What makes Stats SA’s Financial census of municipalities report so interesting is that it provides an idea of how financially dependent municipalities are on national government. The latest data show that the share of income that municipalities generate on their own has increased slightly since 2017, but there is more to this finding than meets   read more »

The population of South Africa was estimated to be 60,14 million at mid-year 2021, an increase of about 604 281 (1,01%) since mid-year 2020. The latest Mid-year population estimates, 2021 released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), shows that the COVID-19 pandemic impacted mortality and migration in the country since the start of the pandemic   read more »

In the 3rd quarter of 2020 there were significant movements in the South African labour market. According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), a large number of persons moved from the “other not economically active” category to “employed” and “unemployed” status between quarter two and quarter three of 2020. The movement was proportionately more   read more »

Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) estimates the mid-year population 2020 at 59,62 million in South Africa. Around 51,1% (approximately 30,5 million) of the population is female, while 5,43 million people are aged 60 and over. Demography gives us an awareness of the fact that we live in increasingly aging populations. In South Africa, the growth   read more »

It’s fascinating to think that one of the earliest experiments in free trade happened right here in southern Africa. Exactly 110 years ago this month, the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU) was born. We explore data showing how the region depends on the oldest surviving trading bloc in the world. On 31 May 1910, South   read more »

The results of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the first quarter of 2020 indicate that employment decreased by 38 000 to 16,4 million and the number of unemployed persons increased by 344 000 to 7,1 million. As a result, the official unemployment rate increased by 1 percentage point to (30,1%) compared to the fourth quarter   read more »

During the 7-year period before the South Africa Demographic Health Survey (SADHS) 2016, the pregnancy related mortality ratio was 536 pregnancy-related deaths per 100 000 live births. For every 1 000 live births, about five women died during pregnancy or within 2 months after childbirth (SADHS, 2016). While South Africa has made significant progress with regard to   read more »

For most women, the news that they are expecting a baby is a happy event filled with excitement in anticipation of the arrival of their bundle of joy. However, not all births are “wanted”. A recent report by Statistics South Africa entitled Unwanted Fertility in South Africa reveals that about 20% of all births in   read more »

It is often said that each generation should be better off than their parents. In South Africa, generational changes have largely been impacted by important political changes that affected the choices available to Generation X’ers and Millennials in terms of their educational and labour market participations. According to a recent report, Education and Labour Market   read more »

The second African Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Day will be commemorated on the 10th of August 2019,  under the theme, “Birth Certificate for All: Fundamental for Protecting Human Rights and Promoting Inclusion.” The fourth Conference of African Ministers responsible for Civil Registration, held in 2017, declared 10 August to be African Civil Registration   read more »