South Africa's official unemployment rate rose to 32.7% in the first quarter of 2026 from 31.4% in the fourth quarter of 2025, data from the statistics agency showed on Tuesday.

Statistics South Africa said the number of unemployed people increased to 8.14-million in January to March, compared to 7.84-million in October to December.

The official jobless rate has been above 30% for more than five years and is among the highest in the world.

The coalition government formed in 2024 has struggled to meaningfully boost job creation, despite investor optimism about reforms and a modest pickup in economic growth.

Job losses were broad-based in the first three months of this year, with only three out of ten sectors tracked by Stats SA recording job gains.

The community and social services sector had the biggest number of job losses in the first quarter of 2026.

Manufacturing, mining and agriculture saw employment increases.

An expanded definition of unemployment rose to 43.7% in the first quarter from 42.1% previously.

Young people and Black women remain especially vulnerable to unemployment in South Africa.