IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

Key findings for the quarter ended March 2014

The total turnover of all industries1 for the first quarter of 2014 was estimated at R1 864 831 million (R1,86 trillion), a decrease of 1,7% compared with the revised fourth quarter of 2013 (R1 897 247 million or R1,90 trillion).

Between the fourth quarter of 2013 and the first quarter of 2014, turnover decreased in five of the eight industries covered in this survey. The largest decrease in turnover was recorded for construction (-12,4%), followed by trade (-4,4%), transport, storage and communication (-4,3%), electricity, gas and water supply (-2,2%) and mining and quarrying (-1,0%). Increases were recorded for real estate and other business services (excluding financial intermediation and insurance) (+6,4%), community, social and personal services (excluding government institutions) (+4,2%) and manufacturing (+0,2%).

Total inventories at the end of the first quarter of 2014 were estimated at R675 036 million, compared with R653 875 million for the revised fourth quarter of 2013, an increase of 3,2%. The largest increase in inventories was recorded for manufacturing (+6,4%), followed by real estate and other business services (excluding financial intermediation and insurance) (+5,1%), construction (+4,6%) and trade (+4,0%). Decreases were recorded for electricity, gas and water supply (-13,5%), mining and quarrying (-8,1%), community, social and personal services (excluding government institutions) (-3,2%) and transport, storage and communication (-3,0%).

Total capital expenditure on property, plant and equipment for the first quarter of 2014 was estimated at R106 317 million, compared with R87 222 million for the revised fourth quarter of 2013, an increase of 21,9%. The largest increase was recorded for transport, storage and communication (+75,3%), followed by electricity, gas and water supply (+68,9%), construction (+22,9%) and community, social and personal services (excluding government institutions) (+21,3%). Decreases were recorded for mining and quarrying (-25,5%), manufacturing (-22,5%), real estate and other business services (excluding financial intermediation and insurance) (-6,3%) and trade (-0,3%).

Turnover of all industries for the first quarter of 2014 was estimated at R1 864 831 million, compared with R1 628 192 million for the first quarter of 2013, an increase of 14,5%. The largest increase in turnover was recorded for real estate and other business services (excluding financial intermediation and insurance) (+26,1%), followed by electricity, gas and water supply (+18,5%), construction (+17,6%), manufacturing (+17,0%), mining and quarrying (+11,7%), trade (+11,3%), transport, storage and communication (+8,4%) and community, social and personal services (excluding government institutions) (+6,1%).

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