Key findings: P0277 - Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES), March 2024
Total employment
decreased by 67 000 or -0,6% quarter-on-quarter, from 10 731 000 in December
2023 to 10 664 000 in March 2024. This was due to decreases in the following
industries: trade (-57 000 or - 2,4%), community services (-18 000 or -0,6%), business services
(-4 000 or -0,2%), and mining (-3 000 or -0,6%). The electricity industry
showed no change. However, there were increases in the following industries:
manufacturing (12 000 or 0,9%), transport (2 000 or 0,4%) and construction (1 000 or 0,2%).
Total employment
decreased by 74 000 or -0,7% year-on-year between March 2023 and March 2024.
Full-time employment
decreased by 29 000 or -0,3% quarter-on-quarter, from 9 513 000 in December
2023 to 9 484 000 in March 2024. This was due to decreases in the following
industries: trade (-35 000 or -1,7%), community services (-13 000 or -0,5%),
and mining (-3 000 or -0,6%). The electricity and transport industries showed
no changes. However, there were increases in the following industries:
manufacturing (18 000 or 1,5%), business services (3 000 or 0,1%), and
construction (1 000 or 0,2%).
Full-time employment
decreased by 16 000 or -0,2% year-on-year between March 2023 and March 2024.
Part-time employment
decreased by 38 000 or -3,1% quarter-on-quarter, from 1 218 000 in December
2023 to 1 180 000 in March 2024. This was due to decreases in the following
industries: trade (-22 000 or -8,3%), business services (-7 000 or -3,0%),
manufacturing (-6 000 or -6,7%), and community services (-5 000 or -0,9%). The
electricity and construction industries showed no changes. However, transport
industry reported an increase of 2 000 or 11,1%.
Part-time employment
decreased by 58 000 or -4,7% year-on-year between March 2023 and March 2024.
Gross earnings paid to
employees decreased by R35,1 billion or -3,5% from R993 billion in December
2023 to R957,9 billion in March 2024. This was due to decreases in the
following industries: trade, community services, manufacturing, construction,
transport, electricity and mining. However, business services reported an
increase of R9,3 billion.
Basic salary/wages paid
to employees decreased by R6,7 billion or -0,8% from R855,6 billion in December
2023 to R848,9 billion in March 2024. This was due to decreases in the
following industries: trade, manufacturing, construction, mining and business services.
However, there were increases reported by the following industries: transport,
electricity, and community services.
Year-on-year, basic salary/wages increased by R40,1 billion or 5,0%
between March 2023 and March 2024.
Bonus paid to employees decreased by R27,6 billion or -25% from R109
billion in December 2023 to R81,4 billion in March 2023. This was due to
decreases in the following industries: community services, trade,
manufacturing, construction, transport and electricity. However, the business
services reported an increase of R9,9 billion.
Year-on-year, bonus payments increased by R0,4 billion or 0,5% between
March 2023 and March 2024.
Overtime paid to employees decreased by R0,8 billion or -2,7% from R28,4
billion in December 2023 to R27,6 billion in March 2024. This was due to
decreases in the following industries: business services, manufacturing,
construction and transport. However, there were increases reported by the
following industries: electricity, trade, and community services.
Year-on-year overtime payments increased by R3 billion or 12,0% between
March 2023 and March 2024.