Jobs in the formal non-agricultural sector increased by 62 000 in the fourth quarter of 2021, bringing the total number of persons employed in the formal non-agricultural sector in South Africa to approximately 10,0 million. According to the Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES, Q4:2021) survey released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), formal sector jobs increased by 154 000 year-on-year.

The report shows that part-time employment increased by 106 000 or 10,0% quarter-on-quarter, and by 166 000 or 16,5% year-on-year between December 2020 and December 2021, whilst full-time employment decreased by 44 000 or -0,5% quarter-on-quarter and by 12 000 or -0,1% over the same period.

The increases in part-time employment were mainly due to job gains in the community services industry (54 000 or 10,9%), trade (29 000 or 14,3%), business services (14 000 or 6,6%), manufacturing (8 000 or 11,9%) and construction (3 000 or 4,5%), while the transport industry reported a decrease of 2 000 employees or -11,8%. According to the survey, decreases in full time employment were mainly in the construction industry (-23 000 or -4,6%), business services industry (-19 000 or -0,9%), community services industry (-9 000 or -0,4%), manufacturing industry (-7 000 or -0,6%), transport industry (-3 000 or -0,7%), mining (-1 000 or -0,2%) and electricity industry (-1 000 or -1,7%).

The trade industry, however, reported an increase of 19 000 employees or 1,0%.

Overall, the total number of employees increased by 62 000 or (0,6%) quarter-on-quarter, from 9 953 000 in September 2021 to 10 015 000 in December 2021.

Total gross earnings paid to employees increased by R44,3 billion or (5,7%) from R783,0 billion in September 2021 to R827,3 billion in December 2021. This was largely due to increases in the following industries: trade, community services, manufacturing, business services, transport, construction and electricity.

However, the mining industry reported a quarterly decrease.

Year-on-year, total gross earnings increased by R51,7 billion or 6,7% between December 2020 and December 2021.

Basic salary/wages paid to employees increased by R6,2 billion or 0,9% from R713,4 billion in September 2021 to R719,6 billion in December 2021. This was largely due to increases in the following industries: trade, business services, transport, manufacturing, electricity and community services.

Conversely, there were decreases in the construction and mining industries.

Year-on-year, basic salary/wages increased by R46,4 billion or 6,9% between December 2020 and December 2021.

Bonus payments increased by R36,9 billion or 75,5% from R48,8 billion in September 2021 to R85,7 billion in December 2021. This was largely due to increases in the following industries: community services, manufacturing, trade, business services, transport, construction and electricity.

Year-on-year, bonus payments increased by R2,8 billion or 3,4% between December 2020 and December 2021.

Overtime payments increased by R1,3 billion or 6,1% from R20,7 billion in September 2021 to R22,0 billion in December 2021. This was largely due to increases in the following industries: community services, manufacturing, trade, construction and transport.

There were decreases in the following industries, however: business services and electricity.

Year-on-year, overtime payments increased by R2,5 billion or (13,1%) between December 2020 and December 2021.

A quarter-on-quarter increase of 0,3% was reported in average monthly earnings paid to employees in the formal non-agricultural sector from R23 908 in August 2021 to R23 982 in November 2021.

Year-on-year, average monthly earnings increased by 3,9%.

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