Stats SA Reveals How South Africa Sheds 67 000 Jobs in Three Months

Employment figures dropped by 0.7%, or by 67 000 jobs, in the second quarter of 2016, according to the latest quarterly employment statistics.

Statistician-general Pali Lehohla on Friday released the latest employee figures at a media conference in Pretoria, saying that all industries, except electricity and construction, shed jobs.

However, on a year-on-year basis, there was an increase of 30 000 jobs.

Job losses were recorded as follows:

– social and personal services: 48 000 jobs;
– manufacturing: 7 000 jobs;
– trade: 4 000;
– transport and communications: 7 000;
– finance and business services: 1 000; and
– mining and quarrying: 1 000.

One thousand jobs, or a 0.2% increase, was reported in the construction industry, while employment figures remained unchanged in the electricity sector.

In the manufacturing sector, the biggest losses were in the manufacturing of food products, beverages and tobacco products, followed by the textiles, clothing and leather goods sector.

The mining industry continued its decline in employment for the eighth consecutive quarter, since the last quarter of 2014. Year-on-year mining employment declined with 32 000 jobs in June 2016.

SA recorded a net decrease of 67 000 jobs q/q in Q2:2016 #Employment #StatsSA https://t.co/2OKNuBzDFy pic.twitter.com/uyozCHD5ua

— Stats SA (@StatsSA) October 7, 2016

SA recorded a net decrease of 67 000 jobs q/q in Q2:2016 #Employment #StatsSA https://t.co/2OKNuBzDFy pic.twitter.com/uyozCHD5ua

— Stats SA (@StatsSA) October 7, 2016

Earnings

Gross earnings in the second quarter of 2016 increased by 0.01% compared to the first quarter of 2016. This represents a R32m increase over the quarter.

According to Lehohla, the increase could be attributed to an adjustment in cost-of-living adjustments, bonus payments and overtime pay.

On an annual basis, average monthly earnings paid to employees increased by 7.5% from R16 787 in May 2015 to R18 045 in May 2016.

#Electricity & #construction industries only industries not recording job losses during Q2:2016 #Employment #StatsSA https://t.co/2OKNuBzDFy pic.twitter.com/MJYUmpgVht

— Stats SA (@StatsSA) October 7, 2016

Community, social & personal services saw net decrease of 48 000 jobs, partly due to contracts of temp IEC staff ending in Q2:2016 #StatsSA pic.twitter.com/vrAtAQoAEP

— Stats SA (@StatsSA) October 7, 2016

#Mining industry recorded job losses for 7th consecutive q, shedding 1000 jobs q/q in Q2:2016 #Employment #StatsSA https://t.co/2OKNuBzDFy pic.twitter.com/bI1BRSyVyB

— Stats SA (@StatsSA) October 7, 2016

Gross earnings up by R32 million (0,01%) #Employment #StatsSA https://t.co/LXGEW8T8Xt pic.twitter.com/QUp4YWGcJl

— Stats SA (@StatsSA) October 7, 2016