SA formal employment rises

·24 Jun 2014

Year-on-year formal sector employment in South Africa increased by 42,000 (0,5%) between March 2013 and March 2014, new data showed on Tuesday (24 June).

Data compiled by StatsSA showed that the mining industry suffered the largest employment losses over the year to March 2014 (down 29,000 by 5,6%) while the community services industry had the largest increase (up 65,000 or 2,7%).

The March 2014 Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES) survey showed that an estimated 8.507 million persons were employed in the formal sector, a quarterly increase of about 9,000 employees (0.1%) between December 2013 and March 2014.

StatsSA pointed out that gross earnings decreased between the quarters ended December 2013 and March 2014.

Gross earnings paid to employees in the formal non-agricultural sector during the quarter ended March 2014 amounted to R403.843 million.

This reflected a quarterly decrease of R19.354 million (4.6%) compared with the quarter ended December 2013 and an annual increase of R26.466 million (7.0%) compared with the quarter ended March 2013.

Average monthly earnings, including bonuses and overtime payments, paid to employees in the formal non-agricultural sector decreased by 1.4% between November 2013 and February 2014.

The March 2014 Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES) survey showed that an estimated monthly average of R14,731 was paid to employees in the formal non-agricultural sector during February 2014.

This reflected a quarterly decrease of 1,4% between November 2013 and February 2014 and an annual increase of 5.9% between February 2013 and February 2014.