Food inflation recorded its fourth successive year on year increase and is now at its highest point for the year.  The inflationary pressures are distributed across a range of food groups, with processed food reflecting a higher rate of inflation at 7,6% compared to processed food at 6,3%.   Prices of alcoholic beverages dropped on average by 0,3%   read more »

Government and all businesses, from small to multinational, need the facts on the economy that this release provides. Aneen Jordaan reports The gross domestic product (GDP) of a country is one of the main indicators used to measure the performance of a country’s economy. The Macmillan dictionary defines economy as the system by which a   read more »

Silvertown is a township in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape named after all the silver zinc shacks used as housing in the area. After the Census 2011 place name data was released in the township in April 2013, the media reported Silvertown to be the worst place to live in South Africa. The census data provides   read more »

Labour market information relates to three groups of individuals, those that are employed, those that are unemployed and those that are not economically active (e.g. homemakers, retirees and full-time students who do not wish to work). The most recent QLFS results show that in the first quarter of 2013, of the total population in the   read more »

Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has released a report dealing with Mortality and Causes of Death in South Africa. The release is based on data obtained from deaths that occurred in 2010 and were registered at the Department of Home Affairs.             Starting in 2007, less people have been dying   read more »

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures monthly changes in prices for a range of consumer products. Changes in the CPI record the rate of inflation. The CPI can also be used as a cost-of-living index. HOW IS THE CPI MEASURED? The prices of goods and services consumed by South Africans are used to calculate an   read more »

Statistics South Africa conducts an Income and Expenditure Survey (IES) every 5 years. The IES seeks to establish what South Africans spend their money on, so that the basket of goods which makes up the Consumer Price Index (CPI), used to calculate the inflation rate, can be updated. The last IES was conducted between September   read more »

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures for the first quarter of 2013 were released on 28 May 2013, at a press conference in Sandton, which included key stakeholders from other institutions. The much anticipated release drew wide reaction from various market watchers, while the media appreciated Stats SA’s initiative of taking data to them. “This is   read more »