Local government has made strides in providing services, but they are providing less for free. For example, municipalities supplied water to just over 9 million consumer units in 2006, expanding to 13,8 million in 2019. However, the number of consumer units benefiting from free water declined markedly over the same period. Explore service delivery, as   read more »

South Africa’s GDP decreased by 7,0% in 2020 compared with 2019. To provide some perspective, the second biggest fall in GDP in the last 30 years was recorded in 1992 when the economy contracted by 2,1%. During the 2008/09 global financial crisis, the economy shrank by 1,5% in 2009. Explore economic growth, as well as   read more »

Inflation for 2020 was the lowest in 16 years and the second lowest in 51 years. The average annual inflation rate for 2020 was 3,3%. This is the lowest annual average rate since 2004 (1,4%) and the second lowest since 1969 (3,0%). Explore price changes, as well as other stories, in this edition of Stats   read more »

One might assume that urban and cultivated land have expanded over time with South Africa’s growing population. Data compiled form 24 years of satellite imagery reveal a more complex picture. Explore land cover change, as well as other stories, in this edition of Stats Biz. Download Stats Biz – November 2020

It has been five years since the #FeesMustFall campaign. Stats SA takes a look at where higher education institutions get their money from, and how these revenue streams have shifted since 2015. Explore tertiary education funding, as well as other stories, in this edition of Stats Biz. Download Stats Biz – October 2020

The concern over declining infrastructure investment was further confirmed by Stats SA’s most recent release of its Financial statistics of provincial government report. Delays and interruptions hampered infrastructure spending by provincial government during the 2018/19 fiscal year. Explore the importance of capital expenditure, as well as other stories, in this edition of Stats Biz. Download   read more »

Annual CPI inflation quickened to 3,2% in July from 2,2% in June as lockdown restrictions continued to ease. The monthly increase of 1,3% was driven largely by fuel prices and municipal tariffs. Motorists felt some pain as the price of inland 95-octane petrol climbed from R13,40 per litre in June to R15,12 per litre in   read more »

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! 19 July is international ice cream day. To celebrate, Stats SA takes a look at how much ice cream contributes to total household spending. Explore ice cream, as well as other stories, in this edition of Stats Biz. Download Stats Biz – July 2020

The South African economy recorded its third straight quarter of economic decline, falling by 2,0% in the first quarter of 2020. This followed a contraction of -1,4% and -0,8% in the fourth and third quarters of 2019, respectively. Explore the GDP, as well as other stories, in this edition of Stats Biz. Download Stats Biz   read more »

The second wave of Stats SA’s COVID-19 business impact survey provides an update on how firms are currently faring under lockdown. This second round covers the period 14 April to 30 April 2020. Explore the results of this survey, as well as other stories, in this edition of Stats Biz. Download Stats Biz – May   read more »