South Africa Business Services Employs 2 Million in 2024 as Real Estate Sheds 35,000 Jobs
Updated
Updated · EWN · Jul 16
South Africa Business Services Employs 2 Million in 2024 as Real Estate Sheds 35,000 Jobs
3 articles · Updated · EWN · Jul 16
Summary
More than 2 million people worked in South Africa's real estate, financial support and business services industry in 2024, making it a key source of jobs despite weak growth and high unemployment.
Stats SA said the biggest employer from 2020 to 2024 was the "other business activities" segment — including call centres and debt collection — with just under 26% of total employment.
Security services employed more than 382,000 workers and labour recruitment and personnel services just over 205,000, showing hiring strength in outsourced and support-heavy businesses.
Nearly 35,000 jobs disappeared from real estate activities over eight years, while architectural and engineering services also lost workers, underscoring uneven gains across the sector.
Large companies generated just over half the industry's income, but small, medium and micro enterprises employed more than half its workforce, highlighting their role in job creation.