IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

The South African economy recorded its fourth consecutive quarter of growth, expanding by 1,2% in the second quarter of 2021 (April–June). 1  This followed a revised 1,0% rise in real gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter (January–March). Despite the gains made over the last four quarters, the economy is 1,4% smaller than what   read more »

There are a small number of healthcare institutions that fall in the extra-budgetary accounts and funds (EBAs) arm of government. You may have heard of the South African Medical Research Council and the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority in media coverage of COVID-19. A recent report by Stats SA provides pre-COVID-19 financial data for   read more »

Stats SA has finalised a comprehensive overhaul of its national accounts. The latest gross domestic product (GDP) rebasing and benchmarking exercise has resulted in an upward revision in the size of the economy, as well as changes to the composition of the supply and demand sides of economic activity. Remaining relevant is key Any statistical   read more »

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 »

What makes Stats SA’s Financial census of municipalities report so interesting is that it provides an idea of how financially dependent municipalities are on national government. The latest data show that the share of income that municipalities generate on their own has increased slightly since 2017, but there is more to this finding than meets   read more »

With government spending in the spotlight, new data from Stats SA provide an update on the extent and pattern of national government expenditure. The South African national government spent R1,73 trillion in 2019/20, according to the latest Financial statistics of national government report. This is 12% higher than the R1,54 trillion recorded in 2018/19. This   read more »

Jobs in the formal non-agricultural sector decreased by 9 000 in the first quarter of 2021, bringing the total number of persons employed in the formal non-agricultural sector in South Africa to approximately 9,64 million. Year-on-year figures from the Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES, Q1:2021) survey, released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), show that formal   read more »

The South African economy grew by 1,1% in the first quarter of 2021 (January–March), translating into an annualised growth rate of 4,6%.1 This follows a revised 1,4% (annualised: 5,8%) rise in real gross domestic product (GDP) in the fourth quarter of 2020. The finance, mining and trade industries were the main drivers of output on   read more »

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 »

In an interview with Yahoo! News, Spanish-American chef and activist José Andrés said it best: “Food is health. Food is national security. Food is job creation. Food is economic growth.” 1 Agriculture plays a crucial role in food security, supplying the basic products that keep millions of people fed every day. In South Africa, the industry   read more »