IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

The December 2014 Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES) survey showed that total formal non-agricultural employment increased by 42 000 jobs from 8 947 000 in the third quarter to 8 989 000 in the fourth quarter of 2014.

The quarterly increase was mainly due to increases reported by the wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles, motor cycles and personal and household goods, hotels and restaurants industry (29 000 jobs); the financial intermediation, insurance, real estate and business services industry (22 000 jobs) and the transport, storage and communication industry (5 000 jobs). The community, social and personal services industry and the manufacturing industry added 1 000 jobs each.

There were decreases reported by the construction industry (10 000 jobs); and the mining industry (6 000 jobs). The electricity, gas and water supply industry reported no change.

The survey also showed that 20 000 jobs were lost between December 2013 and December 2014. This is an annual decrease of 0,2 %. The largest decrease was recorded by the manufacturing industry with a decrease of 31 000 jobs.

Gross earnings paid to employees in the formal non-agricultural sector during the quarter ended December 2014 amounted to R499 billion. This reflected a quarterly increase of R34, 6 billion and an annual increase of R35 billion. The increase in gross earnings during the fourth quarter of 2014 compared with the third quarter of 2014 was mainly due to R9,3 billion in the financial intermediation, insurance, real estate and business services industry; R7,8 billion in the manufacturing industry; R6,4 billion in the wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles, motor cycles and personal and household goods, hotels and restaurants industry; and R4 billion in the community, social and personal services industry.

The full report can be downloaded here.