South Africa employment increases 0.2% year-on-year in 2017 – StatsSA

South Africa economy added 81 000 non-agricultural jobs in the last quarter of 2017, according to Statistics SA’s latest quarterly employment survey.

The survey, which details employment figures in the country’s non-agricultural business sector, reveals that employment increased by 81, 000, form 9, 716 000 in September 2017 to 9, 797, 000 in December 2017.

This corresponds to a year-on-year increase of 18 000 or 0.2 percent between December 2016 and December 2017.

The most notable quarterly increases were seen in trade (56, 000), business services (29, 000), community services (21, 000) and manufacturing (4, 000).

Jobs decreased in construction (-19, 000), mining and quarrying (-7, 000) and transport (-3, 000).

As in previous years, the economic sector employing the most South Africans was “community, social and personal services” where 2, 626 000 people work.

This sector includes government departments, defence and police, education, health, religious organisations, film and the arts.

Employment in SA’s mining and quarrying sector, meanwhile, was 453 000. This is some 36 000 fewer employees than in June 2015, when the QES survey was instituted.

Stats SA, said that average monthly earnings were R20 004 as of November 2017.