Media Release

Income 

The total income for the electricity, gas and water supply industry in 2013 was R181,2 billion. The largest contributor to the total income was ‘generation, transmission and distribution of electricity’ (R150,2 million or 82,8%), followed by ‘collection, purification and distribution of water’ (R22,1 billion or 12,2%) and ‘manufacturing and distribution of gaseous fuels through mains’ (R9,1 billion or 5,0%).

The total income represents an increase of 19,1% per annum over the income reported in the corresponding survey of 2010 (R107,2 billion).

Employment 

The total number of persons employed in the electricity, gas and water supply industry at the end of June 2013 was 57 573. ‘Generation, transmission and distribution of electricity’ employed the largest number of persons (45 205 or 78,5%), followed by ‘collection, purification and distribution of water’ (11 936 or 20,7%) and ‘manufacturing and distribution of gaseous fuels through mains’ (432 or 0,8%).

Employment in the electricity, gas and water supply industry increased by 4,0% per annum compared with the number of employees reported in the corresponding survey of 2010 (51 237).

The proportion of females out of the total persons employed was 30,4%. The sector with the highest proportion of females employed was ‘generation, transmission and distribution of electricity’ (31,7%), whilst ‘manufacturing and distribution of gaseous fuels through mains’ had the highest proportion of males employed (79,4%).

Electricity generated 

Total electricity generated in the electricity, gas and water supply industry in 2013 was 236 760 gigawatt-hours (GWh). The largest source of electricity generation was ‘coal’ (215 154 GWh or 90,9%), followed by ‘nuclear’ (11 954 GWh or 5,0%).

The total electricity generated decreased by 0,4% per annum compared with the corresponding survey of 2010 (239 474 GWh). 

Gas 

The total quantity of gas distributed in the electricity, gas and water supply industry in 2013 was 170,2 million gigajoules (GJ). The largest quantity of gas was supplied to ‘industrial users’ (110,2 million GJ or 64,7%), followed by ‘commercial users’ (49,6 million GJ or 29,2%) and ‘redistributors’ (10,2 million GJ or 6,0%).

The total quantity of gas distributed represents an increase of 8,8% per annum over the total quantity of gas distributed as reported in the corresponding survey of 2010 (132,0 million GJ).

The largest sale of gas by type of gas was for ‘natural gas’ R7,1 billion or 78,4% (R3,5 billion or 59,4% in 2010), ‘methane-rich gas’ R1,9 billion or 20,9% (R1,2 billion or 19,8% in 2010). 

The full statistical report, Report No. 41-01-02 (2013), is available on the Statistics South Africa website: www.statssa.gov.za

Ends

Issued by Statistics South Africa

Technical enquiries:

Mr Joe de Beer

Deputy Director-General: Economic Statistics

Tel: (012) 310 8024

Cell: 082 888 2600

Email: JoeDB@statssa.gov.za

Mr. Itani Magwaba

Executive Manager: Structural Industry Statistics

Tel: (012) 337 6254

Cell: 082 905 5143

Email: ItaniM@statssa.gov.za

Mr Tshepo Pekane

Manager: Data Analysis and Output

Tel: (012) 310 8191

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Email: TshepoP@statssa.gov.za

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Ms Lesedi Dibakwane

Manager: Media Relations

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Cell: 082 805 7088

Email: LesediD@statssa.gov.za