October marks Transport month in South Africa, a time to reflect on the progress and challenges in building a transport system that works for all. This year’s theme, “Implementing an integrated, sustainable, and safe transport system that promotes inclusive economic growth, job retention and creation, and social development,” captures the broader vision of a transport read more »
According to the Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES, Q2:2025) survey released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), total employment in the formal non-agricultural sector decreased by 80 000 (-0,8%) in the second quarter of 2025, with employment falling from 10,59 million in March 2025 to 10,51 million by June 2025. According to the survey, 229 000 jobs read more »
Recently, Stats SA explored the latest data on gambling and betting activity in South Africa.1 Further to this, another set of data provides a high-level financial overview of institutions tasked with regulating the industry. Stats SA’s Financial statistics of extra-budgetary accounts and funds statistical release focuses on cash flow data for 260 public institutions referred read more »
Annual consumer price inflation pulled back in August, easing to 3,3% from 3,5% in July. Softer food and fuel inflation took some of the heat off the headline rate. The monthly change was also lower. The consumer price index (CPI) decreased by 0,1% between July and August, with four of thirteen categories in the inflation read more »
Gambling and betting are on the rise. Not only is this supported by data from the National Gambling Board, but it has also emerged in economic and household findings from Stats SA. The great switch The industry is booming, according to the National Gambling Board of South Africa.1 Gross gambling revenue2 was R59,3 billion in the 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 »
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 »
Access to safe, sufficient, and reliable drinking water and sanitation is a fundamental human right essential for health and everyday life. However, access to this right remains inequitable, both globally and in South Africa. According to the General Household Survey (GHS), 2024, released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), while 71,8% of urban residents have read more »
Every year, thousands of babies in South Africa never get to take their first breath, while many others die within days of birth. The latest report from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), Perinatal Deaths in South Africa, 2016–2020, highlights a concerning trend: stillbirths have more than doubled since 1997, reaching 15,908 in 2020. Early neonatal read more »
Note: Figure 1 in the original version of this article (published on 27 March 2025) was incomplete, listing nine municipalities in the chart instead of ten. The article was revised on 08 April 2025 with a corrected Figure 1. Bucket toilets remain the thorn in the flesh of several municipalities. Despite an overall decline in the use of municipal bucket toilets read more »