United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the establishment of an Independent Expert Advisory Group on the Data Revolution for Sustainable Development. The Group will advise the Secretary-General on measures required to close the data gaps and strengthen national statistical capacities. The Group is also expected to assess new opportunities linked to innovation, technical progress   read more »

Patrick Kelly – Executive manager for Price statistics, Statistics South Africa, explores the true cost of ‘Braai Day’. South Africans love meat. This is obvious from our cultural affinity for a braai or ShisaNyama. Many celebrated ‘Braai Day’ on this week’s Heritage Day holiday. This importance is also evident from the prominence of meat products   read more »

The percentage of the population aged 60 years and above rose from 7,1% in 1996 to 8,0% in 2011, constituting an increase from 2,8 million to 4,1 million individuals. This is one of the findings contained in the Profile of Older Persons in South Africa report, which was released by Stats SA at the Population   read more »

Of the R395 billion spent by provincial government during the 2012/13 financial year, 43% (R170 billion) was spent on education, while 30% (R119 billion) was spent on health. This is one of the findings from the latest release of Stats SA’s Financial Statistics of Provincial Government report, published on 29 September 2014. The remaining R106   read more »

Press Statement, 29 September 2014 The Quarterly Employment Survey complements the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS). Although the results may differ due to different coverage and conceptual issues, there are some adjustments which can be conducted on the QLFS data to improve the comparability of these surveys. However, in some cases even after the adjustments   read more »

The June 2014 Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES) survey showed that total formal non-agricultural employment increased by 155 000 jobs in the second quarter. The quarterly increase in employment was mainly due to increases in the community, social and personal services industry (+143 000 or +5,8%); the trade industry (+17 000 or +1,0%); the construction industry (+5 000 or +1,2%);   read more »

Municipal total income for the quarter ending June 2014 amounted to R68,4 billion; the main source of income was from sales of electricity, contributing 29,5% (R20,2 billion). This was one of the findings from the latest Quarterly Financial Statistics of Municipalities (QFSM) report, released on the 29th September. Other contributors to municipal income were grants   read more »

MEDIA ADVISORY For Immediate Release 19 September 2014 Contact: Lesedi Dibakwane 0828057088 lesedid@statssa.gov.za Understanding selected industries, the case of Mining and Trade Statistics South Africa will release the results of the Periodic Large Sample Surveys for Mining and Trade sectors (wholesale, retail, motor and accommodation). The results will among others, detail the different product purchases   read more »

There has been a shift in the last twenty years from low-skilled to semi-skilled and skilled work within the South African workforce. This was one of the results presented by the Statistician-General Pali Lehohla on the 15th September at a media event on youth unemployment. Comparisons of data from the 1994 October Household Survey and   read more »

Consumer inflation (headline CPI) edged up slightly to 6,4% in August compared with July’s reading of 6,3%. The increase was mainly a result of upward pressure from food and motor vehicle prices.  Annual food and beverage inflation, which registered 8,8% in June and July, climbed to 9,4% in August.  Food inflation has been increasing since   read more »