The unemployment rate in the Eastern Cape increased by 1.3 percentage points to 42.5% in the fourth quarter of last year, making it the province with the highest unemployment rate in the country.
The latest figures were presented during the Quarterly Labour Force Survey briefing by Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke of Statistics South Africa.
According to the data, approximately 30,000 jobs were lost in the province over the past three months, contributing to the sharp rise in unemployment.
Eastern Cape government spokesperson Khuselwa Rantjie said the provincial administration has noted the findings with serious concern. “These results confirm that unemployment remains one of the most pressing socio-economic challenges facing the province” she said. “They further highlight persistent structural constraints that continue to limit the pace of job creation, particularly in rural areas.”
Despite the troubling figures, Rantjie added that the Eastern Cape Provincial Government remains cautiously optimistic. “The Eastern Cape Provincial Government remains encouraged by positive developments in key sectors of the provincial economy” she said.
