The COVID-19 pandemic and the drastic actions taken to prevent its spread have fundamentally impacted the South African economy and Stats SA’s ability to measure it. Government imposed a restrictive five-week lockdown from 27 March to 30 April. Data collection for the March 2020 consumer price index had been completed before the lockdown and it   read more »

Media Release                                                                                                                                             20 May 2020                                                      8,1% of respondents lost jobs or had to close businesses 8,1% of respondents reported that they lost their jobs or had to close their businesses   read more »

Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has embarked on a series of three online web-based surveys to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals in the country to assist government and other stakeholders in their response to the crisis. The second round of the survey (Wave 2) focused on employment, income and hunger-related issues   read more »

The prices of essential products decreased by 0,5% during the COVID‑19 Level 5 lockdown in April. The index increased in the first week of April but then dropped in each of the three successive weeks. The change in the week 23‒30 April was -0,7%. This is the final report of the weekly essential products price   read more »

The second wave of Stats SA’s COVID-19 business impact survey provides an update on how South African businesses are currently faring under lockdown. The first impact survey covered the period 30 March to 13 April 2020, and the results were published on 21 April.1 The survey asked firms in the formal sector how the COVID-19   read more »

Media Release                                                                                                           7   read more »

A rapid response survey, conducted by Stats SA during the lockdown, asked businesses how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their operations. A total of 707 businesses in the formal sector responded, and this is what they told us. Explore the results of this survey, as well as other stories, in this edition of Stats Biz.   read more »

Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) is appealing to the public to participate in an online survey it launched recently to gauge the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Accurate, real-time statistics are of utmost importance in times of crisis,” said Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke. “These surveys will be used to see how COVID-19 has impacted the population,   read more »

Media Release                                                                                                       30 April 2020  Respondents are extremely worried about the possible collapse of the economy. Respondents were staying indoors and only left their houses to get food or medicine, according to the COVID-19 behavioural and health perception survey results released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA). The survey was conducted in the week   read more »