Good news for job seekers in Durban and the eThekwini Municipality area. The latest employment figures show that eThekwini has recorded the lowest official unemployment rate among South Africa’s metropolitan municipalities.
According to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), eThekwini’s unemployment rate stood at 21.2% between April and June 2026.
This is lower than Cape Town’s unemployment rate of 21.9% and significantly below South Africa’s national unemployment rate of 33.6%.
Durban Becomes The Employment Capital
The latest figures indicate that eThekwini is making progress in employment creation, with more residents entering employment compared with the same period in the previous year.
The improvement is positive news for people searching for work across Durban and surrounding communities.
eThekwini Unemployment Rate Falls
The unemployment rate in eThekwini declined by 5.6 percentage points, from 26.8% during the second quarter of 2025 to 21.2% during the second quarter of 2026.
This was the largest decline in unemployment recorded by any South African metropolitan municipality over the period.
eThekwini Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba said the figures reflect ongoing efforts to strengthen the city’s investment environment and create employment opportunities.
The Mayor also acknowledged that unemployment remains a major challenge, with more than 340,000 people in the city still looking for work.
90,000 More People Employed in eThekwini
The number of employed residents in eThekwini increased to approximately 1.29 million during the second quarter of 2026.
According to the Municipality, this represents an increase of approximately 90,000 employed people compared with the second quarter of 2025.
At the same time, the number of unemployed residents declined by approximately 92,000 to 347,000.
The city’s absorption rate, which measures the proportion of the working-age population that is employed, also improved.
eThekwini’s absorption rate increased to 46.9%, compared with 44.2% a year earlier. This was the largest improvement recorded among South Africa’s metropolitan municipalities.
Formal Sector Drives Employment Growth
Employment growth in eThekwini was concentrated mainly in the formal sector.
The formal sector employed approximately 948,000 people during the second quarter of 2026, representing an increase of approximately 32,000 people compared with the previous quarter.
Despite the positive employment figures, unemployment remains one of the biggest challenges facing residents of eThekwini.
eThekwini to Focus on Job Creation
The eThekwini Municipality says it will continue prioritising initiatives aimed at expanding employment opportunities throughout the city.
These initiatives include increased investment in infrastructure, support for small businesses, stronger partnerships with the private sector, investment facilitation, and support for the industrial and tourism sectors.
These areas can contribute to additional employment opportunities for residents as businesses expand and new economic activities are created.
What This Means for Job Seekers in Durban
The improvement in employment figures is encouraging news for people looking for work in Durban and surrounding areas.
Job seekers should continue checking for vacancies across different industries, including retail, administration, security, cleaning, hospitality, transport, logistics, construction, healthcare, customer service, general work, internships and learnerships.
Applicants should also make sure their CVs are updated and that they meet the minimum requirements before applying for vacancies.
Find eThekwini and Durban Job Opportunities
If you are looking for employment opportunities in Durban, eThekwini and surrounding areas, make sure you regularly check legitimate job opportunities and recruitment platforms.
Job seekers can also visit dontworry.co.za to look for Durban and eThekwini job opportunities.
For eThekwini and Durban job opportunities, visit:
dontworry.co.za
Applicants should always verify vacancy information and carefully follow the official application instructions.
Never pay money to anyone who promises to secure you a job. Legitimate employers generally do not require applicants to pay money to be shortlisted or employed.
Conclusion
The latest employment figures suggest that eThekwini has made significant progress in reducing unemployment and increasing the number of people in employment.
With continued investment in infrastructure, business development, tourism, industry and partnerships with the private sector, the city aims to create even more economic opportunities for residents.
For people looking for work, the figures provide encouraging news, but job seekers should continue actively searching and applying for suitable vacancies.
If you are looking for jobs in Durban and eThekwini, visit dontworry.co.za regularly for new employment opportunities.
