South Africa’s unemployment rate climbed to 25,3% in the second quarter of 2010, a slight increase from 25,2% in the first three months of the year, official data showed on Tuesday.
“The number of unemployed persons remained virtually unchanged between first quarter of 2010 and the second quarter, while the number of discouraged work-seekers increased by 68 000,” according to Statistics South Africa.
The state agency said 61 000 jobs were lost across all industries between the first and second quarters, with manufacturing hardest-hit, followed by transport and agriculture.
Unemployment remains the biggest threat to growth of Africa’s largest economy, as the country recovers from recession, which ended last year.
Unofficial figures suggests that jobless numbers may be as high as 30%, due to the high number of discouraged job-seekers who are no longer counted in the official date. — AFP