QUARTERLY EMPLOYMENT STATISTICS, Q4 2016

The current QES survey results are based on a sample drawn from the 2016 Business Sampling Frame (BSF) and therefore the previous trend has been revised to reflect the current growth in the business register.  

Employment for the quarter ending December 2016

Employment increased by 18 000 quarter-to-quarter, from 9 672 000 in September 2016 to
9 690 000 in December 2016. This was largely due to increases in the following industries: trade (68 000 or 3,3%), business services (33 000 or 1,6%) and manufacturing (13 000 or 1,1%).

However there were decreases in the following industries: community services (-81 000
or -3,0%), construction (-11 000 or -1,8%), mining and quarrying (-3 000 or -0,7%) and transport (-1 000 or -0,2%). Mining continued to lose jobs after remaining unchanged in the previous two quarters.

Compared to the same period last year, employment increased by 90 000 or 0,9% year-on-year between December 2015 and December 2016. These increases were reported by: trade (57 000 or 2,8%), business services (16 000 or 0,7%) , community services (16 000 or 0,6%), construction (14 000 or 2,4%) and manufacturing (6 000 or 0,5%).

The following industries reported annual decreases: transport (-15 000 or -3,2%) and  mining and quarrying (-4 000 or -0,9%).

Gross earnings and average monthly earnings

Gross earnings paid to employees increased by R35 560 million (6,2%) from R571 686 million in September 2016 to R607 246 million in December 2016. The increase was mainly due to increases in trade, business services, community services, manufacturing, transport, mining and quarrying, and construction industries.

Compared to the same period last year, gross earnings increased by R37 779 million (6,6%) year-on-year.

The survey results show that quarter-to-quarter, average monthly earnings paid to employees increased by 2,6% to R18 502 in November 2016. This is an increase of 6,8% compared to the same period of the previous year.

Issued by Statistics South Africa