People employed during each premier's tenure
9 premiers, ranked by how people employed changed from their first day in office, next to South Africa over the same months. Politare shows what happened during a tenure; it does not claim the office-holder caused it.
| # | Premier | Country | In office | Total | vs South Africa | Per year | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Stanley Mathabatha | Limpopo | 18 Jul 2013 – 14 Jun 2024 | +35.8% Q2 2013 → Q1 2024 | +21.9 pts South Africa +14.0% | +2.9%/yr | |
| 2 | Cassel Mathale | Limpopo | 3 Mar 2009 – 18 Jul 2013 | +20.3% Q4 2008 → Q2 2013 | +20.9 pts South Africa −0.5% | +4.2%/yr | |
| 3 | DA Helen Zille | Western Cape | 6 May 2009 – 22 May 2019 | +19.3% Q1 2009 → Q1 2019 | +7.8 pts South Africa +11.5% | +1.8%/yr | |
| 4 | David Mabuza | Mpumalanga | 6 May 2009 – 27 Feb 2018 | +18.0% Q1 2009 → Q4 2017 | +7.4 pts South Africa +10.6% | +1.9%/yr | |
| 5 | Nomusa Dube-Ncube | KwaZulu-Natal | 10 Aug 2022 – 14 Jun 2024 | +16.5% Q2 2022 → Q1 2024 | +8.9 pts South Africa +7.6% | +9.1%/yr | |
| 6 | Supra Mahumapelo | North West | 21 May 2014 – 9 May 2018 | +14.1% Q1 2014 → Q1 2018 | +5.3 pts South Africa +8.8% | +3.3%/yr | |
| 7 | DA Alan Winde | Western Cape | 22 May 2019 – now | +12.5% Q1 2019 → Q2 2026 | +9.8 pts South Africa +2.7% | +1.6%/yr | |
| 8 | Sylvia Lucas | Northern Cape | 30 Apr 2013 – 22 May 2019 | +8.9% Q1 2013 → Q1 2019 | −3.0 pts South Africa +11.9% | +1.4%/yr | |
| 9 | Thandi Modise | North West | 19 Nov 2010 – 21 May 2014 | +7.9% Q3 2010 → Q1 2014 | −2.4 pts South Africa +10.3% | +2.2%/yr | |
| 10 | Hazel Jenkins | Northern Cape | 6 May 2009 – 20 Feb 2012 | +4.8% Q1 2009 → Q4 2011 | +6.7 pts South Africa −1.9% | +1.7%/yr |
Showing 10 of 34 tenures.
Sorted by total, highest first. Every row is indexed to the last quarter complete before the first day in office ("from" marks a start that had to move because that period had no data, or because the period cut it); South Africa is measured over the same months. Levels are per cent changes, rates are differences in %; "per year" compounds levels and divides rates. Tenures with under 12 months, or under three observations, are left out. thousands, aged 15-64 · Statistics South Africa, Quarterly Labour Force Survey (P0211, trends workbook, Table 2.3), people aged 15-64, the official definition, not seasonally adjusted, employed, the province, from 2008 · province data · as of Sep 2026.