The world is desperate for workers. Why is South Africa still battling unemployment?

South Africa’s population is still growing but its challenge is creating enough jobs for its young people.

Much of the world is worried about shrinking workforces as birth rates fall. South Africa’s population is still growing but its challenge is creating enough jobs for its young people.

The world’s biggest economies are worried they won’t have enough young people to sustain economic growth. South Africa has plenty – but can’t find enough work for them.

That is the irony emerging from Statistics South Africa’s 2026 Mid-Year Population Estimates, which show the country’s population continues to grow even as women have fewer children.

South Africa’s population has increased from 42.9 million in 2002 to an estimated 63.5 million in 2026, growing by 1.2% between 2025 and 2026. At the same time, fertility has declined to an estimated 2.12 children per woman, close to the level needed for one generation to replace itself.