South Africa created only about 130,000 net new full-time equivalent jobs annually over the last decade.
Unemployment figures surged from 8 million to almost 12 million job seekers between 2014 and 2024.
Younger workers aged 15-35 suffered the steepest employment declines following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Potential solutions include bolstering the informal economy and exploring large-scale infrastructure or income grant programs.