Unemployment means poverty, hunger and malnutrition. South Africa has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world, and it is increasing steadily.
The unemployment rate has just risen to 33.6% in the second quarter of 2026, from 32.7% in the previous quarter.
South Africa officially has 8.5 million people without jobs, of whom 5 million are classified as youths (aged 15 to 34). The youth unemployment rate is a horrific 47.4%.
Since 2018, when the unemployment rate was far lower, FairPlay has consistently pointed to the need to remove the 15% value added tax (VAT) from the chicken portions most consumed by poor people. Just as consistently, the government has refused.
The latest statistics are evidence of increasing hunger and misery. They also increase the urgency for government to support VAT-free chicken, South Africa’s most widely consumed meat protein.
Chicken helps feed poor people and their children. As other household costs increase, adding to the stress on family budgets, chicken should be free of VAT.
