A wide range of indicators inform municipal financial health. In 2014, National Treasury published a uniform set of financial norms and ratios for local government.1 Stats SA recently published data that can be used to inform these norms. In the examples below, we explore how municipalities fare in terms of remuneration and contracted services. Paying   read more »

Stats SA published 26 statistical releases in June, shedding light on the current state of the economy. SA narrowly averts recession The month began with the release of the latest gross domestic product (GDP) figures. After faltering in the fourth quarter of 2022, the South African economy expanded by 0,4% in the first quarter of   read more »

One of the important tasks of national government is to redistribute funds, mainly received from taxes, to other sectors of the economy. These transfers serve a financial lifeline to diverse groups which includes households, public corporations, local and international organisations, and other levels of government. Key areas of spending On the revenue side, national government   read more »

According to the Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES, Q1:2023) survey released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), total employment in the formal non-agricultural sector decreased by 21 000 in the first quarter of 2023, bringing the level of employment to almost 10 million. The survey showed that 97 000 jobs were lost between March 2022 and March   read more »

Headline consumer inflation cooled for a second consecutive month in May to 6,3% from 6,8% in April. May’s reading is the lowest since April 2022 when the rate was 5,9%. The month-on-month change in the consumer price index (CPI) was 0,2% in May. The annual rate for food and non-alcoholic beverages (NAB) was 11,8%, lower than   read more »

Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has become aware of a site that is fraudulently inviting applications for positions at the organisation. Stats SA uses two platforms for recruitment – the HR Database (https://apps.statssa.gov.za/HRRecruitment/) for short-term contract positions, and the e-Recruitment platform (https://apps.statssa.gov.za/erecruitment/#/browseJobs) for permanent positions. Please do not use any other platform to apply for   read more »

The Governance, Public Safety and Justice Survey (GPSJS) is an expansion of the Victims of Crime Survey (VOCS). It collects information on social crimes, exclusion, perceptions about constitutional rights, access to justice, corruption, level of satisfaction with the performance of Government, the incidence of criminal victimisation and the circumstances surrounding victimisation from a victim’s perspective.   read more »

The Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) is a household-based sample survey conducted by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA).  It collects information on the labour market activity of individuals aged 15 years and older, and provides the official measures of employment and unemployment. By taking part in this survey, you will help us to produce statistics   read more »

The General Household Survey (GHS) is one of Stats SA’s longest-running surveys, and has been conducted for more than twenty years. The GHS collects information on a number of themes, including basic service delivery, access to health care, education, and agriculture, amongst others. The dataset is a rich source of information, allowing for the development   read more »

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 »