Latest Key Findings

P6343.2 - Motor trade sales, November 2008
Motor trade sales for the three months ended November 2008 decreased by 0,2% compared with the three months ended November 2007, while the corresponding growth for the same period in 2007 was 6,0%. This decrease was mainly the result of the general decrease in new vehicle sales (contributing -6,2 percentage points). However, the negative growth was counteracted by the positive growth experienced in the form of sales of fuel and sales of accessories (contributing 3,8 and 3,1 percentage points respectively).

P6141.2 - Wholesale trade sales, November 2008
Wholesale trade sales, at constant (2000) prices, for the three months ended November 2008 increased by 2,7% compared with the three months ended November 2007. The annual growth rate for the corresponding period in 2007 was 6,0%. Seasonally adjusted wholesale trade sales, at constant (2000) prices, for the three months ended November 2008 increased by 0,3% compared with the three months ended August 2008.

New releases from StatsSA

StatsSA released their newest statistics:
P6242.1 - Retail trade sales, November 2008
Retail trade sales decrease in real terms Retail trade sales, at constant (2000) prices, for the three months ended November 2008 decreased by 4,0% compared with the three months ended November 2007. Retail trade sales, at constant (2000) prices, for the same period in 2007 increased by 1,1%.

Retail trade sales at constant (2000) prices for November 2008 also decreased by 4,0% compared with November 2007. Retail trade sales at constant (2000) prices for the first eleven months of 2008 reflected a decrease of 2,4% compared with the first eleven months of 2007, while growth for the same period in 2007 was 5,8%.

Retail trade sales at current prices, for the three months ended November 2008, increased by 11,4% compared with the three months ended November 2007. The major contributors to this increase were general dealers (+5,7 percentage points), retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (+2,1 percentage points), retail trade in specialised food, beverages and tobacco stores (+1,8 percentage points), and all other retailers (+1,2 percentage points).

Retailers in household furniture, appliances and equipment contributed negatively (-0,6 of a percentage point) to the change in retail trade sales.

Retail trade sales at current prices for November 2008 increased by 10,7% compared with November 2007, while sales for the corresponding period in 2007 increased by 8,7%.

P0041 - Civil cases for debt, November 2008

The total number of civil summonses issued for debt for the three months ended November 2008 increased by 5,2% compared with the three months ended November 2007. However, there was a decrease of 4,2% between November 2007 and November 2008.

The total number of civil judgements recorded for debt for the three months ended November 2008 decreased by 12,9% compared with the three months ended November 2007.

There was also a decrease of 16,4% between November 2007 and November 2008. The total value of civil judgements recorded for the three months ended November 2008 decreased by 3,4% compared with the three months ended November 2007. However, there was a 13,3% y/y increase in the value of civil judgements recorded for debt in November 2008.

P5041.1 - Selected building statistics of the private sector as reported by local government institutions, November 2008

The value of recorded building plans passed by larger municipalities (at current prices) during January to November 2008 decreased by 4,8% (-R3 649,1 million) compared with January to November 2007. This was due to a decrease of 15,1% (-R6 290,7 million) reported for residential buildings.

However, the decrease in residential buildings was partially counteracted by increases reported for non-residential buildings (17,0% or R2 475,7 million) and additions and alterations (0,8% or R165,8 million).

The preliminary estimates indicate that the value of buildings reported as completed to larger municipalities (at current prices) during the above-mentioned period increased by 9,3% (R4 000,9 million). Increases were reported for additions and alterations (25,2% or R1 912,9 million and non-residential buildings (24,4% or R2 100,0 million). Residential buildings decreased marginally by R12,0 million.

New Releases from StatsSA

P0351 - Tourism and Migration, August 2008

The total number of foreign travellers who visited South Africa from Africa, overseas and unspecified countries, arriving through all ports of entry during August 2008 was 752 942.

The August 2008 figure represents an decline of 4,5% as compared with the August 2007 figure of 788 117. During August 2008, 326 075 arrivals were recorded for South African residents while the total number of those departing was 340 057.

P0043 - Statistics of Liquidations and insolvencies, September 2008

The total number of liquidations recorded for September 2008 decreased by 35,3% (from 507 to 328) when compared with September 2007, mainly due to the public-service strike in June 2007 which created a backlog resulting in more liquidations being processed during September 2007.

The total number of liquidations recorded for the nine months ended September 2008 decreased by 4,1% (from 2 465 to 2 365) when compared with the same period last year.The total number of insolvencies recorded for August 2008 increased by 17,7% (from 198 to 233) when compared with August 2007.

The total number of insolvencies recorded for the eight months ended August 2008 increased by 47,8% (from 1 276 to 1 886) compared with the eight months ended August 2007.

Financial statistics of HE in SA

copyright: yirsh

StatsSA has just released P9103.1 - Financial statistics of higher education institutions, 2007

This statistical release provides information on the sources and uses of cash of higher education institutions for the financial years 2006 and 2007, classified economically and functionally. Here are some of the highlight:

Net change in the stock of cash from higher education institutions amounted to R1 480 million for the 2007 financial year.

The net change in the stock of cash from higher education institutions amounted to R1 480 million for the 2007 fiscal year. The amount has increased from R900 million in 2006.

Major Influences

• The major contributors to the amount of R1 480 million of the net change in the stock of cash of higher education institutions for the financial year 2007 are the cash receipts from operating activities, R30 217 million (2006: R26 925 million)
• cash payments for operating activities, R24 012 million, (2006: R21 316 million)
• purchases of non-financial assets, R2 325 million, (2006: R1 557 million); sales of non-financial assets, R88 million (2006: R37 million)
• net acquisition of financial assets other than cash, R2 640 million (2006: R3 091 million)
• net incurrence of liabilities, R152 million (2006: -R98 million), (see Table A, p.5).

StatsSA - new account launched & get the detail on the Household survey

Tourism Satellite Account Launch

Stats SA is releaseing the first experimental Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) for South Africa in March 2009. To mark the birth of the first experimental TSA for South Africa, StatsOnline invites you to register your interest in this publication. In return for your registration, we will send you the first release at embargo to your email box. Click here to register.

General Household Survey (GHS) 2007

The data and metadata for the General Household Survey (GHS) 2007 are now available on CD. To order please contact:Joan Lindeque at 012 3108619.

The data and metadata is also available on StatsOnline. Click "Interactive data" and then "Explore micro data".

Manufacturing production capacity stats

Manufacturing: Utilisation of production capacity by large enterprises is now available as an economic time series on StatsOnline.

Here is how to access it:

1. Click "Interactive data" and then "Time series data".
2. The data are available in ASCII and Excel format as well as interactive data in PX-Web.
3. This time series data have been on StatsOnline up to February 2003, but have been discontinued since.
4. The new time series runs from November 2003 to date.

Transportation Statistics

The US Dept. of Statistics has released the State Transportation Statistics for 2007. This report presents a statistical profile of transportation in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Some of the highlights include:

Transportation System Extent
All public roads: 4.02 million miles
Interstate: 46,630 miles
Road bridges: 599,766 1
Class I railroad trackage: 94,801 miles
Inland waterways: 29,627 miles
Public use airports: 5,233 (604 certificated for air carrier operations)

Commuting (percent of workers)
Car, truck, or van—drove alone: 76.0
Car, truck, or van—carpooled: 10.7
Public transportation: 4.8
Walked: 2.9
Taxicab, motorcycle, bicycled or other means: 1.7
Worked at home: 3.9

For South African Transportation Statistics the newest stats available is 2006.

Highlights include:
Transport
The total income for the transport industry in 2006 was R159 551 million.
The total income represents an increase of 7,1% per annum over the income reported to the corresponding survey of 2002 (R121 193 million).
The total expenditure for the transport industry in 2006 was R145 618 million.
The total expenditure in the transport industry was primarily made up of purchases (R48 684 million or 33,4%), and salaries and wages (R29 992 million or 20,6)%
The total number of persons employed in the transport industry at end June 2006 was 235 444. The total represents an increase of 0,9% per annum over the number of employees reported to the corresponding survey of 2002 (226 939)

Other SA transport statistics can be found at NationMaster - South Africa ; International Transport Worker's Federation; Dept of Transport annual report 2005/6

Stats SA response to Investec's allegations on CPI

VS

A storm is brewing between StatsSA and Investec regarding the interest rates & CPI:

"Investec Asset Management, South Africa's second-biggest private money manager, said yesterday [July 15]the May inflation rate of 10.9 percent is overstated by 2.2 percentage points because the statistics office delayed reweighting product categories in the consumer price index by two years. The office today denied that it delayed the process, adding that updating the index had taken longer than in previous years because it was being cautious." Bloomberg Africa

It didn't take StatsSA long to reply to the allegations:

"Recent press reports based on an analysis of consumer price inflation by Investec Asset Management suggest an error in the calculation of the CPI, resulting in an overstatement of the annual inflation rate.

The difference between Stats SA’s official inflation rate and Investec’s estimates arises from the reweighting and rebasing of the CPI to be implemented in 2009. It is important to note that there is no error in Stats SA’s CPI calculations. Any difference in the rate of inflation given the old and new weights is not the result of errors but of a careful and logical process of keeping up with current changes in the economy as far as practically possible.

Reweighting and rebasing in many advanced economies take place with intervals of 3 to 10 years. In most cases, South Africa included, base-period weights are used in the CPI, which implies that the weights always refer to a previous period and inevitably introduce a measure of bias. While no CPI is free of biases, Stats SA strives to minimise such biases."

Read the whole reply here

Changes made at StatsSA

Website facelift
StatsSA have revamped their website recently to reduce the clutter and make it easier for you to find information. Main changes were made to the Find Statistics section, left menu bar and News section .

Find Statistics
The Find Statistics section has been tidied up by moving the keyword search function to the left menu bar and they have added links to Census 2011 information and the Community Survey data.

Left Menu bar
The keyword search function has been moved here and a new link has been added: Major Project Subsites. This button links to all the special projects that have mini-sites. These sites may also be accessed through the Events calendar under Recent events.

News Section
A Current Events section has been included with News. When an event or current project has passed, these links will be moved to the Major Projects Subsites section or to Recent events under the Events calendar.

I like this cleaner version of StatsSA's website and (hopefully) it will be easier to navigate and find information.

Census 2011
StatsSA is also busy with preparation for Census 2011 and has released a survey where members of the public can suggest questions to be added as well as the level of geography that the census should cover.The contributors’ details will be kept confidential and no person’s identity will be released.

Launch of the new Labour Force Survey
As of August 2008 the LFS will be released quarterly, instead of six-monthly.
QLFS results for the first and second quarters of 2008 will be published on 28 August 2008.

The historical continuity with previously published labour market results will be facilitated. At the August 28th launch, Stats SA will also publish revised key labour market indicators for previous March surveys as far back as the year 2000. These indicators will be based on link factors computed using the QLFS first quarter results (January to March 2008) and the LFS conducted in parallel in March 2008.

Launch of new CPI

On 1 July 2008 Statistics South Africa will release the new weights for the Consumer Price Index. The new weights will be released on their website and at an information session in Johannesburg, with a second information session in Cape Town.

In addition to an explanation of the new weights, Stats SA will also provide details on some methodological changes planned for the CPI. Both the new weights and the methodological changes only become effective with the January 2009 CPI release. The sessions are open to the media and other users of the CPI.

Gauteng
Date: 1 July 2008
Time: 09h30 – 13h00
Venue: Indaba Hotel, Fourways
Cost: Free

Please RSVP with STATSSA before Wednesday 25 June 2008 by emailling rsvp@statssa.gov.za, indicating which meeting (Cape Town or Gauteng) you would like to attend. (Venue details will be forwarded once your RSVP has been received.)

Which part of the CPI publication do you use?

As many of you already know StatsSA is changing the CPI publication effect as from January 2008 and the new CPI index will highlight shifts in the consumer basket.

They would like your input on what parts of the CPI publication you actually use - to make the new CPI publication more user friendly. Please complete the survey on their website.

This June, Stats SA will release the new CPI weights - derived largely, but not exclusively, from the results of the income and expenditure survey released last month. The release of the weights follows the publication last year of the draft CPI basket.

In new CPI basket certain products will move category and new products will be introduced.
New products include:

• minibus taxis, which account for over 60% of public transport. Collection of these prices is now possible as a result of the establishment of a national team of price collectors for CPI;


• funeral costs and funeral insurance enter the basket as expenditure on these items increases;


• restaurants, take-aways and hotels, now appear as a distinct category in the new CPI classification and Stats SA proposes to publish their price change explicitly;


• internet service provider fees and laptops enter the basket as this technology becomes more pervasive;


• DVD and CD players and disks replace VHS and audio tapes and players as a result of changes in technology;


• tickets to sporting events are added to the entertainment basket; and


• the lottery will be included in the basket if it is operational on 1 January 2008.

The CPI will continue to be published on the basis of the current basket and weights until the December 2008 release (in January 2009). The January 2009 CPI (published in February 2009) will be the first to be published on the basis of the new basket and weights.

New StatsSA releases

Retail trade sales September 2007

Retail trade sales show an increase in real terms:
Retail trade sales at constant (2000) prices, for the third quarter of 2007, showed an increase of 4,6% compared with the third quarter of 2006. Similarly, retail trade sales at constant (2000) prices, for the first nine months of 2007, increased by 7,1% compared with the first nine months of 2006. This is lower than the 9,9% growth for the first nine months of 2006 compared with the corresponding nine months of 2005.

Wholesale trade sales September 2007

Wholesale trade sales increase in real terms
Wholesale trade sales, at constant (2000) prices, for the third quarter of 2007 increased by 4,5% compared with the third quarter of 2006. Similarly, seasonally adjusted wholesale trade sales, at constant (2000) prices, for the third quarter of 2007 increased by 1,1% compared with the previous quarter.

Motor trade sales September 2007

Motor trade sales for the third quarter of 2007 increased by 3,5% compared with the third quarter of 2006. This is lower than the 15,7% increase reported for the third quarter of 2006 compared with the third quarter of 2005.
The growth in the motor trade sales since April 2007 was partly affected by difficulties in the registering of new and used vehicles following the introduction of the new eNaTIS system, the new National Credit Act which was introduced on 1 June 2007, as well as tighter monetary conditions. September 2007 was negatively affected by the motor industry strike