UASA Media Release: 22 May 2026
Statement by Abigail Moyo, spokesperson of the trade union UASA:
The UASA South African Employment Report (SAER) and the 4th UASA/BMR Employment Index suggest that millions of South Africans may participate in productive economic activity despite not being fully reflected in conventional employment measures. This makes the report an important economic indicator to consider in understanding the changing nature of work and economic participation in South Africa.
The report’s main theme, “Working but not employed,” highlights that approximately 41% of of working individuals in South Africa operate without employment contracts.
For many South Africans, this means surviving through informal work, self-employment, casual labour and other forms of economic activity that fall outside traditional employer-employee arrangements.
The findings suggest that economic participation increasingly occurs outside conventional employment structures, challenging conventional assumptions about what employment and unemployment look like in South Africa today.
Speaking to delegates at the UASA Head Office in Constantia Kloof, UASA President Ashmica Manoojahdass stressed the need to understand the fast-changing world of work and called for practical labour solutions.
“South Africans are resilient. They find practical ways to participate in economic activities, generate an income and make a living using the resources available to them. As labour, we must work with employers, government and stakeholders to ensure that workers are assisted and not excluded from job security and representation,” noted the UASA President.
During the presentation, independent economist Johann van Tonder discussed the broader economic factors affecting South Africa’s labour
market. He focused on challenges such as slow economic growth, geopolitical tensions and persistent domestic structural constraints, noting that South Africa’s economic growth rate remains too weak to generate meaningful employment absorption, with GDP expected to grow by only 1.5% in 2026.
The SAER highlighted several key findings about the changing structure of employment and economic participation in South Africa:
- Conventional labour market indicators may not fully capture broader forms of economic participation.
- More than 20 million individuals may be participating in some form of productive economic activity, including informal, flexible and non-traditional work arrangements.
- Labour market expansion increasingly occurs outside traditional employer-employee arrangements.
- Young people remain among the most vulnerable groups within the labour market.
The report further revealed that while labour supply quality and education attainment continue to improve, the economy’s ability to absorb new labour market entrants continues to deteriorate.
“The UASA/BMR Employment Index shows that labour market pressures in South Africa extend beyond conventional unemployment measures. While participation in economic activity remains widespread, labour absorption within employment structures continues to weaken,” said Jacolize Meiring Senior Researcher at the Bureau of Market Research.
Increasing informalisation, flexible work arrangements and technological change are reshaping traditional structures and requiring institutions to adapt.
UASA believes the report’s findings are an important part of the national discussion about unemployment, economic participation and the future of work in South Africa.
“This report shows that the nature of work in South Africa is changing faster than many of our labour market institutions and policy frameworks. A growing share of economic participation now occurs outside traditional employment relationships, requiring new approaches to labour protection, economic measurement and social policy,” explained Prof Carel van Aardt, Chief Operating Officer of the Bureau of Market Research.
The report concludes that South Africa’s labour market challenges can no longer be understood purely through conventional employment definitions, requiring sustained structural reform, stronger labour-intensive growth and broader social protection systems to support workers operating in increasingly fragmented employment environments.
For further enquiries or to set up a personal interview, contact Abigail Moyo at 065 170 0162