Income

The total income for the wholesale trade industry in 2022 was R2 555,6 billion. The total income represents an increase of 7,0% per annum compared with the income reported in the corresponding survey of 2018 (R1 952,4 billion). Comparing 2018 and 2022, large increases were reported for ‘wholesale trade in solid, liquid and gaseous fuels and related products’ (+R118,4 billion), ‘wholesale trade in other household goods’ (+R109,7 billion) and ‘wholesale trade in food, beverages and tobacco’ (+R91,9 billion). ‘Wholesale trade on a fee or contract basis’ (-R10,8 billion) and ‘wholesale trade in textiles, clothing and footwear’ (-R3,2 billion) were the only two types of wholesale trade to record decreases in income over the same period.

Between 2012 and 2022, ‘wholesale trade in solid, liquid and gaseous fuels and related products’ gained the biggest percentage share (+4,4 percentage points) in income (from a percentage contribution of 13,1% in 2012 to 17,5% in 2022). ‘Wholesale trade in machinery, equipment and supplies’ lost the biggest percentage share (‑2,8 percentage points) over the same period (from 17,5% in 2012 to 14,7% in 2022), followed by ‘wholesale trade in food, beverages and tobacco’ (-2,3 percentage points, from 19,7% in 2012 to 17,4% in 2022).

Revisions: revisions were made to Report No. 61-01-01 (2018) results due to new information obtained after the publication.

Employment

The total number of persons employed in the wholesale trade industry as at the end of June 2022 was 515 321. This represents an increase of 2,1% per annum compared with the employment recorded in 2018 (473 989 persons). ‘Wholesale trade in machinery, equipment and supplies’ employed the largest number of persons (123 786 or 23,9%), followed by ‘wholesale trade in food, beverages and tobacco’ (106 304 or 20,6%) and ‘general and other wholesale trade’ (73 497 or 14,3%).

Formal employment increased from 458 000 in 2012 to 515 321 in 2022 (a gain of 57 321 jobs). The biggest gains in employment between 2012 and 2022 were in ‘wholesale trade in machinery, equipment and supplies’ (+33 160), ‘wholesale trade in food, beverages and tobacco’ (+32 942) and ‘wholesale trade in construction materials, hardware, plumbing and heating equipment and supplies’ (+6 949). The biggest loss in employment was in ‘wholesale trade in agricultural raw materials and livestock’ (-6 795 jobs).

Average salaries and wages

The average salaries and wages in the wholesale trade industry in 2022 was R275 599. The type of wholesale trade with the highest average salaries and wages in 2022 was ‘wholesale trade in other household goods’ (R429 331), followed by ‘wholesale trade in other intermediate products, waste and scrap’ (R405 532) and ‘wholesale trade in metals and metal ores’ (R362 785). The type of wholesale trade with the lowest average salaries and wages in 2022 was ‘wholesale trade in textiles, clothing and footwear’ (R193 606).