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Domestic Tourism Survey (DTS)

Domestic Tourism Survey (DTS)

Tourism has the potential to make a significant contribution to the South African economy and it is targeted by government as one of the industries for future economic growth in the country. Tourism therefore is regarded as a potential sector where large-scale employment opportunities can be created. The National Development Plan (NDP) 2030 also emphasises   read more »


Stats Biz – May 2023

The South African economy expanded by 0,4% in the first quarter of 2023, with manufacturing and finance being the major drivers of growth on the supply side of the economy. The demand side was lifted by exports, with smaller positive contributions for household, government, and investment spending. Explore the latest gross domestic product (GDP) figures,   read more »


Economic wrap-up for May 2023

Economic wrap-up for May 2023

Stats SA published 21 statistical releases in the month of May, providing valuable insight into the current state of our economy. Here is a brief rundown of important indicators. Inflation edged lower in April Despite the ongoing stresses of rising prices and escalating costs of debt, there were some hopeful signs from the latest inflation   read more »


SA Tourism shows slight recovery after COVID-19 pandemic.

SA Tourism shows slight recovery after COVID-19 pandemic.

After a drastic drop in tourist arrivals in 2020 and 2021, the volume of tourist arrivals in South Africa is showing improvement. The Tourism 2022 report released by Statistics South Africa shows that the volume of tourists dropped by 72,6% from 10 228 593 in 2019 to 2 802 320 in 2020 and declined by 19,5% between 2020 and   read more »


Beyond unemployment – Time-Related Underemployment in the SA labour market

Beyond unemployment – Time-Related Underemployment in the SA labour market

South Africa’s unemployment rate in the first quarter of 2023 was recorded at 32,9 %, and is among the highest in the world. According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), this is an increase of 0,2 of a percentage point compared to the fourth quarter of 2022. While the unemployment rate may be high,   read more »


Mbalo brief – May 2023

A country’s currency is a fundamental component of its national identity. The South African Reserve Bank unveiled upgraded banknotes and coins which help us celebrate our Constitution’s diverse languages and national heritage which make us proudly and uniquely South African. The new banknotes will preserve the theme which honour former president Nelson Mandela by depicting   read more »


SA’S elderly population increasing steadily.

SA’S elderly population increasing steadily.

In 2022 the estimated population of South Africa included more than five million people aged 60 or older. This represents a 9,2 percent share of the overall South African population. According to a report by Statistics South Africa titled Marginalised Groups Series VI: The Social Profile of Older Persons, 2017–2021, more than half (60,9%) of   read more »


Stats SA’s new property price index: Cape Town has become more expensive

Stats SA’s new property price index: Cape Town has become more expensive

Anecdotes about steep property price rises in the City of Cape Town are not without merit. Stats SA’s new residential property price index (RPPI) compares how housing prices have increased since 2010 across the eight metropolitan municipalities and nine provinces. Since 2010, residential property prices have grown by 141% in the City of Cape Town,   read more »


Focus on food inadequacy and hunger in South Africa in 2021

Focus on food inadequacy and hunger in South Africa in 2021

In 2021, about 2,1 million (11,6%) of South African households reported experiencing hunger.   South Africa faces challenges ranging from high unemployment and poverty to the ongoing energy crisis and rising costs of living. These impact negatively on South Africa’s state of food security by making food expensive and inaccessible to many and increasing the   read more »


Safeguarding every drop: Profiling South Africa’s Strategic Water Source Areas

Safeguarding every drop: Profiling South Africa’s Strategic Water Source Areas

Water outages across the country have focussed attention on water as a vital resource. South Africa is a semi-arid country, with only a few natural source areas for water. These areas, referred to as Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSAs), provide much of the water that flows from our taps. SWSAs can be thought of as   read more »


D0401.5 - Experimental Biodiversity-Based Tourism Estimates for South Africa, 2013 to 2019

The Experimental Biodiversity-Based Tourism Estimates for South Africa, 2013 to 2019, provides the first estimates of biodiversity-based tourism expenditure to the South African tourism sector and the South African economy, which is directly linked to the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) for South Africa (for 2013 to 2019). It provides an overview of the role that biodiversity-based tourism plays in South Africa’s tourism sector and provides information on the contribution of biodiversity-based tourism to the South African tourism sector and the South African economy in terms of production, expenditure and employment. read more »


P0350 - International Tourism

This monthly statistical release provides information on South African residents and foreign travellers who entered or left South Africa in March 2024. The specific focus is on foreign tourists who entered the country in March 2024.read more »


02-11-20 - Monthly Earnings in South Africa, 2017-2022

Earnings are assessed using the median monthly income of employed people in both the formal and informal sectors. Medians are widely-used measures that best describe the distribution of earnings, as they are more stable over time. The median earnings, rather than the mean earnings, more accurately represent actual earnings in an occupation. The analysis of earnings highlights that a gender gap exists in earnings, and notes that the white population group continues to earn more than four times the earnings of black Africans. read more »


Report-03-51-02 - Tourism

This annual report presents data on arrivals to and departures from South Africa (SA). The report distinguishes between visits to SA by foreign travelers and foreign visits undertaken by South African residents.read more »


Report-04-05-07 - Tourism Satellite Account for South Africa, final and provisional

The Tourism Satellite Account (TSA), final 2014 and provisional 2015 and 2016 covers updated and new provisional figures for the reference years 2015 and 2016 as well as the final results for 2014. It provides an overview of the role that tourism plays in South Africa and provides information on the contribution by tourism to the South African economy in terms of expenditure and employment.read more »


Blue Crane Route

Blue Crane Route Local Municipal area has a number of strategic environment advantages. It contains 97% of natural land covers, is centrally located between three national parks, contains biodiversity of regional and national significance, can boast incredible scenic beauty, and local conditions present a number of opportunities for renewable energy generation on a large scale. However the area faces a number of issues such as higher densities of population primarily concentrated in the three urban centres.

The low agricultural productivity and carrying capacity of much of the land in the municipality, combined with limited access to water for irrigation, has restricted development of the agricultural economy. The remoteness of the urban centres limits growth of business, services and sectors.

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Ikwezi

The Ikwezi Local Municipality is located in the Eastern Cape, one of the nine local municipalities located within the Cacadu District Municipality. Ikwezi includes three main settlements namely Jansenville, Klipplaat and Waterford, and covers an area of 4 449,7km2. It is an area characterized by low population density, high levels of poverty and excessive bulk water constraints, as well as very poor quality water(http://drupa16dev15.econsultant.co.za).

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Makana

The Makana Local Municipality is located in the Eastern Cape province and forms part of the Cacadu District Municipality, which includes the Camdeboo, Blue Crane Route, Ikwezi, Baviaans, Sunday’s River Valley, Ndlambe, Kouga, Kou-Kamma, and Makana local municipalities. The MakanaLocal Municipality is situated almost in the middle of Port Elizabeth (to the east) and East London (to the west) on the N2 highway. (www.ru.ac.za).

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Ndlambe

The Ndlambe Local Municipality is a predominantly rural area with agriculture and tourism dominating the economy. It encompasses the towns of Kenton-on-sea, Boknes, Bathurst, Boesmansriviermond, Alexandra and Cannon Rocks. (http://www.cacadu.co.za/ndlambe)

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Sundays River Valley

The Sunday River Valley Local Municipality is one the developing local municipalities within the Cacadu District Municipality (western region). It is located in the Eastern Cape, approximately 80km north  east of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.read more »


Economic Growth

The diverse structure of the South African economy is a critical aspect of its historical and current growth performance.  The manufacturing sector continues to occupy a significant share of the South Africa economy, despite its relative importance declining from 19 percent in 1993 to about 17 percent in 2012 in real terms.

In line with structural changes in many economies, it not surprising to observe that the finance, real estate and business services sector has increase its relative importance of 17 per cent in 1993 to approximately 24 per cent in 2012. These two sectors and a few more are an important part of the South African growth story since the dawn of democracy.

Despite that, less than a decade into the 21st century, many countries, including South Africa, experienced the global economic crisis.This has affected economic growth in South Africa over the last four years, prompting a deceleration in rate of economic growth.

South Africa experienced an average growth rate of approximately 5 per cent in real terms between 2004 and 2007. However, the period 2008 to 2012 only recorded average growth just above 2 per cent; largely a result of the global economic recession.

Of the nine provinces in South Africa, three power houses stand out. Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal and Western Cape collectively contribute a significant portion to the country’s value added, reported at over 60 percent.

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National Accounts

The diverse structure of the South African economy is a critical aspect of its historical and current growth performance. The manufacturing sector continues to occupy a significant share of the South Africa economy, despite its relative importance declining from 19 percent in 1993 to about 17 percent in 2012 in real terms. In line with structural changes in many economies, it not surprising to observe that the finance, real estate and business services sector has increase its relative importance of 17 per cent in 1993 to approximately 24 per cent in 2012. These two sectors and a few more are an important part of the South African growth story since the dawn of democracy.read more »


Inflation

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI) are the two primary measures of inflation for South Africa. Both indicators are published on a monthly basis.The Consumer Price Index tracks the rate of change in the prices of goods and services purchased by consumers. The headline CPI is used as the inflation target measure which guides the South African Reserve Bank on the setting of interest rates.

The Producer Price Index tracks the rate of change in the prices charged by producers of goods. Stats SA publishes PPIs for different industries with the PPI for final manufactured goods being the headline PPI. Additional PPIs are compiled for Agriculture, forestry and fishing; Mining and quarrying; Electricity and water; Intermediate manufactured goods; Imports and Exports; and Construction.

The PPI is widely used by businesses as a contract escalator and as a general indicator of inflationary pressures in the economy.

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Transport

Travel survey – Online Updates The National Household Travel survey (NHTS) provides insight into the travel patterns of South African households, providing information on modes of transport used, such as land, air and water transport, as well as cycling, walking, public and private transport. Also included are statistics on travel times, transport challenges experienced by households, and travel patterns related to work, education and leisure. NHTS surveys were conducted in 2003, 2013 and 2020. Transport and the need for transport has become an important part of daily life in South Africa. Not only does the movement of goods and services play an important part in the South African economy, but the types of transport available to individuals affects spatial decisions in terms of work, entertainment, education and place of residence. Stats SA publishes a range of transport-related information in various reports and publications. Travel survey The National Household Travel survey (NHTS) provides insight into the travel patterns of South African households, providing information on modes of transport used, such as land, air and water transport, as well as cycling, walking, public and private transport. Also included are statistics on travel times, transport challenges experienced by households, and travel patterns related to work, education and leisure. NHTS surveys were conducted in 2003 and 2013. Transport and the economy Stats SA’s quarterly Gross domestic product (GDP) release provides information on the size and growth of various industries in the South African economy, including the transport industry. The same publication also includes figures on overall household expenditure on transport. The monthly Motor trade sales release provides the time series data of trade in motor vehicles and motor accessories. The Land transport survey, published on a monthly basis, provides data on passenger and freight transportation by land. The Producer Price Index (PPI) release provides information on the prices of transport equipment leaving the factory gate. The extent to which prices of fuel, public transport and private transport are changing is covered in the monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) release. Employment Stats SA’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) and Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) provide information on the number of individuals employed in various industries, including the transport industry. Financial indicators The Quarterly Financial Statistics (QFS) and Annual Financial Statistics (AFS) reports provide a financial overview of various industries, including transport, storage and communication. Data on turnover, income and expenditure, profit or loss and various balance sheet items are also included in the reports. The transport and storage industry report for 2013 provides more in-depth information on the size, nature and structure of the transport and storage industry. This periodic survey provides details on employment within the industry, trading income, expenditure, profit or loss, inventories, sales and services, and purchases.read more »


South Africa and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

In the year 2000 the South African government, along with other members of the United Nations (UN), committed to a national and global plan of action to reduce poverty and ensure the development of its people. The sixth and final Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Country Report for 2015 provides an overview of the progress South Africa has made towards achieving the eight MDGs. In addition, it provides an historical account of South Africa’s development in numbers. The MDGs are:

  1. To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
  2. To promote universal primary education
  3. To promote gender equality and empower women
  4. To reduce child mortality
  5. To improve maternal health
  6. To combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
  7. To ensure environmental sustainability
  8. To develop a global partnership for the development.

This report reflects the intense national effort, from a range of institutions, organisations and individuals, to improve the lives of all South Africans; particularly the poor and marginalised. A great many people have contributed to this report through their participation in various consultative fora across the country, often at great expense and sacrifice. What started 15 years ago certainly does not end here, and reporting on development issues will continue through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is therefore critical that South Africa’s unfinished MDG business, as well as emerging developmental issues, be appropriately integrated within the SDGs in a manner that places the spotlight on them, while providing adequate direction and impetus for effective planning, development of appropriate policies and budgets, and the construction of appropriate national monitoring and reporting systems.

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