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<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nOne province continues to outperform the others <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The formal sector added 34,000 jobs, while the informal sector shed 19,000. Trade saw the largest increase in employment, adding 88,000 jobs, followed by private households with 28,000 and construction with 20,000. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, these gains were offset by losses in community and social services (down 42,000), agriculture (down 24,000), finance (down 24,000), transport (down 15,000), utilities (down 6,000), and manufacturing (down 5,000).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Provincially, Gauteng and the Eastern Cape recorded the biggest increases in employment, adding 95,000 and 89,000 jobs respectively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In contrast, the Western Cape shed 117,000 jobs, KwaZulu-Natal lost 86,000, and the Northern Cape saw a reduction of 28,000. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite its job losses, the Western Cape continues to outperform the rest of the country, maintaining the lowest official unemployment rate at 21.1%. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is also the only province with an expanded unemployment rate below 30%, highlighting its ability to keep more people engaged in the labour market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over the past ten years, the unemployment rate in the Western Cape has consistently remained below South Africa’s national average, while the Eastern Cape has consistently recorded unemployment rates above the national level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The official unemployment rate increased in six provinces between the first and second quarters of 2025. The largest increase was recorded in the Northern Cape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over the past ten years, the formal sector has also been the main contributor to total employment in South Africa, accounting for 6.2% of total employment in Q2 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, Stats SA announced earlier this week that it will revise and review certain aspects of its surveys to better capture information about South Africa\u2019s informal sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This followed engagements between the minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, the Statistician-General, Risenga Maluleke, senior representatives from the National Treasury, and former Capitec Bank CEO Gerrie\u202fFourie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stats SA said that it is open to exploring the development of a statistical register for small-scale and informal businesses, which he said would strengthen the quality and granularity of labour market data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n