IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

Between December 2013 and March 2014, the non-agriculture formal sector of the South African economy experienced a net increase of 9 000 employees (+0,1%), from 8 498 000 to 8 507 000 individuals. This increase was mainly due to increases in the community, social and personal services industry which gained 50 000 employees (+2,1%); the finance industry (+7 000 or +0,4%); and the construction industry (+5 000 or +1,2%). However, these gains were negated by decreases in the number of employees in the trade industry (-34 000 or -2,0%); the mining industry (-13 000 or -2,6%); the manufacturing industry (-3 000 or -0,3%); and the transport industry (-3 000 or -0,8%).

Gross earnings paid to employees in the formal non-agricultural sector during the same quarter amounted to almost R404 billion. This reflected a quarterly decrease of about R19 billion (-4,6%) for the first quarter, but an annual increase of R26 billion (+7,0%).

The quarter-on-quarter decrease in gross earnings was mainly due to decreases of R5,5 billion (-10,0%) in the manufacturing industry; R3,4 billion (-5,9%) in the trade industry; R2,9 billion (-12,0%) in the transport industry; R2,8 billion (-10,9%) in the mining and quarrying industry; R1,8 billion (-11,5%) in the construction industry; R1,8 billion (-1,3%) in the community services industry; R901 million (-13,9%) in the electricity industry; and R136 million (-0,1%) in the finance industry.

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