Category Archives: Poverty and Inequality

Money CAN buy happiness!

Money CAN buy happiness!

  What is poverty and what does it mean to be poor? Does it mean not having enough money to meet basic needs including food, clothing and shelter? Does it mean not being able to afford to buy a car or furniture for your home or even go on holiday because your income does not   read more »


Women are unequal on the road and in life

Women are unequal on the road and in life

Would it surprise you to know that women in South Africa are far less likely to have a driver’s license than men? According to a new gender report, Gender Series Volume VIII: Gender patterns in Transport, 2013–2020, released by Statistics South Africa, only 21,8% of females possessed a driver’s license in 2020 compared to 40,1%   read more »


Jobs increase in formal non-agricultural sector in Q3: 2021

Jobs increase in formal non-agricultural sector in Q3: 2021

Jobs in the formal non-agricultural sector increased by 52 000 in the third quarter of 2021, bringing the total number of persons employed in the formal non-agricultural sector in South Africa to approximately 9,62 million. According to the Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES, Q3:2021) survey released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), year-on-year, formal sector jobs increased   read more »


South African labour market is more favourable to men than women

South African labour market is more favourable to men than women

Equal opportunity and equal treatment in the labour market are at the core of decent work. Unfortunately, women in South Africa and around the world still face additional challenges that hinder them from accessing employment. Once they are in employment, appointments to decision-making positions and jobs in certain sectors, or of certain characteristics, remain elusive.   read more »


Realizing women’s rights for an equal future on Women’s Day

Realizing women’s rights for an equal future on Women’s Day

There is no doubt that South Africa has made significant progress towards achieving gender equality since 1956, when 20 000 women marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August in protest against the extension of Pass Laws to women. Activists rebelled against a patriarchal system designed to control women and reduce them to submissive beings   read more »


Consumer inflation quickens to a 30-month high

Consumer inflation quickens to a 30-month high

Annual headline inflation climbed above the 4,5% midpoint of the South African Reserve Bank’s monetary policy target range, accelerating to 5,2% in May from 4,4% in April. This is the highest reading since November 2018 when the rate was also 5,2%. The 5,2% annual change in May comes off a low base recorded in May   read more »


Youth still find it difficult to secure jobs in South Africa

Youth still find it difficult to secure jobs in South Africa

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the 16 June 1976 student uprising in Soweto. In 1994, the new democratic government declared 16 June as National Youth Day and June as the Youth Month. With the focus on the youth under the theme: “The Year of Charlotte Mannya Maxeke: Growing youth employment for an inclusive   read more »


Consumer price inflation hits a 14-month high

Consumer price inflation hits a 14-month high

Annual headline inflation jumped to 4,4% in April from 3,2% in March, mainly driven by rising transport and food prices. This is the highest reading since before the lockdown, which was 4,6% in February 2020. Over the last 14 months, consumer price inflation was relatively subdued throughout the lockdown. The lockdown began on 27 March   read more »


Formal non-agricultural sector jobs increase in the 4th quarter 2020

Formal non-agricultural sector jobs increase in the 4th quarter 2020

Jobs in the formal non-agricultural sector increased by 76 000 in the fourth quarter of 2020, bringing the total number of persons employed in the formal non-agricultural sector in South Africa to approximately 9,64 million. This is according to the Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES, Q4:2020) survey released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA). Year-on-year, formal sector   read more »


SA loses more than 600K formal sector jobs during COVID-19 lockdown

SA loses more than 600K formal sector jobs during COVID-19 lockdown

According to the Quarterly employment statistics (QES) survey released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), the formal non-agricultural sector shed 648 000 jobs in the second quarter of 2020. This brings the total number of persons employed in the formal non-agricultural sector in South Africa to 9,5 million. According to the report, formal sector jobs decreased   read more »