Statistics South Africa: Women face higher unemployment and lower participation in Q2 2026 labour market
By Statistics South Africa ·
Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey for quarter two 2026 shows persistent gender gaps: women made up 50.3% of the 15–64 population but had a 37.5% official unemployment rate versus 30.3% for men. Women’s labour force participation was 54.9% (men 64.4%) and absorption into employment 34.3% (men 44.9%
Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey for quarter two 2026 shows persistent gender gaps: women made up 50.3% of the 15–64 population but had a 37.5% official unemployment rate versus 30.3% for men. Women’s labour force participation was 54.9% (men 64.4%) and absorption into employment 34.3% (men 44.9%
The driving signal: Q2 2026 labour survey shows women face 37.5% unemployment vs 30.3% for men and lower participation, highlighting persistent gender-based labour market weakness. What to monitor next is the next communication from Statistics South Africa for evidence that execution matches the signal.