In South Africa, employment in private households represents a crucial segment of the labour market, making a significant contribution to total employment despite being relatively vulnerable and largely informal. According to data from the Q3: 2024 Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), approximately 1,1 million South Africans are employed in private households, with 75,7% (or 854 000) working   read more »

Stats SA published 23 statistical releases in October, many of which provide fresh data on the state of the economy. The latest monthly indicators Nationally, mining activity increased by a marginal 0,3% year-on-year in August. Manganese ore, platinum group metals and chromium ore were the largest drivers of growth. Nickel and copper also recorded a   read more »

According to the Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES, Q2:2024) survey released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), total employment in the formal non-agricultural sector increased by 42 000 in the second quarter of 2024, bringing the level of employment to 10,7 million. According to the survey 144 000 jobs were lost between June 2023 and June 2024.   read more »

Stats SA has published monthly residential property price indices for provinces and metropolitan areas since March 2023. Here is a rundown of the latest inflation data for the housing market. The Residential Property Price Index (RPPI) measures the change in prices for all dwellings, including houses, townhouses, and flats that are purchased by private individuals.1 The   read more »

The post and telecommunications industry experienced notable changes in the period 2019–2022, according to a recent report. Shifts in both telecommunication and postal services reflect broader changes in the economy. Fact #1: Mobile lines dominate telecommunications income Consumers love their phones! This is evident in Figure 1, which provides an overview of services that help keep   read more »

The South African national government spent R2,04 trillion1 in the 2022/23 financial year, representing a rise of 6,1% from R1,92 trillion in 2021/22. Stats SA’s latest set of national government financial data shows how these funds were distributed. Just over half of total expenses in 2022/23 was allocated to grants paid to other levels of government, institutions   read more »

There are two reasons to be excited about two recent manufacturing reports. First, covering the results of a detailed 2021 survey, the reports provide provincial- and district-level data. Second, they offer detailed insight into the state of the manufacturing industry in South Africa in terms of employment, finances, and the quantities of manufactured products. The   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 »

According to the Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES, Q3:2022) survey released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), total employment in the formal non-agricultural sector increased by 10 000 in the third quarter of 2022, bringing the level of total employment to approximately 10 million. The survey showed that jobs increased by 31 000 between September 2021 and   read more »

After two consecutive quarters of positive growth, real gross domestic product (GDP) decreased by 0,7%1 in the second quarter of 2022 (Q2: 2022). The devastating floods in KwaZulu-Natal and load shedding contributed to the decline, weakening an already fragile national economy that had just recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Manufacturing the biggest drag on GDP The flooding   read more »