![Three facts about small business turnover in South Africa](https://www.statssa.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/afs3-64x64.png)
Three facts about small business turnover in South Africa
As government introduces new legislation to further support small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs), recently released data from the 2019 Annual Financial Statistics (AFS) survey shows the growing role that small businesses play in the formal business sector. The National Small Enterprise Amendment Bill 2020, gazetted recently, outlines the establishment of an ombud service that read more »
![The shifting nature of South Africa’s landscape: a 24-year snapshot of land cover change](https://www.statssa.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/land6-64x64.jpg)
The shifting nature of South Africa’s landscape: a 24-year snapshot of land cover change
The land under our feet is, in several senses, living. Alive in terms of the organisms that support healthy soils to cultivate crops. Active in terms of abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) factors that interact with each other to create distinct ecological systems. Malleable in terms of the changes that humans bring about. Digital snapshots read more »
![Inflation edges up as food and drink prices bite](https://www.statssa.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/cpinew1-64x64.jpg)
Inflation edges up as food and drink prices bite
Annual consumer inflation hit a seven-month high in October, driven largely by rising prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages. Headline inflation was 3,3%, the biggest annual rise since March when the rate was 4,1%. The monthly increase in October was 0,3%, edging up from 0,2% recorded in both September and August. Food and drink inflation read more »
![Public-sector infrastructure investment falls for a third year](https://www.statssa.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/exp1-64x64.jpg)
Public-sector infrastructure investment falls for a third year
The economic downturn and reduced levels of government infrastructure investment have taken a heavy economic toll on capital spending by the public sector. Public-sector spending on infrastructure (referred to as capital expenditure) decreased for a third consecutive year, falling from R250 billion in 2018 to R231 billion in 2019 according to Stats SA’s latest Capital expenditure by read more »
![Universities depend more on government for funding](https://www.statssa.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/high3-64x64.jpg)
Universities depend more on government for funding
It has been five years since the #FeesMustFall campaign. Stats SA takes a look at where higher education institutions get their money from, and how these revenue streams have shifted since 2015. The #FeesMustFall campaign began in October 2015 when thousands of students took to campuses across the country to protest rising tuition fees. The read more »
![Further data shows lagging infrastructure investment](https://www.statssa.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/muni1-64x64.jpg)
Further data shows lagging infrastructure investment
In June 2020, government announced the roll-out of an extensive infrastructure investment drive that would cover 55 projects across six sectors. The programme is an attempt to kick-start an economy battered by COVID-19, as well as to address a history of chronic infrastructure underspending.1 The concern over declining infrastructure investment is further confirmed by Stats read more »
![Steep slump in GDP as COVID-19 takes its toll on the economy](https://www.statssa.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/gdp2-64x64.jpg)
Steep slump in GDP as COVID-19 takes its toll on the economy
The punch in the gut was severe. Perhaps the second quarter of 2020 will become known as the pandemic quarter. South Africa’s economy suffered a significant contraction during April, May and June, when the country operated under widespread lockdown restrictions in response to COVID-19. Gross domestic product (GDP) fell by just over 16% between the read more »
![Consumer inflation rises to four-month high](https://www.statssa.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/image1-64x64.jpg)
Consumer inflation rises to four-month high
Annual CPI inflation quickened to 3,2% in July from 2,2% in June as lockdown restrictions continued to ease. The monthly increase was 1,3%, the biggest monthly rise since February 2016 when the rate was 1,4%. The monthly move in July was driven largely by fuel prices and municipal tariffs. Motorists felt some pain as the read more »
![Baking bad during lockdown](https://www.statssa.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/bake2-64x64.jpg)
Baking bad during lockdown
You’ve waited too long. Your friends have tried it, you’ve seen the videos, you’re feeling the FOMO. You roll up your sleeves – it is time to bake your own lockdown bread. The kitchen is ready. The ingredients are all set out. Two cups of boiling water – check! Instant yeast, brown sugar, salt, flour read more »
![An update to municipal spending and revenue (March 2020)](https://www.statssa.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/img2-64x64.jpg)
An update to municipal spending and revenue (March 2020)
Local government increased spending by 12,2% over the last year, driven largely by increased spending on employee costs. South Africa’s 257 municipalities spent R96,8 billion in the quarter ended March 2020 on operational costs, up from R86,3 billion in the quarter ended March 2019. This excludes capital spending. The latest Quarterly financial statistics of municipalities report shows read more »