MEDIA RELEASE    Embargo: Tuesday 23 August 2022, 11h30 AM Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) – Q2:2022 The official unemployment rate was 33,9% in the second quarter of 2022. Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has, today (23 August 2022), issued the results of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for Q2: 2022. These results indicate that   read more »

According to the Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES, Q1:2022) survey released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), total employment in the formal non-agricultural sector increased by 42 000 in the first quarter of 2022, bringing the level of total employment to approximately 10,1 million. The survey showed that jobs increased by 200 000 between March 2021 and   read more »

South African gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 1,9% in the first quarter of 2022, representing a second consecutive quarter of upward growth.1 The size of the economy is now at pre-pandemic levels, with real GDP slightly higher than what it was before the COVID-19 pandemic. This release covers the first quarter of the year   read more »

In April and May 2022 Stats SA is updating its seasonal adjustment models for monthly business cycle indicators, namely mining, manufacturing, electricity, building, wholesale, retail, motor, tourist accommodation, food & beverages, land transport, and civil cases for debt. What is seasonal adjustment, and why is it so important for measuring and analysing the economy? We   read more »

Jobs in the formal non-agricultural sector increased by 62 000 in the fourth quarter of 2021, bringing the total number of persons employed in the formal non-agricultural sector in South Africa to approximately 10,0 million. According to the Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES, Q4:2021) survey released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), formal sector jobs increased   read more »

Real gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 1,2%1 in the fourth quarter (October–December), taking the annual growth rate for 2021 to 4,9%. The fourth quarter was upbeat, with personal services, trade, manufacturing and agriculture the key drivers of growth. An increase in demand for goods and services drove up the expenditure side of the economy,   read more »

Jobs in the formal non-agricultural sector increased by 52 000 in the third quarter of 2021, bringing the total number of persons employed in the formal non-agricultural sector in South Africa to approximately 9,62 million. According to the Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES, Q3:2021) survey released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), year-on-year, formal sector jobs increased   read more »

Net profit before tax in the formal business sector tumbled by 33,4% in the financial year 2020 compared with 2019, with business services and manufacturing the hardest hit. The data, from Stats SA’s latest Annual financial statistics (AFS) survey1 , which mostly covers the period before the lockdown, show that total net profit before tax   read more »

Under the twin pressures of tighter COVID-19 lockdown restrictions and a spate of civil disorder in July, as well as several other headwinds, the South African economy contracted in the third quarter of 2021 (July–September). After recording four consecutive quarters of positive growth, real gross domestic product (GDP) slumped by 1,5%1, eroding some of the   read more »

Introduction In September 2021, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) implemented new samples for the following monthly surveys: P3041.2 – Manufacturing: Production and sales; P6141.2 – Wholesale trade sales; P6242.1 – Retail trade sales; P6343.2 – Motor trade sales; P6410 – Tourist accommodation; P6420 – Food and beverages; and P7162 – Land transport. New samples for   read more »