IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

After six years of steady decline, the number of consumer units serviced with a municipal bucket toilet jumped in 2020. Increases were reported in seven of South Africa’s 257 municipalities. Six of these were in Free State. Explore the latest data on sanitation, as well as other stories, in this edition of Stats Biz. Download   read more »

Annual consumer price inflation jumped to 6,5% in May from 5,9% in April and March, breaking through the upper limit of the South African Reserve Bank’s monetary policy target range. This is the highest reading since January 2017 when the rate was 6,6%. Transport and food and non-alcoholic beverages (NAB) accounted for just over half of   read more »

Economically, no country is an island. Just as a household cannot produce all that it needs on its own, South Africa depends on global trade for a range of goods and services. Data from the latest supply and use tables (SUTs) provide insight into those products that are imported, exported, and consumed by households. Explore   read more »

What’s the deal with seasonal adjustment? Take retail trade. Every year Christmas shoppers hit the stores in November and December, pushing up sales. This seasonal pattern is strong and familiar, but it tends to hide other unusual phenomena that might be lurking, unseen, in the data. Explore seasonal adjustment, as well as other stories, in   read more »

After decreasing steadily for eight months, annual bread and cereals inflation jumped to 3,7% in February from 1,5% in January. The monthly change was also significant: prices climbed by 2,4% between January and February, representing the biggest monthly increase for this category since the beginning of 2019. Explore food inflation, as well as other stories,   read more »

Consumers breathed a little easier in January as headline inflation dipped to 5,7% from 5,9% in December. The softer rate was the result of lower fuel prices that decreased by 2,8% from record highs in December. Prices for passenger transport were also lower. Explore inflation, as well as other stories, in this edition of Stats   read more »

The composition of the inflation basket tells us a lot about the spending patterns of consumers. In the most recent update of the basket, fourteen new items were added, while two items were removed. Gin, which has become a more popular beverage in recent times, is one of the new items. Explore the inflation basket,   read more »

Trying to make sense of all the elements that make up the petrol price can be quite daunting. There are up to 13 different charges, depending on the type of fuel and where you happen to live. Stats SA provides a breakdown of what you are paying at the pump. Explore the price of petrol,   read more »

It might come as a surprise to learn that South Africa has data on protected land going back as far as 1900. National Parks, Nature Reserves and other types of protected areas have grown and expanded over time. In October, Stats SA – in partnership with the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and other   read more »

We are all keenly aware of the electricity challenges our country is facing. A detailed report from Stats SA provides a number of key facts about the electricity, gas & water supply industry, covering data on the nation’s energy mix, electricity production, and employment. Explore statistics on the supply of electricity, gas and water, as   read more »