Amanzimtoti Main Beach was reopened last week following the end of 2025’s sardine run.1 The annual mass migration of fish, which occurs between May and July, is a boon for local fishing communities along the KwaZulu-Natal coast. The sardine run highlights South Africa’s rich marine resources, which contribute to a vibrant fishing industry. A recent   read more »

MEDIA STATEMENT Stats SA Engages Capitec on Labour Statistics and Informal Sector Dynamics  04 July 2025 For immediate release The Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, the Statistician-General, Mr Risenga Maluleke, and senior representatives from Stats SA and National Treasury met with Capitec Bank CEO Mr Gerrie Fourie and his management team on 3rd of July 2025   read more »

More consumer units are receiving basic services, but fewer are receiving these services for free. A 10-year review shows the coverage of free basic water falling from 38% in 2014 to 16% in 2023. The same held true for electricity, sewerage & sanitation and solid waste management. Explore municipal service delivery, as well as other   read more »

June was a busy month for Stats SA’s publication schedule, with 28 releases published in the month. Lacklustre economic growth in the first quarter June began with the release of the latest gross domestic product (GDP) estimates, for the first quarter (January–March) of 2025. GDP expanded by a muted 0,1%, with agriculture leading the increase.   read more »

The provision of free basic services to millions of households stems from the Free Basic Services (FBS) policy adopted in 2001. The policy outlined government’s intention to provide free services to the poorest (indigent) households. Over time, the FBS has expanded to include policies for free basic water, electricity, sewerage & sanitation and solid waste   read more »

Government financial data might be overwhelming at first, especially for the non-expert. Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) publishes a wealth of government financial statistics. The two tables and overview below provide a useful summary of how the figures can be read and interpreted. The first table presents an overview of government’s current cash flow position, classifying   read more »

According to the Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES, Q1:2025) survey released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), total employment in the formal non-agricultural sector decreased by 74 000 (-0,7%) in the first quarter of 2025, with employment falling from 10,65 million in December 2024 to 10,58 million by March 2025. According to the survey, 95 000 jobs   read more »

Consumer price inflation was 2,8% in May, unchanged from 2,8% in April. The consumer price index (CPI) increased by 0,2% between April and May. Food & non-alcoholic beverages (NAB) is the only category that contributed to the monthly increase in the CPI. The monthly change in food & NAB was 1,1%, following a 1,3% rise   read more »

Agriculture came to the rescue in the first quarter, helping to pull GDP up by a marginal 0,1%. Four of the ten industries on the production side of the economy saw positive gains, but these were offset mainly by declines in mining and manufacturing. Explore the latest GDP figures, as well as other stories, in   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 »