IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

Key findings on employment and earnings for the quarter ended June 2008 The number of employees in the formal non-agricultural business sector of the South African economy increased from an estimated 8 417 000 employees at March 2008 to an estimated 8 467 000 employees at June 2008.   The June 2008 Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES) survey showed that an estimated 8 467 000 persons were employed in the formal non-agricultural business sector of the South African economy at the end of June 2008. This reflected a quarterly increase of about 50 000 employees or 0,6% between March 2008 and June 2008 and an annual increase of 179 000 employees or 2,2% between June 2007 and June 2008.  The quarterly increase is mainly due to increases in employment reported by the financial intermediation, insurance, real estate and business services industry (23 000 employees or +1,2%); the community, social and personal services industry (20 000 employees or +1,0%); the mining and quarrying industry (9 000 employees or +1,8%); the construction industry (6 000 employees or +1,3%); the manufacturing industry (5 000 employees or +0,4%), the electricity, gas and water supply industry (1 000 employees or +1,7%). These increases were counteracted by decreases reported by the wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles, motor cycles and personal and household goods; the hotels and restaurants industry (-12 000 employees or -0,7%); and the transport, storage and communication industry (-1 000 employees or -0,3%).

Gross earnings increased between the quarters ended March 2008 and June 2008. Gross earnings paid to employees in the formal non-agricultural sector during the quarter ended June 2008 amounted to R244 161 million. This reflected a quarterly increase of R8 812 million (or +3,7)% compared with the quarter ended March 2008 and an annual increase of R33 243 million (or +15,8%) compared with the quarter ended June 2007.Quarterly increases in gross earnings during the first quarter of 2008 compared with the second quarter of 2008 were mainly due to R4 315 million (or +6,4%) in the community, social and personal services industry; R2 036 million (or +15,3%) in the transport, storage and communication industry; R1 230 million (or +3,8%) in the manufacturing industry; R902 million (or +6,7%) in the mining and quarrying industry; R820 million (or +9,9%) in the construction industry; R605 million (or +1,8%) in the wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles, motor cycles and personal and household goods; hotels and restaurants industry; and R133 million (or +4,8%) in the electricity, gas and water supply industry.These increases were counteracted by a decrease reported by the financial intermediation, insurance, real estate and business service industry (R1 230 million) (or -1,9).

Average monthly earnings, including bonuses and overtime payments, paid to employees in the formal non-agricultural business sector increased by 4,4% between February 2008 and May 2008. The June 2008 Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES) survey showed that an estimated monthly average of R9 133 was paid to employees in the formal non-agricultural business sector during May 2008. This reflected a quarterly increase of 4,4% between February 2008 and May 2008 and an annual increase of 12,9% between  May 2007 and May 2008. The increases in estimated average monthly earnings including bonuses and overtime paid to employees during May 2008 compared with February 2008 were reported by the community, social and personal services industry (+7,6%); the construction industry (+5,2%); the mining and quarrying industry (+3,5%); the manufacturing industry (+3,3%); the electricity, gas and water supply industry (+3,3%); the transport, storage and communication industry (+3,1%); and the wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles, motor cycles and personal and household goods; hotels and restaurants industry (+3,0%).