COVID-19 lockdown impacts publication of economic statistics
Media release                                                                                                             17 April 2020 COVID-19 lockdown impacts publication of economic statistics  Statistics South Africa recently issued a media statement on the impact of the lockdown on data collection processes and scheduled web statistical releases. In light of the extension of the lockdown, we felt it important to keep the public apprised of the continuing read more »
Impact of COVID-19 on Economic Statistics in Statistics South Africa
Background The personal, social and economic impact of COVID-19 is unlike anything experienced by the world in the past 75 years. Stats SA is aware of the need for timely data to understand these impacts, but is equally constrained by the restrictions put in place to manage the spread of the coronavirus. The task of read more »
Formal sector jobs moderately up in fourth quarter
New employment figures released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) showed that South Africa’s formal non-agricultural sector added 16 000 jobs in the fourth quarter of 2019, bringing the total number of persons employed in the formal non-agricultural sector to 10,2 million. The Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) reported that formal sector jobs rose by 18 000 in read more »
Lockdown will impact on the collection and publication of official statistics
Statistics South Africa (Stats SA’s) ability to publish official statistics will be impacted by the lockdown announced by President Ramaphosa. As most businesses will be closed over that period, and movement will be restricted, data collection for both economic and household surveys will not be possible. As the lockdown goes into effect at midnight on read more »
Economy slips into recession
The South African economy contracted by 1,4% in the fourth quarter of 2019, following a contraction of 0,8% (revised) in the third quarter.1 Transport and trade were the main drags on overall activity, according to the latest gross domestic product (GDP) figures. Seven of the ten industries contracted in the fourth quarter. Finance, mining and read more »
Making rands and sense of price data
How much do South Africans pay for groceries? Stats SA has released a list with prices of 191 popular retail items with data going back to 2017. The list holds some surprises. Pulled from that list, each item in the graphic below has its own unique story. The national average price of a loaf of read more »
Mining loses shine for the second year in a row
Exactly a week after delegates closed the 26th Investing in African Mining Indaba, Stats SA released data on the performance of the mining industry in 2019. The level of production was 1,3% lower in 2019 than 2018, which in turn was 2,1% lower than 2017. Despite a positive showing from both copper and manganese, a read more »
How large is the small business footprint?
In 2015, Stats SA published an article highlighting the contribution that small businesses make to industry turnover in South Africa.1 The March 2019 Quarterly financial statistics (QFS) report provides an update. The entire formal business sector2 generated R2,39 trillion in turnover in Q1: 2019. Out of this amount, large businesses contributed 62%, followed by small (29%) and read more »
Pondering #NationalWineDay
25 May is National Wine Day! Here are a few fun facts to muse over if you’re planning to enjoy a glass or three. SA households spend more on wine than on coffee South Africans have clear priorities when it comes to drink. Wine takes up 7,2% of total household expenditure on alcoholic and read more »
Government finances: surplus, deficit and debt
Believe it or not, there was a time – not so long ago – when the South African government actually spent less than it earned. Stats SA takes a look at government spending over 13 years, focusing on how much we pay to service our debt. Harking back to better times in February’s National Budget read more »