IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

Current data point to an agriculture industry that is struggling. During November 2015, in the midst of South Africa’s worst drought in 23 years, Stats SA released gross domestic product (GDP) figures showing three consecutive quarters of steep decline in agricultural activity. A number of forecasts suggest that food prices might rise sharply as a   read more »

As a new year begins, Stats Biz takes a look at selected economic stories from 2015. During that year a rumour wobbled an industry; South Africa entered its worst drought in decades; tertiary education was rocked by protests over tuition fees; and the price of cake was most expensive in the Western Cape. Explore these,   read more »

In honour of World Cake Day on 26 November, we took a look at the latest price data of this popular dessert. How has the price of cake changed over time? In which province is cake most expensive? And how does the price of cake compare to other desserts? Explore the price of cake, and   read more »

With the announcement of a zero fee increase for higher education institutions next year (2016), the focus is now on where the money will be sourced to finance the expected shortfall. Recent data provide an indication of which universities are most dependent on tuition fees, and as a result might be most vulnerable to a   read more »

The bucket toilet system remains a persistent phenomenon in seven of the nine provinces. Interestingly, 35% of consumer units serviced with bucket toilets in South Africa are concentrated in a single municipality: Nelson Mandela Bay in Eastern Cape. Learn more about the bucket system, and economic related statistics, in this edition of Stats Biz.     read more »