The unemployment rate among youth increased from 32,7% to 36,1% between 2008 and 2014; in the post recessionary period, the unemployment rate has been consistently higher among youth than among adults by more than 20 percentage points.  The report released by Statistics South Africa examines in detail various aspects of the situation faced by youth   read more »

Stats SA today released the Q1:2014 results which show a quarterly decline in employment by 122 000 due to a loss of 110 000 jobs in the informal sector. Formal sector employment was virtually unchanged at 10,8 million compared with the previous quarter, while both Private households and Agriculture shed jobs (14 000 and 5 000 respectively). The   read more »

Findings from the Poverty Trends in South Africa report released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) on Thursday showed a strong link between increased level of education and decreased levels of poverty. While the overall level of poverty has declined between 2006 and 2011, there are stark differences when one examines poverty status according to   read more »

Statistical agencies across the world periodically revise published statistical series when new information becomes available. So too does Stats SA. In the past, labour market information has been revised following the release of the results of Census 1996, Census 2001 and the large-scale Community Survey of 2007. Similarly, the current revision has been undertaken to   read more »

Based on revised estimates, in quarter 4 of 2013, employment levels rose to 15,2 million – surpassing the peak reached in quarter 4 of 2008 during the pre-recession period. However, quarterly job gains of 141 000 in quarter 4 of 2013 were largely due to an increase in informal sector employment of 123 000. In addition, most   read more »

FOREWORD Minister Trevor Manuel, the Minister in the Presidency: The National Planning Commission  We are in the home stretch, 2015 is just around the corner and this Millennium Development Goals report, the fifth in a series of reports since the adoption of the MDG‟s in 2000, is critical in understanding and knowing whether we are   read more »

“While many people look forward to a fulfilling old age, more than one in five adults aged 60 and over experience mental or neurological disorders, such as dementia and depression.” These were the words of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the occasion of the World Mental Health Day, 10 October 2013. Mental health conditions   read more »

South Africa has recently been plagued by a series of strikes. As collective wage negotiations got underway, employers and employees came to a deadlock. Mining, car manufacturing and City Power workers were among some of the workers who downed their tools during this time. Although many would agree that this year’s ‘strike season’, as some call it, was not   read more »

Approximately 57 years ago, on 9 August 1956, more than 20 000 heroines took it upon themselves to challenge those who were imposing racist and unjust laws upon them.  Women of all races joined forces under the leadership of Lillian Ngoyi, Rahima Moosa, Helen Joseph, Sophia de Bruyn, Frances Baard, Bertha Gxowa and Albertina Sisulu   read more »

Employment increased by 100 000 between the 1st and 2nd quarters of 2013. Despite this, the increase in unemployment by 122 000 resulted in an increase of 0,4 of a percentage point in the unemployment rate – from 25,2% to 25,6% between the two quarters. Year-on-year, employment rose by 274 000 while unemployment rose by 254 000. Education plays   read more »