Inflation for 2020 was the lowest in 16 years and the second lowest in 51 years
The December 2020 Consumer Price Index (CPI) release concludes the data points for the entire calendar year. The average annual inflation rate for 2020 was 3,3%. This is the lowest annual average rate since 2004 (1,4%) and the second lowest since 1969 (3,0%). One of the reasons for low inflation in 2004, according to the read more »
Three facts about small business turnover in South Africa
As government introduces new legislation to further support small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs), recently released data from the 2019 Annual Financial Statistics (AFS) survey shows the growing role that small businesses play in the formal business sector. The National Small Enterprise Amendment Bill 2020, gazetted recently, outlines the establishment of an ombud service that read more »
Mapping vulnerability to COVID-19
With South Africa officially facing its second wave of COVID-19 infections, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has released an innovative online mapping tool that shows which communities may be more adversely affected by COVID-19 outbreaks. The South African Covid-19 Vulnerability Index (VIndex) was developed as a way of using the smallest area population data available read more »
GDP rallies as lockdown restrictions ease
South Africa’s economy rebounded in the third quarter of 2020 (July–September), coinciding with the easing of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. All industries recorded an increase in economic activity compared with the second quarter, with manufacturing, trade and mining leading the charge. Businesses were supported by an increase in both exports and household spending. Gross domestic product read more »
Mbalo Brief – November 2020
African Health Ministers gathered for the 17th session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa in Brazzaville to assess the region’s efforts in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic, with more calls to step up vigilance and to prevent a possible resurgence of infections. According to WHO Regional Committee for Africa, most African countries read more »
The shifting nature of South Africa’s landscape: a 24-year snapshot of land cover change
The land under our feet is, in several senses, living. Alive in terms of the organisms that support healthy soils to cultivate crops. Active in terms of abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) factors that interact with each other to create distinct ecological systems. Malleable in terms of the changes that humans bring about. Digital snapshots read more »
Housebreaking still number one crime in SA
Housebreaking or burglary has consistently been the most common crime experienced by households in South Africa. The number of households that experienced this crime in the five years preceding the survey has increased from 2,1 million in 2015/16 to 2,3 million in 2019/20. This is according to the Governance, Public Safety, and Justice Survey (GPSJS) read more »
What does government spend money on?
A recent release from Stats SA provides a breakdown of financial data from all 708 institutions in government. This article provides an overview of what government spent money on in 2018/19, with focus on the public service wage bill. South African general government spent R1,79Â trillion in 2018/19, according to the latest Financial statistics of consolidated read more »
Significant movements into the labour force in the 3rd quarter of 2020
In the 3rd quarter of 2020 there were significant movements in the South African labour market. According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), a large number of persons moved from the “other not economically active” category to “employed” and “unemployed” status between quarter two and quarter three of 2020. The movement was proportionately more read more »
Stats SA mobilises expertise to counsel on Census 2021 delivery
For immediate release                                                                                    8 November 2020 Stats SA mobilises expertise to counsel on Census 2021 delivery Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has appointed a Census National Advisory Committee (NAC), which will serve as an oversight body to advise the Statistician-General as he coordinates and oversees the delivery of the country’s digital population count, Census 2021. read more »