There were 3.6-million new entrants to the job market among the unemployed in Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey for April to June this year. These are people who have never worked before but are currently looking for jobs, most of them likely young and searching for their first opportunity.

As the population grows, more young people enter the labour market every year. But the share of new entrants among the unemployed has also risen, from 41% a decade ago to 43% today. That small percentage shift translates into a massive jump in numbers: from 1.9-million to 3.6-million. It’s a clear sign that South Africa is not creating enough entry-level jobs for people without work experience.