MBABANE – More than 21,000 emaSwati who want to work have stopped looking for jobs because they believe there are no employment opportunities available to them.
This is according to findings contained in the 2025 Integrated Labour Force Survey (ILFS) released by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security on Monday. The report was released during a press briefing called by the Minister Phila Buthelezi.
The survey, released by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security through the National Employment Statistics Unit in collaboration with the Central Statistical Office (CSO), found that there were 21,458 discouraged job-seekers in the country in 2025. These are people who are outside the labour force, available and willing to work, but have abandoned job searches because they feel that no jobs exist for them.
The 2025 ILFS is the seventh comprehensive labour force survey conducted in Eswatini since 2007 and is undertaken every three years to provide insights into labour market trends.
According to the survey, women account for the majority of discouraged job-seekers. Of the total discouraged population, 12,010 were female, while 9,448 were male, highlighting the challenges women continue to face in accessing employment opportunities.
The report shows that discouraged job-seekers are overwhelmingly concentrated in rural areas. An estimated 94.7 percent of discouraged job-seekers reside in rural communities, compared to only 5.3 percent in urban areas. Among men, 96.1 percent of discouraged job-seekers were found in rural areas, while the figure stood at 93.6 percent among women.
Regionally, the highest proportion of discouraged job-seekers was recorded in the Shiselweni Region, which accounted for 34.3 percent of the national total. This was followed by Manzini with 23.9 percent, Lubombo with 21.8 percent and Hhohho with 20 percent.
The findings suggest that economic opportunities remain unevenly distributed across the country, particularly in rural regions where access to formal employment is limited.
Young people make up a significant share of the discouraged population. The largest age group among discouraged job-seekers was those aged 20 to 24 years, accounting for 20.7 percent of the total. This was followed by those aged 30 to 34 years at 17.3 percent and those aged 25 to 29 years at 13.7 percent.
The data points to persistent challenges for young people transitioning from education into the labour market, despite efforts aimed at boosting youth employment.
The survey further revealed that Eswatini’s labour market continues to face broader employment pressures. Out of a working-age population of 809,194 people, only 407,312 were in the labour force. Of those participating in the labour market, 271,227 were employed, while 136,487 were unemployed, translating to an unemployment rate of 33.5 percent.
Beyond the officially unemployed, the survey identified a potential labour force of 91,323 people. This category includes individuals who are available to work but are either not actively seeking employment or are unavailable to start work immediately. Discouraged job-seekers form part of this broader group.
The survey notes that nearly half of the country’s working-age population, 401,479 people, remains outside the labour force altogether. Among these are people who are not seeking work, those unavailable to work and discouraged job-seekers.
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security Makhosini Mndawe said the survey forms part of government efforts to continuously monitor labour market developments and guide policy interventions.
The findings are expected to inform future employment creation strategies, skills development programmes and initiatives aimed at increasing labour market participation.
While the overall unemployment rate declined slightly from 35.4 percent in 2023 to 33.5 percent in 2025, the presence of more than 21,000 discouraged job-seekers underscores the depth of the country’s employment challenge. Labour experts often regard discouraged workers as a critical indicator because they represent people who have effectively lost confidence in their chances of finding work despite being willing and able to participate in the economy.
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