Category Archives: Economic growth

Media Invite: Stats SA releases Gross domestic product (GDP), Q3 2015

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 »


Media Release: Private sector companies record turnover increases

Media Release                                                                                          17 November 2015 Private sector companies record turnover increases The total turnover for private sector enterprises1 operating in the South African economy increased by 10,9% to R7 766 625 million (R7,8 trillion) in 2014, from R7 001 362 million (R7,0 trillion) in 2013. For the reference period, turnover increased in   read more »


Manufacturing growth: beware the base effect!

Manufacturing growth: beware the base effect!

Manufacturing production increased by 5,6% year-on-year in July 2015, driven mostly by a 39,6% year-on-year production rise in the automotive industry and a 17,4% year-on-year rise in the metals and machinery industry. It would be tempting to rejoice in response to these pronounced increases, but the figures don’t tell the whole story. These increases do   read more »


South Africa’s economy contracts in the second quarter of 2015

South Africa’s economy contracts in the second quarter of 2015

South Africa’s economy contracted by 1,3% (seasonally adjusted and annualised) in the second quarter of 2015, according to preliminary estimates of real gross domestic product (GDP) released by Stats SA. The quarter-on-quarter decrease in overall economic activity was characterised by five of the ten main industry groups shrinking in size, while the other five experienced   read more »


A rumour wobbles an industry

A rumour wobbles an industry

Misinformation and hearsay have the power to influence an economy. Thousands of civil servants resigned from their posts in 2014 and early 2015 in response to rumours about proposed pension reforms. The economic effect was large enough to be seen in recent gross domestic product (GDP) data released by Stats SA. The government services sector   read more »


Economic growth slows in 2014

Economic growth slows in 2014

South Africa’s economy grew by 1,5% in 2014, down from 2,2% in 2013, according to preliminary estimates of real gross domestic product (GDP) released by Stats SA. Eight of the ten industry groups experienced some growth during the year, while two industries shrank in size. The industry that grew the fastest in 2014 was agriculture1,   read more »


CPI drops to levels last seen in 2011

CPI drops to levels last seen in 2011

Annual CPI inflation dropped to 4,4% in January 2015 from 5,3% in December 2014, the lowest since April 2011, when the CPI stood at 4,2%. Key drivers pulling the CPI down were petrol and food. The 127c/l drop in the price of petrol in January further contributed to the decline in the CPI for petrol,   read more »


Manufacturing continues to disappoint as the South African economy grows by 1,4% in the third quarter

Manufacturing continues to disappoint as the South African economy grows by 1,4% in the third quarter

The manufacturing industry recorded the third consecutive quarter-on-quarter contraction in 2014, shrinking by 3,4% in the third quarter of 2014. In the second quarter manufacturing posted a growth rate of -4,0% and in the first quarter -6,4%.  The other industry that recorded a negative growth rate in the third quarter was electricity, gas and water,   read more »


Countdown to an all new GDP

Countdown to an all new GDP

On Tuesday, 25 November 2014, Stats SA will introduce new and improved GDP estimates. In the following video clip, the Deputy Director-General for Economic Statistics, Joe de Beer, provides a brief overview of the changes and what you can expect from Tuesday’s release. Click here for the video clip To ensure that gross domestic product   read more »


Stats SA to release revised gross domestic product estimates in November

Stats SA to release revised gross domestic product estimates in November

On 25 November 2014 Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) will publish the first estimates of gross domestic product for the 3rd quarter of 2014. This statistical release will, however, differ from previous releases in two important aspects. Benchmarking and rebasing It is good international practice to periodically change the reference year used in economic statistics,   read more »