Jobs in the formal non-agricultural sector increased by 76 000 in the fourth quarter of 2020, bringing the total number of persons employed in the formal non-agricultural sector in South Africa to approximately 9,64 million. This is according to the Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES, Q4:2020) survey released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA). Year-on-year, formal sector jobs decreased by 594 000 in the fourth quarter.

Total employment increased by 76 000 or 0,8% quarter-on-quarter, from 9 564 000 in September 2020 to 9 640 000 in December 2020. This was largely due to increases in the trade industry (54 000 or 2,6%), community services (51 000 or 1,9%) and business services (4 000 or 0,2%). The electricity industry reported no quarterly change.

However, there were decreases in the construction industry (-18 000 or -3,5%), manufacturing (-13 000 or -1,2%), transport (-1 000 or -0,2%) and mining (-1 000 or -0,2%).

Total employment decreased by 594 000 or (-5,8%) year-on-year between December 2019 and December 2020.

Full-time employment decreased by 11 000 or (-0,1%) quarter-on-quarter, from 8 621 000 in September 2020 to 8 610 000 in December 2020. Decreases in full time employment were mainly due to decreases in the construction industry (-17 000 or -3,8%), manufacturing (-15 000 or -1,4%), business services (-14 000 or -0,7%), transport (-3 000 or -0,7%), mining and quarrying (-1 000 or -0,2%).

The electricity industry reported no quarterly change.

Industries that reflected increases in this quarter were trade (28 000 or 1,5%) and community services (11 000 or 0,5%).

Year-on-year, full-time employment decreased by 565 000 or -6,2% between December 2019 and December 2020.

Part-time employment increased by 87 000 or 9,2% quarter-on-quarter, from 943 000 in September 2020 to 1 030 000 in December 2020. This was due to increases in the following industries: community services (40 000 or 10,3%), trade (26 000 or 13,5%), business services (18 000 or 8,7%), manufacturing (2 000 or 2,8%) and transport (2 000 or 11,1%).

The electricity industry reported no change.

The construction industry reported a quarterly decrease of 1000 or -1,5%.

Part-time employment decreased by 29 000 or -2,7% year-on-year between December 2019 and December 2020.

Total gross earnings paid to employees increased by R60,3 billion or 8,9% from
R680,6 billion in September 2020 to R740,9 billion in December 2020. This was due to increases in business services, trade, community services, manufacturing, transport, construction, electricity, mining and quarrying.

Year-on-year, total gross earnings decreased by R36,1 billion or -4,6% between December 2019 and December 2020.

The basic salary/wages paid to employees increased by R18,6 billion or 3,0% from R631,8 billion in September 2020 to R650,4 billion in December 2020 and was due mainly to increases in community services, business services, trade, manufacturing, construction, transport, mining and electricity industries.

Year-on-year, basic salary/wages decreased by R22,9 billion or -3,4% between December 2019 and December 2020.

Bonus and overtime payments paid to employees increased by R41,7 billion (85,4%) from R48,8 billion in September 2020 to R90,5 billion in December 2020. This was due to increases in the following industries: business services, trade, manufacturing, community services, transport, construction and electricity.

Year-on-year, bonus and overtime payments decreased by R13,2 billion or -12,7% between December 2019 and December 2020.

There was a quarter-on-quarter increase of 2,4% in average monthly earnings paid to employees in the formal non-agricultural sector from R22 588 in August 2020 to R23 133 in November 2020.

Year-on-year, average monthly earnings paid to employees in the formal non-agricultural sector increased
by 3,1%.

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