It’s fascinating to think that one of the earliest experiments in free trade happened right here in southern Africa. Exactly 110 years ago this month, the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU) was born. We explore data showing how the region depends on the oldest surviving trading bloc in the world. On 31 May 1910, South   read more »

Annual CPI inflation for April reflects the impact of the first month of the COVID-19 lockdown. The rate dropped to 3,0% in April from 4,1% in March, the lowest reading since June 2005 when the rate was 2,8%. Consumer inflation is now at the bottom of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) target range of   read more »

The COVID-19 pandemic and the drastic actions taken to prevent its spread have fundamentally impacted the South African economy and Stats SA’s ability to measure it. Government imposed a restrictive five-week lockdown from 27 March to 30 April. Data collection for the March 2020 consumer price index had been completed before the lockdown and it   read more »

Media Release                                                                                                                                             20 May 2020                                                      8,1% of respondents lost jobs or had to close businesses 8,1% of respondents reported that they lost their jobs or had to close their businesses   read more »

Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has embarked on a series of three online web-based surveys to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals in the country to assist government and other stakeholders in their response to the crisis. The second round of the survey (Wave 2) focused on employment, income and hunger-related issues   read more »

The second wave of Stats SA’s COVID-19 business impact survey provides an update on how South African businesses are currently faring under lockdown. The first impact survey covered the period 30 March to 13 April 2020, and the results were published on 21 April.1 The survey asked firms in the formal sector how the COVID-19   read more »

Media Release                                                                                                           7   read more »

Media Release                                                                                                       30 April 2020  Respondents are extremely worried about the possible collapse of the economy. Respondents were staying indoors and only left their houses to get food or medicine, according to the COVID-19 behavioural and health perception survey results released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA). The survey was conducted in the week   read more »

A rapid response survey, conducted by Stats SA during the lockdown, asked businesses how the current crisis is affecting their operations in the two-week period from 30 March to 13 April 2020. This is what they told us. A total of 707 businesses in the formal sector responded to the survey, outlining the pandemic’s impact   read more »

COVID-19, Coronavirus, social distancing or lockdown have become the talk of town. This is a period that will definitely find its way into the world’s history books. Many businesses were forced to put their operations on hold, workers, pupils and students have been forced to stay at home and the South African National Defense Force   read more »