As South Africa commemorates 50 years since the 1976 Soweto Uprising, Youth Month provides an opportunity to reflect on how the lives of young people have changed over time. The generation of 1976 fought for access to quality education, dignity, and equal opportunity. As Statistics South Africa celebrates 30 years of census – taking in   read more »

Violence against children remains one of the most pervasive yet often hidden challenges affecting societies today. Despite global policy commitments, abuse, neglect, and exploitation of children continues across homes, schools, and communities. In South Africa Child Protection Week, observed from 29 May to 5 June 2026, raises awareness about children’s rights and safety while encouraging   read more »

Several tertiary education institutions are starting a new academic year this month. Stats SA provides the latest update on how higher education fees have shifted over time. Just over 10 years ago, students across the country launched widespread protests against rising tuition fees. This had an impact on the finances of higher education institutions, covered   read more »

While most learners in South Africa are able to access education, particularly at basic education level, a new report by Statistics South Africa highlights those who remain excluded from the education they aspire to, largely due to cost pressures. Despite education being a national priority, rising education-related expenses continue to place learning opportunities beyond the   read more »

Provincial government provides a wide range of essential services, from education and health to infrastructure development. Recent data show how much money provincial government spends, in particular on compensation of employees. Government expenditure can be classified in functional and economic terms. The functional view reflects the purpose for which transactions are undertaken, mainly in terms   read more »

As South Africa marks Child Protection Week from May 29 to June 5, 2025, attention turns to one of the country’s most vulnerable groups—children with special needs. While Child Protection Week traditionally focuses on raising awareness around child abuse and neglect, attention is increasingly being drawn to an often-overlooked issue: the challenges preventing children with   read more »

The 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA) underscored South Africa’s pressing labour market challenges, with unemployment remaining a top national concern. The Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) reports an unemployment rate of 31,9% in Q4: 2024, reflecting the continued difficulty many South Africans face in securing jobs. Beyond unemployment, time-related underemployment remains a challenge,   read more »

Empty stomachs, empty classrooms: Investment in school feeding schemes The South African government spent R8,4 billion in 2022/23 on its nationwide school feeding scheme. Recent data provides a provincial breakdown, as well as how this spending has shifted over the years. South Africa’s school-nutrition programme In 1994, the South African government established the National School Nutrition   read more »

“Wathint’ Abafazi, Wathint’ Imbokodo” (“You strike a woman, you strike a rock”) has become a powerful symbol of women’s strength and resistance. During Women’s Month, we celebrate the achievements of women in South Africa and the critical role they play in our society. Regrettably, women in SA continue to shoulder a disproportionate burden of unemployment,   read more »

In 2022, South Africa had a population of 62 million persons, with around 3,3 million individuals identified as living with disabilities. A recent report from Statistics South Africa, titled “Profiling Socio-economic Status and Living Arrangements of Persons with Disabilities in South Africa, 2011–2022,” revealed that disability prevalence varied across different measures. The findings, which are   read more »