Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has welcomed the latest Statistics South Africa data showing the province's unemployment rate at 18.1%, the lowest in the country. The Quarterly Labour Force Survey, released on February 17, 2026, indicates a 1.5 percentage point decline year-on-year and a five-year low for the region.
The Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) data released by Statistics South Africa on February 17, 2026, reveals positive developments in South Africa's labour market, particularly in the Western Cape. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.5% to 31.4%. In the Western Cape, the rate dropped to 18.1%, marking the lowest in the country and a decline of 1.5 percentage points from the previous year, reaching a five-year low.
Premier Alan Winde attributed the improvement to his administration's jobs strategy. He noted that the province added an average of 31,000 jobs per month over the last quarter of 2025. Key sectors driving growth included trade, which gained 48,000 jobs; agriculture, with 22,000 more jobs; and construction, also adding 22,000 jobs. Winde highlighted progress among youth aged 15 to 24 not in employment, education, or training (NEET), whose unemployment rate decreased by 6.6% quarter-on-quarter.
"What also stands out for me is the sectors that have gained in jobs. The trade sector 48 000 more jobs, the agriculture sector 22 000 more jobs and the construction sector 22 000 more jobs. This is really exciting for me. And then perhaps one other item that stands out is the young people (15 to 24-year-olds), that are not in employment, education or training. And that unemployment rate has dropped by a further 6.6% quarter on quarter," Winde said.
Experts provided a cautious outlook on the national figures. Nolan Wapenaar, co-chief investment officer at Anchor Capital, stated: “The data confirms that employment momentum has stabilised after a weak start to 2025, and broad-based participation suggests the recovery is not confined to a single industry, improving the quality of the improvement. Nevertheless, unemployment remains very high, and SA’s structural challenges/constraints remain, with joblessness disproportionately impacting vulnerable groups, especially the youth and long-term unemployed.”
Nicky Weimar, Nedbank Group economist, added: “The slowdown in job creation could be attributed to the usual seasonal factors. Some firms close for the festive season and tend to postpone recruitment until the new year. At the same time, export-oriented industries faced headwinds, including subdued demand and higher tariffs. Meanwhile, the labour force shrank as the number of discouraged work seekers increased sharply by 233,000 to 3.7 million people, probably also due to seasonal effects.”
While the data shows stabilisation, challenges persist for vulnerable groups.
