You’ve waited too long. Your friends have tried it, you’ve seen the videos, you’re feeling the FOMO. You roll up your sleeves – it is time to bake your own lockdown bread. The kitchen is ready. The ingredients are all set out. Two cups of boiling water – check! Instant yeast, brown sugar, salt, flour   read more »

On 28 July 2020, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) published the Quarterly employment statistics (QES) survey results for the first quarter of 2020. According to the survey, the formal non-agricultural sector shed 3 000 jobs in the first quarter of 2020. This brings the total number of persons employed in the formal non-agricultural sector in South Africa to   read more »

According to the Quarterly employment statistics (QES) survey released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) the formal non-agricultural sector shed 3 000 jobs in the first quarter of 2020. This brings the total number of persons employed in the formal non-agricultural sector in South Africa to 10,2 million. According to the report, formal sector jobs rose   read more »

Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has released the third and final round of a series of three online web-based surveys to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals in the country. The third round of the survey (Wave 3) focused on migration and education issues for persons residing in South Africa who are   read more »

How many South African municipalities are in a position to pay back short-term debt? Stats SA’s latest Financial census of municipalities report provides an answer. One way to gauge a business or government institution’s ability to pay back short-term debt is to inspect the working capital ratio. The working capital ratio is a financial indicator.   read more »

Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) estimates the mid-year population 2020 at 59,62 million in South Africa. Around 51,1% (approximately 30,5 million) of the population is female, while 5,43 million people are aged 60 and over. Demography gives us an awareness of the fact that we live in increasingly aging populations. In South Africa, the growth   read more »

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 »

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 »

The results of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the first quarter of 2020 indicate that employment decreased by 38 000 to 16,4 million and the number of unemployed persons increased by 344 000 to 7,1 million. As a result, the official unemployment rate increased by 1 percentage point to (30,1%) compared to the fourth quarter   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 »