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27 March 2008

The results of the LFS conducted in September 2007 indicate that:

• The unemployment rate declined from 25.5% in September 2006 to 23.0% in September 2007

• A total of 13 234 000 South Africans were employed in September 2007.

• There was a net gain of 433 000 jobs in year to September 2007. The most job gains were seen in the formal sector (610 000) while the sharpest decline was in the informal sector which went down by 387 000.

• The major contributing industries to new jobs were private households up by 137 000 jobs and community and personal services up by 132 000 jobs.

• Employment in the formal sector excluding agriculture and domestic has been on an upward trend since Sept 2001.

• There was decline in employment in the non-agricultural informal sector since September 2005.

Table on key labour market outcomes and graph on employment in formal and informal sector (excluding agriculture and domestic) for September 2001 to September 2007 are available on http://www.statssa.gov.za.

For media enquiries contact:
Ms Kefiloe Masiteng,Deputy Director General: Population and Social Statistics
Tel: 012 310 2109

For technical enquiries contact:
Ms Yandiswa Mpetsheni, Executive Manager: Household Labour Market Statistics
Tel: 012 310 8608

Issued by: Statistics South Africa
27 March 2008