The official unemployment rate decreased by 0,5 of a percentage point to 31,4% in the fourth quarter.
Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) said 44,000 more people were employed, bringing the number of those employed to 17,1 million.
About 172,000 people were unemployed in the fourth quarter compared to the third quarter of the same year.
Desiree Manamela, Chief Director of Labour Statistics, said in a statement on Tuesday, these changes, led to a decrease in the official unemployment rate.
Increases in employment were in the Western Cape (93,000), Mpumalanga (37,000), North West (36,000) and Northern Cape (17,000).
The largest employers were in community and social services, construction and finance.
The largest employment decreases were recorded in Gauteng (54,000), KwaZulu Natal (41,000) and the Eastern Cape (32,000).
Decreases in employment were recorded in trade, manufacturing and mining.
Unemployed youth also decreased, by 84,000 to 4,6 million, in the fourth quarter, but employed youth also decreased by 118,000.
There are now 5,8 million employed young people.
Picture: Patrick Mugumo