There are currently 8-million job seekers in South Africa, which equates to an unemployment rate of approximately 32%. Conversely, Investec reckons there are currently 14.5-million people gainfully employed in our workforce. And here’s where they’re working …
JOB SEEKERS IN SOUTH AFRICA
It’s completely understandable that job seekers in South Africa will move to high employment areas, thus creating a unique semigration pattern in the country. According to Business Tech, worryingly though, unemployment sits above 20% in all nine of South Africa’s provinces.
However, there are large discrepancies between the best and worst provinces for job seekers in South Africa. Check out the list below from best to worst:
| Rank | Province | Population | Unemployment | Change |
| 1. | Western Cape | 7.4 million | 20.2% | -4.3% |
| 2. | Northern Cape | 1.4 million | 26.3% | -0.1% |
| 3. | KwaZulu-Natal | 12.4 million | 29.4% | -1.2% |
| 4. | Limpopo | 6.6 million | 30.8% | -0.2% |
| 5. | Gauteng | 15.1 million | 33.7% | No change |
| 6. | Mpumalanga | 5.1 million | 35.5% | +0.4% |
| 7. | Free State | 3.0 million | 38.5% | +4.7% |
| 8. | North West | 3.8 million | 38.6% | -0.4% |
| 9. | Eastern Cape | 7.2 million | 38.8% | -3.6% |
Delving into the data on job seekers in South Africa, it’s safe to say there are some real struggles taking place in Eastern Cape, North West, Free State and Mpumalanga. No wonder many job seekers in South Africa alight from those provinces hoping to find work opportunities in different parts of the country. The Western Cape is province you’re most likely to find a new job, owing to the lowest unemployment numbers and the fact the rate is dropping year-on-year.
WESTERN CAPE IS TOPS
Gauteng and Western Cape, South Africa’s economic heavyweights, receive the highest number of semigration in-flow each year. This makes sense as they both offer the largest number of job vacancies in the Mzansi, according to CareerJunction. However, Gauteng is unable to successfully employee job seekers despite having more vacancies compared to the Western Cape. In some instances you may be better off staying in your home province than trying to make it in Gauteng.
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Are you one of the 8-million job seekers in South Africa? How have you found job prospects in your province and would you move to better your chances of employment? Be sure to share your thoughts with our audience in the comments section below. And don’t forget to follow us @TheSANews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest updates.
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