The normalisation of unemployment in SA

WALKING between my office buildings, i began to notice two distinct sets of faces, shaped less by difference than by time.

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In the early morning, there is purpose and resolve. Individuals move deliberately, some in small groups and others alone. Many carry a plastic bag containing a packed lunch and a bottle of water. Almost all hold a carefully arranged stack of documents in transparent sleeves. These documents are strikingly uniform. A curriculum vitae (CV), a certified identity document, and a matric certificate.

As the year progresses, the bundle grows thicker. A diploma or degree certificate is added, representing years of investment, discipline and expectation.

By midday, the expressions change. Movement slows. Groups disperse. The confidence evident in the morning is replaced by visible fatigue. Doors have been closed. Security personnel have redirected access. Reception desks have provided procedural refusals or instructed applicants to apply online. The documents remain intact, but the optimism that animated the morning begins to erode.

This pattern repeats itself with notable regularity. January and February see a pronounced influx. May and June follow with similar intensity. October and November return the cycle once again. These are not sporadic moments of job seeking, but recurring periods of heightened unemployment visibility. They align closely with graduation cycles, contract terminations, and institutional intake myths.

Over time, they have become familiar features of the South African socio-economic landscape. Statistical trends confirm what is evident in these observations. Over the past decade, South Africa's official unemployment rate has risen steadily.

In 2014, unemployment was just over 24%. By 2019, before the pandemic, it had increased to above 29%. In subsequent years, it exceeded 30% and has remained persistently high. Youth unemployment has followed an even steeper trajectory, consistently exceeding 50%.