The South African economy grew by 2,0% in the third quarter of 2017 (seasonally adjusted and annualised), down from a revised 2,8% in the second quarter. Agriculture, mining and manufacturing were the main drivers of the expansion, while there was a contraction in general government services resulting from low employment numbers in the public sector.   read more »

Stats SA recently released a complete overview of total government spending for 2015/16, providing insight into where your tax contributions have gone. Did you know that more money was spent on the police than on primary education, and more on defence than on environmental protection? Have a look at this infographic for more. According to   read more »

South African businesses are borrowing more money. The amount of debt held by the formal business sector1 was up 5,9% in 2016 compared with 2015. Total debt amounted to R5,7 trillion in 2016. The rise in debt was observed in eight of the nine industries, according to Stats SA’s latest Annual financial statistics (AFS) release2.   read more »

The formal business sector, excluding agriculture and financial intermediation, generated R2,3 trillion in turnover during the second quarter of 2017, i.e. the months of April, May and June. Who was responsible for generating this amount? Stats SA’s Quarterly Financial Statistics (QFS) report, which provides regular updates on the financial state and makeup of South Africa’s   read more »

Summer is here and it’s time once again for the tourist high season. For those in the tourism industry, it is the busiest time of the year with tourists from around the globe flocking to South African shores to enjoy our beautiful beaches, the African sun and the many attractions that South Africa has to   read more »

  16 October 2017   MEDIA BRIEF   International Population Conference 29 October – 4 November 2017, Cape Town   Introduction/ Situation Analysis   Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) will host the 28th International Conference (IPC) of the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP) on behalf of government from 29 October to   read more »

  Media advisory                                                                                                                  18 October 2017   World Population Scientist descent to Cape Town to consult on population issues to advance policy and development programmes    Discourse and solutions around population issues focusing on world poverty, mortality, life expectancy, policy challenges in Africa,   read more »

The month of October has been declared Mental Health Awareness Month with the objective of educating the public about mental health and to reduce the stigma and discrimination against people with mental illness. Mental health problems such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and stress are common, and affect individuals, families and the broader community. In   read more »

It’s hard to believe. It goes against what we often hear. Whether chatting with friends around the braai or debating with family at the dinner table, almost everyone has a story to tell about their own experiences with rising prices. Surprisingly, data show that there are in fact items that are cheaper now than they   read more »

You can consider yourself one of the lucky few if you have medical aid. According to the latest General Household Survey, only 17 in 100 South Africans have medical insurance, the essential key that opens the door to private healthcare. As many as 45 million, or 82 out of every 100 South Africans, fall outside   read more »