On 6 April 2016, the South African President Jacob Zuma proclaimed that the local government elections will be held on 3 August 2016. This is the fourth local government elections since the country’s first free and fair non-racial general elections held on 27 April 1994. Local government elections are held to elect members of the local governing councils in the municipalities across South Africa. Voters will cast their votes within 267 municipalities (was 278 during the 2011 local government elections) due to redetermination of municipal boundaries and delimitations of wards by the Municipal Demarcation Board).

In this month’s issue of Mbalo Brief, our educational article is based on the levels and trends of childlessness which derived from Exploring childlessness and delayed childbearing in South Africa, 2001 – 2011 (Report No. 03-06-02). The report was published on 31 March 2016. The article focuses on, among others, the influence of childlessness on the overall fertility decline, and childlessness by socio-demographic factors such as population group, educational attainment, marital status as well as geographic location.

Also included in this issue are our monthly articles such as the Civil cases for debt Liquidations and insolvencies and Tourism and migration. Also have a look at our monthly crossword puzzle and solutions for the March 2016 puzzle.

Articles published in this issue are based on results of industry surveys conducted for the months ranging from January to March 2016 which were published by Stats SA in March and April 2016.

Download Mbalo Brief – April 2016

For more details on any of the surveys, visit our website at: www.statssa.gov.za

Enjoy the read.