---
title: "Unemployment data at a glance — and what the experts say"
description: "While signs of stabilisation are emerging, with unemployment down the latest unemployment data shows that significant challenges remain, particularly for vulnerable groups."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "DISCOURAGED RECOVERY"
author: "Neesa Moodley"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/neesa-moodley/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-02-17-unemployment-data-at-a-glance-and-what-the-experts-say/"
published: "2026-02-17T16:20:08"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 194
---

# Unemployment data at a glance — and what the experts say

> While signs of stabilisation are emerging, with unemployment down the latest unemployment data shows that significant challenges remain, particularly for vulnerable groups.

By Neesa Moodley · Published 17 February 2026, 18:20 SAST

## Key points
- Latest unemployment data indicates signs of stabilisation but highlights ongoing challenges, especially for vulnerable groups.
- Experts note that while employment momentum has improved, high unemployment rates persist, particularly affecting youth and long-term unemployed.
- Seasonal factors, like firms closing for the festive season, contribute to a slowdown in job creation and a sharp increase in discouraged job-seekers.
- Overall, while numbers show some progress, hiring momentum is tapering off, reinforcing the precarious nature of SA’s employment landscape.

## Content

![Image](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/GY49PPxncBoDHDAWkTHVR163ARY=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/2988/ChatGPTImageFeb17202603_32_31PM_125831.png)

Nolan Wapenaar, the co-chief investment officer at Anchor Capital, says: “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.”

![Image](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/N4T07v-iz1zzaLaERTGbh_pgmLM=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/2988/ChatGPTImageFeb17202603_35_09PM_335942.png)

Nicky Weimar, Nedbank Group economist, says: “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.”

## Which sectors were hiring employees?

![Source: StatsSA](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/Dm-LkfOze_zudgElijHHz4APfXg=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/2988/sectors_744227.jpg)

*Source: StatsSA*

The key takeout here is that unemployment numbers are moving in the right direction, but it’s not enough to break out the bubbly just yet. The sad reality is that hiring momentum is slowing, exports are under pressure, and more people are giving up the search. **DM**