What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” These are the words of former South African President Nelson Mandela. Every year on 18 July, people across the globe   read more »

The answer might surprise you. Stats SA’s recently released Financial census of municipalities report, for 2016, provides in-depth detail on the financial state of South Africa’s municipalities, including levels of debt. How solvent are South African municipalities? To answer that question, we turn to a financial ratio called the debt ratio. The debt ratio is   read more »

With South Africa formally in recession and hoping for some good news, the latest employment figures released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) holds no reprieve. According to the March 2017 Quarterly Employment Survey (QES), an estimated 9 644 000 persons were employed in the formal non-agricultural sector of the South African economy. This reflected   read more »

South Africa’s 47 national government departments spent R137 billion on compensation of employees during the 2015/16 fiscal year. Which departments paid their employees the most in terms of compensation? Stats SA breaks it down for you. According to the data, sourced from the latest Financial statistics of national government report1, 70% of the R137 billion   read more »

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. Every year, June 16 is National Youth Day and is declared a public holiday. Although the youth of 1976 fought against unequal education   read more »

Stats SA publishes estimates of GDP every quarter. It is one of the most anticipated statistical releases on the calendar as it captures the dynamics of the economy in a single number. The key number is expressed as the seasonally adjusted annualised growth between two consecutive quarters, based on GDP in real terms (i.e. volume)1.   read more »

MEDIA RELEASE                                                                                                                                                        31 May 2017 Exploring the extent of and circumstances surrounding housebreaking/burglary and home robbery: An in-depth analysis of the Victims of   read more »

Media Release                                                                                                                                                          31 May 2017 Non-financial census of municipalities, 2016  The results of the latest Non-financial census of municipalities (NFCM) released   read more »

Media Release                                                                                                                                                      31 May 2017  General Household Survey, 2016  According to the results of the General Household Survey, 2016 released by Statistics South Africa   read more »

Home robbery and housebreaking are among the most frightening and dangerous crimes to experience. It is frightening because it violates our private space and the one place that we think of as our sanctuary. What do the latest statistics tell us about home robberies and housebreaking in South Africa? According to the latest report released   read more »