Mbalo Brief – May 2016
Protests and violence continue to rage through South African universities. In the Vaal University of Technology (VUT), Vanderbijlpark Campus, students clashed with police and set alight university property. The protesting students are calling for the removal of the security company currently contracted by the University. Meanwhile, in Rhodes University, female students took to the streets read more »
Finding a home in a big pond
Finding a home in a big pond It is often said that small businesses hold the key to economic growth. Recently released data paint an interesting picture of where small businesses are making a substantial contribution to economic activity. Stats SA’s latest Quarterly financial statistics reports that the private sector earned a total of R2,1 read more »
The economy: winners and losers of 2015
South Africa’s economy grew by 1,3% in 2015, down from 1,5% in 2014 and 2,2% in 2013, according to preliminary estimates of real gross domestic product (GDP) published by Stats SA. Overall economic growth in 2015 was characterised by two of the main industry groups shrinking in size, while the other eight experienced some growth. read more »
Private sector turnover rises in the third quarter
Stats SA’s latest Quarterly Financial Statistics report provides detailed financial statistics on the private sector, for the quarter ending September 2015. How did business turnover fare over this period? The following short article covers key turnover statistics from the report. Total turnover Total turnover in the private sector increased by 3,3% in the September 2015 read more »
South Africa’s economy narrowly avoids recession
South Africa’s economy grew by 0,7% in the third quarter of 2015, according to preliminary estimates of real gross domestic product (GDP) released by Stats SA. Unless otherwise stated, growth rates are quarter-on-quarter, seasonally adjusted and annualised. After experiencing a 1,3% contraction in the second quarter, the marginal GDP growth in the third quarter staved read more »
Unemployment increases in the third quarter of 2015
27 October 2015 Media Release The results for the third quarter Quarterly labour force survey (QLFS) shows that the working-age population was 36,1 million – 15,8 million employed, 5,4 million unemployed and 14,9 million not economically active. The not economically active population decreased by 200 000 and the economically active population increased 359 000 quarter-to-quarter. read more »
Turnover and capital investment in the private sector rise
Total turnover in the private sector increased by 1,6% in the quarter ended June 2015 compared with the quarter ended March 2015, according to Stats SA’s latest Quarterly financial statistics report. The electricity, mining, trade, manufacturing and transport sectors reported increases in turnover, while decreases were recorded for construction, community services (excluding government institutions) and read more »
South Africa’s economy contracts in the second quarter of 2015
South Africa’s economy contracted by 1,3% (seasonally adjusted and annualised) in the second quarter of 2015, according to preliminary estimates of real gross domestic product (GDP) released by Stats SA. The quarter-on-quarter decrease in overall economic activity was characterised by five of the ten main industry groups shrinking in size, while the other five experienced read more »
Formal employment declines in third quarter
The September 2014 Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES) report, released on 11 December 2014, shows that total formal non-agricultural employment decreased by 129 000 jobs from 8,67 million in June 2014 to 8,54 million in September 2014. 132 000 jobs were lost in the government sector. The main contributor to this decline was the Independent Electoral read more »
A glimmer of hope in a time of darkness?
With the current electricity supply problems gripping the country, some comfort can be drawn from recent financial data that indicates intensive investment in infrastructure by players in the electricity, gas and water supply industry. The recently published Quarterly financial statistics report, which provides a range of financial statistics on industries in the South African economy, read more »