IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

In 2024, South Africa celebrates three decades since the advent of democracy, a pivotal moment in its history. This milestone not only signifies the passage of time but also reflects the enduring journey towards equality, freedom, and justice for all its citizens. Households reflect the ongoing transformation, encompassing a diverse mix of cultural, economic, and   read more »

A report released by Statistics South Africa titled Child Series Volume II: Crime Against Children shows that rape cases for children increased by 6,3 percentage points between 2015/16 and 2019/20, whilst both common assault and assault with grievous bodily harm (GBH) decreased by 2,1 and 3,5 percentage points respectively. Moreover, sexual assault cases for children   read more »

Live birth statistics provide a crucial glimpse into the dynamics of human populations, offering valuable insights into demographics, healthcare trends, and societal changes. Understanding live birth statistics is not merely an exercise in number-crunching; it is a gateway to comprehending the health and wellbeing of populations. The data on Recorded Live Births indicates that the   read more »

Stats SA published a variety of reports, statistical releases and discussion documents in September. Here is a rundown of key economic indicators. GDP: SA invests in machinery & equipment and households cut back on spending In September, Stats SA released both national and provincial gross domestic product (GDP) figures. On the national front, GDP recorded   read more »

The formal non-agricultural sector added 39 000 jobs in the second quarter of 2023, reaching almost 10,1 million jobs. According to the latest Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES, Q2:2023) survey released by Stats SA, there was a year-on year net increase of 104 000 jobs. Between March and June 2023, total (full- and part-time) employment rose   read more »

According to the Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES, Q1:2023) survey released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), total employment in the formal non-agricultural sector decreased by 21 000 in the first quarter of 2023, bringing the level of employment to almost 10 million. The survey showed that 97 000 jobs were lost between March 2022 and March   read more »

In 2022 the estimated population of South Africa included more than five million people aged 60 or older. This represents a 9,2 percent share of the overall South African population. According to a report by Statistics South Africa titled Marginalised Groups Series VI: The Social Profile of Older Persons, 2017–2021, more than half (60,9%) of   read more »

Anecdotes about steep property price rises in the City of Cape Town are not without merit. Stats SA’s new residential property price index (RPPI) compares how housing prices have increased since 2010 across the eight metropolitan municipalities and nine provinces. Since 2010, residential property prices have grown by 141% in the City of Cape Town,   read more »

With Black Friday upon us, South African consumers have begun scouting for the latest deals. Monthly retail trade sales data show how Black Friday has shifted shopping behaviour over time. Consumers splurge during the festive season The graphic below shows the distribution of retail trade sales by month, for the year 2019. If all months   read more »

Household income and expenditure surveys are an essential component to a healthy data ecosystem and critical for economic and developmental planning and decision-making. Statistical agencies like Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) use these surveys to inform the measurement of inflation and to better understand a country’s household economy and living conditions. “Out of every R1   read more »