Stats Biz – June 2020
The South African economy recorded its third straight quarter of economic decline, falling by 2,0% in the first quarter of 2020. This followed a contraction of -1,4% and -0,8% in the fourth and third quarters of 2019, respectively. Explore the GDP, as well as other stories, in this edition of Stats Biz. Download Stats Biz read more »
Mbalo Brief – June 2020
In this month of June, South Africans commemorate the 1976 June 16 uprising when more than 15 000 students in Soweto took to the streets to march against the Bantu education policies. Although the youth of 1976 fought against unequal education and language amongst other issues, the youth of today are faced with a different read more »
GDP falls by 2,0%
The South African economy recorded its third consecutive quarter of economic decline, falling by 2,0% (seasonally adjusted and annualised) in the first quarter of 2020.1 This followed a contraction of -1,4% and -0,8% in the fourth and third quarters of 2019, respectively. The results presented here cover the period 1 January 2020 to 31 March read more »
Business under lockdown: Pressure might be easing
During the final two weeks of Level 5 lockdown, almost half of the businesses responding to our impact survey indicated that they had temporarily ceased trading. During Level 4, this fell to one-fifth, according to a follow-up survey. Other indicators from the Level 4 survey show a similar pattern as the economy returns to full read more »
A 110-year-old trade venture
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 »
Inflation the lowest in almost 15 years
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 »
Changes to the calculation and publication date of the April CPI
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 »
8,1% of respondents lost jobs or had to close businesses
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 »
Loss of income resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic may lead to higher levels of food insecurity SA
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 »
COVID-19: Nine in ten businesses report reduced turnover
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 »