade industry remains the biggest youth employer, followed by Community Services, Finance, and Manufacturing. Most youth jobs are in low-skilled roles, such as sales, basic services, and clerical work.