IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

The total turnover of all industries1 for the first quarter of 2010 was estimated at R1 195 983 million (R1,20 trillion), a decrease of 5,4% compared with the revised fourth quarter of 2009 (R1 264 318 million or R1,26 trillion).

Between the fourth quarter of 2009 and the first quarter of 2010, turnover decreased in six of the eight industries covered in the survey. The largest decrease in turnover was recorded for manufacturing       (-8,2%), followed by trade (-7,8%), transport, storage and communication (-3,1%), construction (-1,3%), electricity, gas and water supply (-1,1%), and real estate and other business services (excluding financial intermediation and insurance) (-0,3%). Increases were recorded for mining and quarrying (+3,5%), and community, social and personal services (excluding government institutions) (+3,1%).

Total inventories at the end of the first quarter of 2010 were estimated at R462 077 million, compared with R451 260 million for the revised fourth quarter of 2009, an increase of 2,4%. The largest increase in inventories was recorded for mining and quarrying (+5,3%), followed by trade (+3,3%), manufacturing (+2,2%), and real estate and other business services (excluding financial intermediation and insurance) (+1,6%). Decreases were reported for community, social and personal services (excluding government institutions) (-11,3%), followed by transport, storage and communication (-8,8%), construction (-1,9%), and electricity, gas and water supply (-1,0%).

Purchases for the first quarter of 2010 were estimated at R689 765 million, compared with R726 048 million for the revised fourth quarter of 2009, a decrease of  5,0%. The largest decrease in purchases was recorded for trade (-7,4%), followed by real estate and other business services (excluding financial intermediation and insurance) (-5,6%), manufacturing (-4,4%), construction (-3,0%), community, social and personal services (excluding government institutions) (-2,2%), and transport, storage and communication (-1,8%). Increases were reported for mining and quarrying (+5,6%), and electricity gas and water supply (+4,3%).

Total capital expenditure on property, plant and equipment for the first quarter of 2010 was estimated at  R44 740 million, compared with R65 880 million for the revised fourth quarter of 2009, a decrease of 32,1%. The largest decrease was reported for electricity, gas and water supply (-83,1%), followed by mining and quarrying (-39,0%), manufacturing (-31,7%), trade (-15,8%), and community and social and personal services (excluding government institutions) (-14,6%). Increases were recorded for transport, storage and communication (+6,6%), followed by construction (+4,5%), and real estate and other business services (excluding financial intermediation and insurance) (+1,9%).

Turnover of all industries increased by 1,2% between the first quarters of 2009 and 2010. The largest increase was reported for electricity, gas and water supply (+27,9%), followed by manufacturing (+15,8%), community, social and personal services (excluding government institutions) (+10,1%), transport, storage and communication (+3,3%), and mining and quarrying (+2,7%). Decreases were reported for trade (-9,0%), followed by real estate and other business services (excluding financial intermediation and insurance) (-8,5%) and construction (-0,5%).

1 All industries in the South African economy, excluding agriculture, financial intermediation, insurance and government institutions.