New Stats SA data shows that South Africa's unemployment crisis continues with no end in sight.

According to the latest Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) released by Stats SA, covering the year's second quarter, total employment decreased.

According to the report: "Total employment decreased by 80 000 or 0.8% quarter-on-quarter, from 10 589 000 in March 2025 to 10 509 000 in June 2025."

The report said the sectors which saw the biggest declines in employment were community services, which saw 53 000 jobs lost, and trade and manufacturing, which shed 10 000 and 9 000 jobs respectively.

Mining saw a quarter-on-quarter increase of 2 000 jobs.

The figures for year-on-year employment were as dire. The report said: "Total employment decreased by 229 000 or 2,1% year-on-year between June 2024 and June 2025."

Frans Cronje told The Common Sense: "The numbers are quite in line with what you would expect from the economic growth rate which is in turn a function of the low investment rate that follows from a fundamentally hostile investment climate…we have said it before, and will say it again 100 times over, to create jobs South Africa needs to raise investor confidence in order to raise the fixed investment rate, and that requires refitting the coal fleet, aligning empowerment policies with fixed investment committed and jobs created, securing property rights and extracting vast trade and investment concessions from global powers."

Democratic Alliance (DA) spokesperson on Employment and Labour, Michael Bagraim responded to the QES in a statement saying: “South Africa’s jobs crisis demands immediate reform and only real action can turn opportunity into work for millions...The DA has tabled a six point plan to turbocharge growth...fixing labour laws...scrapping race-based legislation...replacing them with a system that empowers people on the basis of need and merit...The choice is stark: either keep the ANC’s broken system that kills jobs, or back the DA’s plan to deliver growth, opportunity and full-time work for millions.”