Media Release                                                                                                                                                                            7 October  2016

QUARTERLY EMPLOYMENT STATISTICS

June 2016

There was an estimated 9 218 000 jobs reported in the formal non-agricultural sector in June 2016. This reflected a net decrease of 67 000 employees or -0,7% compared to March 2016. There was an annual job gains of 30 000 (+0,3%) between the second quarter of 2016 and the same quarter of the previous year.

Quarterly employment losses were observed in all industries except electricity and construction. Job losses were reported in community, social and personal services (-48 000 or -1,8%, manufacturing

(-7 000 or -0,6%), transport and communications (-7 000 or -1,5%), trade (-4 000 or -0,2%), Finance and business services (-1 000 or -0,05%) and mining and quarrying (-1 000 or -0,2%).

Employment gains were reported in the construction industry (1 000 or 0,2%).

Electricity industry remained unchanged.

A sub-industry analysis finds that the quarterly decline in community services was driven by extra-budgetary where the number of employees declined by 52 000 and national departments which lost 7 000 jobs.

Manufacturing industry continues to lose jobs in the June 2016 quarter. The industry lost 7 000 employees in the reference quarter, which follows a revised decrease of 6 000 employees in the March 2016 quarter. There was an annual decrease of 16 000 employees in June 2016 compared with June 2015.

Most of the job losses were observed in the manufacturing of food products, beverages and tobacco products with employment decrease of 5 000. The manufacturing of textiles, clothing and leather goods lost 3 000 jobs.

Mining industry continued to decline in the second quarter of 2016 by 1 000 employees, this is the eighth consecutive quarters decline observed since fourth quarter 2014. Year-on-year the sector continues to lose jobs, the sector shed 32 000 jobs in June 2016 compared to June 2015.

Gross earnings and average monthly earnings

Gross earnings increased by 0,01 per cent in June 2016 compared with March 2016. The total increase in earnings amounted to R32 million quarter-to-quarter. There was an annual increase of R31 billion (6,3%) in June 2016 compared with the same quarter of the previous year.

The changes in gross earnings in all industries were due to base effects which arose due to cost-of-living adjustments, bonus payments and overtime payments paid.

There was a quarter-on-quarter increase of 3,7% in average monthly earnings paid to employees in the formal non-agricultural sector from R17 396 in February 2016 to R18 045 in May 2016.

On an annual basis, average monthly earnings paid to employees increased by 7,5% from R16 787 in May 2015 to R18 045 in May 2016.

Issued by Statistics South Africa

For media enquiries contact:

Lesedi Dibakwane

(012) 3108578

0828057088

Lesedid@statssa.gov.za

For technical enquires contact:8024 or 082 888 2600

Ms Kefiloe Masiteng

Deputy Director-General: Population and Social Statistics

Tel: 012 310 2109

Email: KefiloeM@statssa.gov.za

Mr Peter Buwembo

Chief Director: Labour Statistics

Tel:  012 310 8655

Email: Peterb@statssa.gov.za