South Africa’s tourism trade balance entered negative territory in 2021
International visitors to South Africa bring much-needed foreign exchange. Dollars, euros and pounds are converted to rands and spent on tourism products like food, accommodation, recreation and transport. This helps drive domestic tourism-related activities within the country. There is often a lot of attention on the amount of money that non-resident visitors, comprising both tourists read more »
Employment surpasses pre-COVID levels in SA
Millions of people’s livelihoods, jobs, and health were in jeopardy because of the health crisis caused by COVID-19. Â The global economic crisis that emerged was a result of the impact of COVID-19. The impact of the pandemic and the related containment measures led to a severe contraction in economic activity as many people were unable read more »
A tale of two universities
South Africa’s two newest universities had their origins back in 2010. That year, the South African Government announced its intention to establish two new institutions of higher learning. In late 2011, the Department of Higher Education and Training, together with the University of Witwatersrand, formed the New Universities Project Management Team. This team was responsible read more »
Economic wrap-up for October 2023
Stats SA published 25 statistical releases in October. Here is a quick overview of key economic indicators shaping the South African economy. Consumer inflation rises for a second consecutive month Inflation worries were stoked once again in September. The consumer price index (CPI), which reflects the changes in prices of a representative basket of goods read more »
Trust in Government, Access to Services, and the Shadow of Corruption
Access to government services is a cornerstone of any well-functioning society. In the realm of governance, the relationship between access to government services, levels of trust in government and public institutions, and individual experiences of corruption significantly impacts the overall well-being of a society. These factors are integral to the effectiveness and legitimacy of a read more »
Public-sector capital expenditure increases in 2022
After five consecutive years of decline, capital expenditure in the public sector increased by R9,3 billion (4,6%), from R199,8 billion in 2021 to R209,1 billion in 2022. Extra-budgetary accounts and funds, national government, public corporations, provincial government and higher education institutions all recorded increases. However, there was a decline for local government, according to Stats SA’s Capital expenditure read more »
Eastern Cape home to over 7.2 million people.
Eastern Cape is the fourth most populated province in South Africa, according to the latest Census 2022 results. The total population of Eastern Cape as counted in Census 2022 increased by 10, 2% from 6,5 million more than a decade ago in Census 2011 to 7,2 million in the latest population and housing census. A read more »
Free State home to over 2,9 million people.
Media Release For Immediate Release 18 October 2023 Free State home to over 2,9 million people. Free State is one of the smaller provinces in South Africa, ranked eighth according to the latest Census 2022 results. The total population of Free State as counted in Census 2022 increased by 8,0%, from 2,7m more than a read more »
Inflation rises for a second consecutive month
Consumer price inflation increased to 5,4% in September from 4,8% in August. This brings the rate to the same level as June this year. Fuel prices cast a shadow The fuel index increased for a second consecutive month, rising by 7,6% between August and September. The price of inland 95-octane petrol jumped by R1,71 in read more »
Rising Non-Communicable Diseases: A Looming Health Crisis
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have emerged as a major global health challenge, affecting millions of individuals worldwide. A new report released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), Non-communicable diseases: Findings from death notifications (2008-2018), explores the changing landscape of NCDs in South Africa over time, highlighting key trends and insights. Data from the World Health Organization read more »