People | Statistics South Africa

Work & Labour Force

Quick Fact

In quarter 2 of 2014, 43 000 more people were employed in the informal sector compared to quarter 1 2014.

43 000

There are different forms of work, these include work as employment (work to generate income), unpaid work which includes volunteer work and domestic work for own final household consumption. Statistics South Africa measures all forms of work including work which should be abolished like child labour.

Work as employment is measured from two sources, establishment surveys and household based surveys. The Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) is establishment based while The Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) is a household based survey. The two sources differ in coverage, scope, unit of measurement and method of collection. Because of these differences, the two sources yield different figures. However, the two sources should be regarded as complementary rather than competitive.

Each source has advantages and limitations in terms of statistics yielded. The QES covers non-agricultural formal sector employment while the QLFS covers total employment in all industries and sectors. The QLFS can also provide information on demographic characteristics of the labour force (employment and unemployment) which the QES cannot provide.

SA loses more than 600K formal sector jobs during COVID-19 lockdown

According to the Quarterly employment statistics (QES) survey released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), the formal non-agricultural sector shed 648?000 jobs in the second quarter of 2020. This brings the total number of persons employed in the formal non-agricultural sector in South Africa to 9,5 million. According to the report, formal sector jobs decreased read more »

Posted on October 15, 2020 Facebook Twitter Linkedin

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Key Statistics

Unemployment rate	23.3%
Absorption rate	42.4%
Participation rate	59.8%
Formal sector non-agriculture employment (q\q %)	0,0%
Formal sector non-agriculture gross earnings (q\q %)	-6,0%

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Economic Stats

Joe de Beer (Deputy Director-General)
012 310 8024
082 888 2600
joedb@statssa.gov.za

Peter Perkins
(Economist)
012 310 8389
082 883 9532
peterp@statssa.gov.za

Social Stats

Gwen Lehloenya(Acting Deputy Director-General)
012 310 8333
083 888 2323
gwenL@statssa.gov.za

Neo Nghenavo
(Director)
012 310 8047
082 888 2613
neon@statssa.gov.za

**Scroll for more contacts by subject area**
Topic	Contact	Alternative Contact
Consumer price index (CPI), Producer price index (PPI), Unit value indices: exports / imports, Construction materials price indices	Patrick Kelly (Chief Director) 012 310 8290 082 888 2248 patrickke@statssa.gov.za	Marietjie Bennett (Director) 012 310 8077 082 888 2194 marietjieb@statssa.gov.za
Producer price index (PPI), Unit value index (UVI), Contract price adjustment provisions (CPAP)	Patrick Kelly (Chief Director) 012 310 8290 082 888 2248 patrickke@statssa.gov.za	Andrew Rankhumise (Pricipal survey Statistician) 012 406 3304 andrewR@statssa.gov.za
Government finance: national and provincial government	Patrick Naidoo (Chief Director) 012 310 8307 082 888 2509 patrickn@statssa.gov.za	Elizabeth Makhafola (Director) 012 310 8977 082 888 9062 elizabethma@statssa.gov.za
Government finance: local government	Patrick Naidoo (Chief Director) 012 310 8307 082 888 2509 patrickn@statssa.gov.za	Malibongwe Mhemhe (Director) 012 310 6928 082 906 8964 malibongwem@statssa.gov.za
Gross domestic product (GDP), production	Michael Manamela (Chief Director) 012 310 8520 082 888 2205 michaelm@statssa.gov.za	Bontlenyana Makhoba(Chief Economist) 012 310 8567 bontlenyanam@statssa.gov.za
Satellite accounts, environmental-economic accounts	Gerhardt Bouwer (Chief Director) 012 310 8241 082 888 2409 gerhardb@statssa.gov.za	Riaan Grobler (Director) 012 310 8321 084 515 2908 riaang@statssa.gov.za
Mining, manufacturing, building, electricity, liquidations, civil cases, capacity utilisation	Gerda Bruwer (Chief Director) 012 310 8249 082 786 3627 gerdab@statssa.gov.za	Nicolai Claassen (Director) 012 310 8007 076 759 0200 nicolaic@statssa.gov.za
Retail, wholesale, motor, food & beverages, tourist accommodation, transport	Gerda Bruwer (Chief Director) 012 310 8249 082 786 3627 gerdab@statssa.gov.za	Keshnee Govender (Director) 012 310 8423 083 689 5341 keshneeg@statssa.gov.za
Annual financial statistics (AFS)	Sagaren Pillay (Chief Director) 012 310 4619 082 905 2665 sagarenp@statssa.gov.za	Amukelani Ngobeni (Director) 012 310 2928 082 677 4536 amukelanin@statssa.gov.za
Quarterly financial statistics (QFS)	Sagaren Pillay (Chief Director) 012 310 4619 082 905 2665 sagarenp@statssa.gov.za	Krisseelan Govinden (Director) 012 310 4651 082 901 7960 krisseelang@statssa.gov.za
Periodic industry surveys (every three to five years)	Itani Magwaba (Chief Director) 012 337 6471 / 6254 082 905 5143 itanim@statssa.gov.za	Tshepo Pekane (Director) 012 310 8191 083 675 8654 tshepop@statssa.gov.za
Agriculture (annual and periodic)	Itani Magwaba (Chief Director) 012 337 6471 / 6254 082 905 5143 itanim@statssa.gov.za	Tshepo Pekane (Director) 012 310 8191 083 675 8654 tshepop@statssa.gov.za
Population Statistics (Census and Community Survey)	Christine Khoza (Chief Director) 012 310 2185 071 670 2672 christinek@statssa.gov.za	Angela Ngyende (Chief Statistician) 012 310 4699 079 519 3212 angelan@statssa.gov.za
Demography-Mid-year Population Estimates	Diego Iturralde (Chief Director) 012 310 8922 082 413 2661 diegoi@statssa.gov.za	Chantal Munthree (Chief Statistician) 012 310 6648 082 888 2289 chantalMu@statssa.gov.za
Labour Statistics- Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS)	Malerato Mosiane (Acting Chief Director) 082 888 2449 maleratoM@statssa.gov.za	Desiree Manamela (Director) 012 310 2145 071 681 2768 DesireeM@statssa.gov.za
Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES)	Malerato Mosiane (Acting Chief Director) 012 310 8688 082 888 2449 maleratoM@statssa.gov.za	Matlapane Masupye (Deputy Director) 012 310 8168 082 317 5340 matlapanem@statssa.gov.za
Tourism Statistics (Domestic Tourism Survey)	Isabel Schmidt (Chief Director ) 012 337 6379 082 884 4281 IsabelSc@statssa.gov.za	Brenda Mosima (Director) 012 310 8168 082 906 7925 BrendaMo@statssa.gov.za
Crime and Safety Statistics (Victims of Crime Survey)	Isabel Schmidt (Chief Director ) 012 337 6379 082 884 4281 IsabelSc@statssa.gov.za	Joseph Lukhwareni (Director) 012 310 8485 082 888 2486 JosephL@statssa.gov.za
Service Delivery Statistics (General Household Survey)	Isabel Schmidt (Chief Director ) 012 337 6379 082 884 4281 IsabelSc@statssa.gov.za	Niel Roux (Director) 012 310 2939 082 904 7919 NielR@statssa.gov.za
Transport Statistics (National Travel Survey)	Isabel Schmidt (Chief Director ) 012 337 6379 082 884 4281 IsabelSc@statssa.gov.za	Solly Molayi (Director) 012 310 6442 083 440 7035 SollyMol@statssa.gov.za
Gender Statistics	Isabel Schmidt (Chief Director ) 012 337 6379 082 884 4281 IsabelSc@statssa.gov.za	Tshepo Mabela (Director) 012 310 8587 082 941 9383 TshepoMab@statssa.gov.za
Mortality & Causes of Death, Perinatal deaths in South Africa, Living conditions survey (LCS), Thematic Health Report, South Africa Demographic and Health Survey	Rika du Plessis (Acting Chief Director)Health and Vital Statistics 012 310 2913 .. rikaDP@statssa.gov.za	Thabo Molebatsi(Director) 012 310 4857 060 997 8372 thabomol@statssa.gov.za
Tourism and Migration	Rika du Plessis (Acting Chief Director)Health and Vital Statistics 012 310 2913 .. rikaDP@statssa.gov.za	Ramadimetja Matji(Director) 012 406 33011 071 670 3272 ramadimetjaM@statssa.gov.za
Registered Births	Rika du Plessis (Acting Chief Director)Health and Vital Statistics 012 310 2913 .. rikaDP@statssa.gov.za	Thabo Molebatsi(Director) 012 310 4857 060 997 8372 thabomol@statssa.gov.za
Marriages and Divorces	Rika du Plessis (Acting Chief Director)Health and Vital Statistics 012 310 2913 .. rikaDP@statssa.gov.za	Ramadimetja Matji(Director) 012 406 33011 071 670 3272 ramadimetjaM@statssa.gov.za
Living Conditions Survey	Nozipho Shabalala (Chief Director ) 012 310 6994 082 904 8896 Noziphos@statssa.gov.za	Patricia Koka (Director) 012 310 8555 071 680 9545 PatriciaK@statssa.gov.za
Income and Expenditure Survey	Nozipho Shabalala (Chief Director ) 012 310 6994 082 904 8896 Noziphos@statssa.gov.za	Werner Ruch (Director) 012 310 6318 082 906 7967 wernerr@statssa.gov.za

Work & Labour Force

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SA loses more than 600K formal sector jobs during COVID-19 lockdown

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