According to the Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES, Q4:2022) survey released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), total employment in the formal non-agricultural sector increased by 48 000 in the fourth quarter of 2022, bringing the level of employment to almost 10 million. The survey showed that 94 000 jobs were lost between December 2021 and December 2022.

Total employment increased by 48 000 quarter-on-quarter, from 9 920 000 in September 2022 to 9 968 000 in December 2022. This was mainly due to increases in the trade industry (49 000), business services (9 000) and mining sector (2 000). The transport and community services industries reported no quarterly change. However, about 10 000 jobs were shed in the construction industry, 1 000 in the manufacturing industry and about 1 000 in electricity.

Increases in the trade industry (26 000), mining (2 000), transport (1 000) and business services (1 000), were offset by losses in the construction industry (-16 000); community services (-7 000); and electricity (-1 000), leading to an increase of 6 000 or 0,1% quarter-on-quarter for full-time employment, from 8 865 000 in September 2022 to 8 871 000 in December 2022.

Full-time employment decreased by 9 000 or -0,1% year-on-year between December 2021 and December 2022.

Part-time employment increased by 42 000 or 4,0% quarter-on-quarter, from 1 055 000 in September 2022 to 1 097 000 in December 2022. Increases were mainly due the trade industry (23 000), business services (8 000), community services (7 000) and construction (6 000). There was no quarterly change in the electricity industry. However, the transport industry and the manufacturing industry showed losses of 1 000 each.

Over all, part-time employment decreased by 85 000 or -7,2% year-on-year between December 2021 and December 2022.

Total gross earnings paid to employees increased by R67,8 billion or 8,5% from R798,7 billion in September 2022 to R866,6 billion in December 2022. This was largely due to increases in the following industries: community services (R22,2 billion), trade (R14,2 billion), manufacturing (R12,0 billion), business services (R9,7 billion), construction (R3,8 billion), transport (R3,5 billion), electricity (R1,7 billion) and mining (R688 million).

The year-on-year total gross earnings increased by R39,2 billion or 4,7% between December 2021 and December 2022.

Basic salary/wages paid to employees increased by R22,8 billion or 3,1% from R729,3 billion in September 2022 to R752,1 billion in December 2022. This was largely due to increases in the following industries: community services, trade, business services, manufacturing, mining, transport and electricity.

However, the construction industry reported a quarterly decrease.

Year-on-year basic salary/wages increased by R31,9 billion or 4,4% between December 2021 and December 2022.

Bonuses paid to employees increased by R44,2 billion or 94,8% from R46,6 billion in September 2022 to R90,8 billion in December 2022. This was largely due to increases in the following industries: manufacturing, community services, trade, business services, construction, transport and electricity.

Year-on-year bonus payments increased by R6,1 billion or 7,2% between December 2021 and December 2022.

Overtime paid to employees increased by R854 million or 3,7% from R22,8 billion in September 2022 to R23,6 billion in December 2022. This was largely due to increases in the following industries: trade, manufacturing, community services and transport.

However, there were decreases in the following industries: business services, electricity and construction.

Year-on-year overtime payments increased by R1,2 billion or 5,4% between December 2021 and December 2022.

There was a quarter-on-quarter increase of 4,5% in average monthly earnings paid to employees in the formal non-agricultural sector, from R24 916 in August 2022 to R26 032 in November 2022.

Year-on-year average monthly earnings paid to employees in the formal non-agricultural sector increased by 9,2%.

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