South Africa’s economy grew by 1,3% in 2015, down from 1,5% in 2014 and 2,2% in 2013, according to preliminary estimates of real gross domestic product (GDP) published by Stats SA. Overall economic growth in 2015 was characterised by two of the main industry groups shrinking in size, while the other eight experienced some growth.   read more »

Minister Jeff Radebe, Minister in the Presidency, and the Statistician-General, Pali Lehohla, launched the enumeration phase of the Community Survey 2016 (CS 2016) today. The launch was held at one of the 330 training venues where Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) is training more than 10 000 contract staff who will be deployed to collect information   read more »

A growing number of forecasts reveal that food prices might rise sharply in coming months. Survey data show which parts of the country are most vulnerable. Current data point to an agriculture industry that is struggling. During November 2015, in the midst of South Africa’s worst drought in 23 years, Stats SA released gross domestic   read more »

Data from Stats SA’s Annual financial statistics (AFS) report shows that the debt-to-equity ratio for the private sector as a whole has dropped since 2005. The debt-to-equity ratio is a measure of how much debt a company or industry has incurred to finance its operations relative to equity. Debt refers to how much an industry   read more »

“Our job is only to hold up the mirror – to tell and show the public what has happened.” Walter Cronkite The Statistician-General for South Africa, Dr Pali Lehohla, today handed over the results of the 2015 KwaZulu-Natal Citizen Satisfaction Survey (CSS) to the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, the honourable Mr Edward Mchunu.  Handing over the   read more »

South Africa’s Statistician-General, Mr Pali Lehohla, was today honoured with an honorary Doctor of Commerce (DCom) degree from the University of Stellenbosch, in recognition of his role in the development of statistics in the country and beyond. The university honoured Mr Lehohla for his trendsetting approach to statistics, innovative leadership and his commitment to enhancing   read more »

The South African government expenditure on education increased by R20 billion between 2012/13 and 2013/14, based on data from Stats SA’s recent Financial statistics of consolidated general government release. Expenditure over time Total expenditure on education increased by R80 billion over a five-year period, from R169 billion in 2009/10 to R249 billion1 in 2013/14, an   read more »

Media Invite                                                        19 November 2015 Stats SA releases Gross domestic product (GDP), Q3 2015 The Statistician-General of South Africa, Mr Pali Lehohla, will release the Gross domestic product (GDP) estimates for the third quarter of 2015 at a media briefing to be held on Tuesday, 24 November 2015 in Pretoria. The media briefing will be   read more »

19 November 2015                                              Embargoed until 9:30, 19 November 2015 PRESS STATEMENT  Gross domestic product (GDP)  Statistical release for third quarter (2015) GDP Statistics South Africa will publish third quarter (2015) GDP on Tuesday, 24 November 2015. Historically the November publication has contained regional GDP estimates, annual revisions and detailed GDP components. However, the third quarter   read more »

With the announcement of a zero fee increase for higher education institutions next year, the focus is now on where the money will be sourced to finance the expected shortfall. Recent data provide an indication of which universities are most dependent on tuition fees, and as a result might be most vulnerable to a shortfall.   read more »