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South Africa's official unemployment rate (strict definition, ages 15–64) rose 0.9 percentage points to 33.6% in Q2 2026. The number of unemployed persons increased by 345,000 to 8.5 million while employment fell by 16,000 to 16.7 million. Separately, the combined rate of unemployment and the potential labour force (LU3) was 43.8%. LU3 is a different measure from the former 'expanded unemployment rate', which Stats SA stopped reporting after Q2 2025, and the two should not be compared directly.

Narrow (strict) unemployment rate for those aged 15–34 who are without work, available for work and actively seeking employment. Stats SA reports the rate rose 1.5 percentage points to 47.4% in Q2 2026; the number of unemployed youth rose by 264,000 to 5.0 million.

Unemployment rate (LU1) among 15–24 year olds, one of the highest youth rates in the world. It rose 1.9 percentage points to 62.8% in Q2 2026. This cohort faces structural barriers including lack of experience, skills mismatch, and geographic concentration of youth outside economic centres.

Share of young people aged 15–24 who are not in employment, education or training (NEET). Stats SA: "There were about 10,3 million young people aged 15–24 years in Q4: 2025, of which 34,0% were not in employment, education or training. This is 0,5 of a percentage point higher than the NEET rate in Q4: 2024." (QLFS Q4 2025, page 8).

The labour force participation rate (LFPR) is the percentage of the working-age population (15–64) that is either employed or unemployed. It rose 0.6 percentage points to 59.6% in Q2 2026, but is 0.6 points lower than a year earlier.

Labour force participation rate for women aged 15–64 (share of working-age women who are employed or unemployed). It rose 1.1 percentage points to 54.9% in Q2 2026, against 64.4% for men, a gap of about 9.5 percentage points.

South Africa's headline CPI was 4.5% year-on-year in September 2026, up from 4.4% in August and 4.3% in July; the index rose 0.4% between August and September. Inflation peaked at 5.0% in June, the highest since June 2024. Transport (10.8%, contributing 1.5 percentage points), housing and utilities (5.2%, 1.3 points) and insurance and financial services (5.4%, 0.6 points) were the main contributors. The SARB's inflation target is 3% with a tolerance band of ±1 percentage point.

Food and non-alcoholic beverage (NAB) inflation was 1.2% in September 2026, up from 1.1% in August and 0.9% in July, a second consecutive monthly increase. Meat inflation slowed to 0.7% (its lowest since March 2025) and cereal products recorded an eighth consecutive month of deflation (-1.9%).

South Africa's full-year average headline CPI for 2025 was 3.2%, the lowest annual average in 21 years, confirmed by Stats SA in January 2026. The annual average was 6.9% in 2022.

South Africa's real GDP contracted 0.2% quarter-on-quarter in Q2 2026 (seasonally adjusted, constant 2015 prices), after growth of 0.4% in Q1, ending six consecutive quarters of expansion. Mining (-3.0%), trade (-1.9%) and manufacturing (-1.8%) were the main drags; finance (+0.3%) and personal services (+0.6%) grew. On the expenditure side, household consumption rose 0.4%, fixed investment fell 0.2% and net exports subtracted 1.1 percentage points. The estimate is preliminary: Stats SA's rebased (base year 2022) and benchmarked national accounts, expected in October 2026, may revise it.

South Africa's real GDP grew 1.1% for the full year 2025, the strongest annual rate since 2022. Growth was broad-based despite ongoing headwinds from high borrowing costs and slow global demand. Manufacturing registered its second year of negative growth; construction posted its ninth straight year of decline.

South Africa's nominal GDP for 2025 at current prices. Nominal GDP changes with both real output and prices. The economy remains the second largest in Africa by nominal GDP, behind Nigeria.

Nominal GDP per capita for 2025 at current prices, estimated from nominal GDP and mid-year population. In USD terms at average 2025 exchange rates (~R18.60/$), this is approximately $6,500 per person.

The repurchase (repo) rate is the benchmark interest rate set by the South African Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). It is the rate at which the SARB lends short-term money to commercial banks and is the primary instrument of inflation targeting.

The prime lending rate is the benchmark rate at which commercial banks lend to their most creditworthy clients. It is conventionally set at repo rate + 3.5 percentage points. Most consumer and business loans are priced relative to prime.

Total murder cases reported nationally for the 2023/24 financial year (April 2023 – March 2024). This is the first decline in four years, equating to approximately 72 murders per day. The rate is 41.9 per 100,000 population.

Contact crimes include assault GBH, common assault, robbery with aggravating circumstances, common robbery, sexual offences, and murder. Total contact crimes declined for the 2023/24 reporting period.

Robberies involving a weapon, violence, or the threat of violence for the 2023/24 financial year. This category includes carjacking, truck hijacking, house robbery, and bank robbery.

Murder cases reported to SAPS in January to March 2026, the fourth quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, compared with the same three months in earlier years. This is one quarter, not a full year, so it cannot be compared with the annual totals.

Contact crimes (crimes against the person) reported to SAPS in January to March 2026, the fourth quarter of the 2025/26 financial year. SAPS counts murder, sexual offences, attempted murder, assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm, common assault, common robbery and robbery with aggravating circumstances. One quarter, not a full year.

Robbery with aggravating circumstances reported to SAPS in January to March 2026, the fourth quarter of the 2025/26 financial year. One quarter, not a full year.

The national senior certificate (matric) pass rate for the 2025 academic year was 88%, the highest on record and about 0.7 percentage points above 2024 (87.3%). Over 656,000 candidates passed; more than 900,000 full-time and part-time candidates wrote, the largest cohort ever. Bachelor's passes (university entrance) were 46% of passes, down from 48% in 2024, although a record 345,000+ candidates qualified for degree study. All nine provinces were above 80%; KwaZulu-Natal was highest at 90.6%.

Proportion of adults aged 20 and older who can read and write, as recorded in the 2022 National Census. This represents significant improvement from 85.0% in 2011. The next census is expected in 2032.

Total headcount enrolments at public universities for the 2023 academic year, across 26 public higher education institutions. This excludes TVET colleges and private higher education institutions.

South Africa's estimated mid-year (30 June) population for 2026 is 63,522,380 according to Stats SA's Mid-Year Population Estimates, an increase of 759,980 on 2025. Annual growth is about 1.2%. Stats SA notes each release revises the whole 2002–2026 series, so figures should not be compared with earlier publications. The 2022 Census counted 62.0 million; mid-year estimates and Census counts are different measures.

Percentage of the population living in urban areas, as recorded in Census 2022. Gauteng alone accounts for over a quarter of South Africa's population. The Northern Cape remains the least densely populated province.

The median age of the South African population as measured in Census 2022. At 28 years, South Africa has a relatively young population, with significant implications for labour markets, education, and social services.

Percentage of households with piped (tap) water inside their dwelling in Census 2022 (46.3% in 2011). A broader 82.4% had piped water either inside the dwelling or inside the yard. Access remains uneven: 20.5% of households in Limpopo and 19.5% in the Eastern Cape had no access to piped water at all.

Percentage of households using electricity as their main source of energy for lighting in Census 2022 (58.1% in 1996). This measures the main lighting source, not a metered or grid connection, and not reliability: load-shedding and tariff pressures still affect effective access.

Percentage of households living in formal dwellings (brick/concrete houses, flats, townhouses, cluster and semi-detached houses, and formal backyard units) in Census 2022, up from 65.1% in 1996. About 8.1% lived in informal dwellings (13.6% in 2011) and 3.1% in traditional dwellings.

Total private households counted in Census 2022: 17,828,778, up from 14.4 million in 2011 (+23.4%). Average household size declined from 3.6 persons in 2011 to 3.5 in 2022.

Percentage of households with access to the internet (by any means, including mobile) in Census 2022, up from 35% in 2011. The rapid expansion of mobile internet is the primary driver.