SA loses more than 600K formal sector jobs during COVID-19 lockdown
According to the Quarterly employment statistics (QES) survey released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), the formal non-agricultural sector shed 648 000 jobs in the second quarter of 2020. This brings the total number of persons employed in the formal non-agricultural sector in South Africa to 9,5 million. According to the report, formal sector jobs decreased read more »
29 September Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) – Q2:2020
The results of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the second quarter of 2020 indicate that the number of employed persons decreased by 2,2 million to 14,1 million compared to the first quarter of 2020. This unprecedented change is the largest quarter one to quarter two decline since the survey began in 2008. Contrary read more »
Steep slump in GDP as COVID-19 takes its toll on the economy
The punch in the gut was severe. Perhaps the second quarter of 2020 will become known as the pandemic quarter. South Africa’s economy suffered a significant contraction during April, May and June, when the country operated under widespread lockdown restrictions in response to COVID-19. Gross domestic product (GDP) fell by just over 16% between the read more »
Mbalo Brief – July 2020
On 28 July 2020, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) published the Quarterly employment statistics (QES) survey results for the first quarter of 2020. According to the survey, the formal non-agricultural sector shed 3 000 jobs in the first quarter of 2020. This brings the total number of persons employed in the formal non-agricultural sector in South Africa to read more »
Decline in formal sector jobs in first quarter 2020
According to the Quarterly employment statistics (QES) survey released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) the formal non-agricultural sector shed 3 000 jobs in the first quarter of 2020. This brings the total number of persons employed in the formal non-agricultural sector in South Africa to 10,2 million. According to the report, formal sector jobs rose read more »
Mbalo Brief – June 2020
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. Although the youth of 1976 fought against unequal education and language amongst other issues, the youth of today are faced with a different read more »
GDP falls by 2,0%
The South African economy recorded its third consecutive quarter of economic decline, falling by 2,0% (seasonally adjusted and annualised) in the first quarter of 2020.1 This followed a contraction of -1,4% and -0,8% in the fourth and third quarters of 2019, respectively. The results presented here cover the period 1 January 2020 to 31 March read more »
COVID-19: Nine in ten businesses report reduced turnover
The second wave of Stats SA’s COVID-19 business impact survey provides an update on how South African businesses are currently faring under lockdown. The first impact survey covered the period 30 March to 13 April 2020, and the results were published on 21 April.1 The survey asked firms in the formal sector how the COVID-19 read more »
COVID-19: Four in ten businesses feel that they cannot continue to operate
Media release 21 April 2020 COVID-19: Four in ten businesses feel that they cannot continue to operate The results of a rapid response survey conducted by Stats SA during the lockdown was released today. Businesses were asked how the current crisis affected their operations in the two-week period from 30 March to 13 April 2020. read more »
COVID-19: Four in ten businesses feel that they cannot continue to operate
A rapid response survey, conducted by Stats SA during the lockdown, asked businesses how the current crisis is affecting their operations in the two-week period from 30 March to 13 April 2020. This is what they told us. A total of 707 businesses in the formal sector responded to the survey, outlining the pandemic’s impact read more »