South Africa's formal employment sector is set to decline by 80,000 jobs between December 2025 and March 2026, according to the latest Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES) report.
Statistics South Africa's director of quarterly employment statistics, Matlapane Masupe, said total employment would decline from 10,548,000 in December 2025 to 10,468,000 in March 2026.
Stats SA attributes this decline mainly to job losses in community services and business.
The largest decline was recorded in community services, with 53,000 jobs lost, while business declined by 40,000 jobs.
At the same time, transportation and power also recorded a decline of 3,000 and 1,000 jobs, respectively.
However, Masupe pointed out that some sectors recorded employment growth during the same period.
“Food industries, manufacturing and business services recorded increases of 7,000 each, mining by 2,000 and construction by 1,000.”
Full-time employment figures fell
Full-time jobs fell by 74,000 between December 2025 and March 2026.
Masupe said full-time employment is expected to decline from 9,400,000 in December 2025 to 9,409,000 in March 2026.
“This was due to declines in food industries, trade, community services, transportation, construction and manufacturing,” he said.
Trade recorded the largest decline in full-time employment, with 27,000 jobs lost, while community services and transportation each lost 3,000 jobs.
The construction and manufacturing sectors recorded a loss of 1,000 jobs each.
Despite the losses, full-time employment was recorded in business services and mining, adding 8,000 and 2,000 jobs, respectively.
“Year-on-year, gross earnings increased by 51,4 billion between March 2025 and March 2026,” Masupe said.
Part-time employment also declined
Part-time workers were also affected, with part-time employment declining by 56,000 jobs during the quarter.
According to Masupe, part-time employment is projected to decline from 115,000 in December 2025 to 1,059,000 in March 2026.
The decline was due to declines in food industries, community services, trade, business services, transportation and electricity.
The largest decline was in part-time employment in community services, which lost 50,000 jobs, while business fell by 13,000.
Manufacturing and construction were among the sectors that recorded growth, adding 8,000 and 2,000 part-time jobs, respectively.
Compared to March 2025, part-time employment declined by 73,000 jobs.
Earnings decline, but average wages rise.
The decline in employment also affected the total earnings paid to employees.
Masupe said gross income declined by R43.4 billion between December 2025 and March 2026, falling from R1.083 trillion rand to R1.043 trillion.
“This was due to declines in food industries, manufacturing, community services, trade, construction, electricity and transportation,” he said.
However, business services and mining recorded growth in gross income.
Despite the quarterly decline, total gross income between March 2025 and March 2026 was higher year-on-year, increasing by R51.4 billion.
Average monthly earnings also increased, rising by 0.9% from 29 728 rand in November 2025 to 29 997 rand in February 2026.
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