SA added 87 000 jobs in fourth quarter of 2018 - Stats SA

Employment in SA's non-agricultural formal sector grew by 87 000 between September and December 2018, Statistics SA announced on Tuesday in its latest Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES) bulletin. 

QES results are based on a sample survey conducted by Stats SA and include findings on employment in the non-agricultural formal sector. 

Stats SA reported that employment increased from 10 064 000 in September 2018 to 10 151 000 in December. 

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This was largely due to increases in

• business services (53 000),

• trade (49 000),

• community services (9 000), and

• the transport industry (5 000).

there were decreases in 

• construction (-18 000),

• mining and quarrying (-7 000),

• manufacturing (-3 000), and

• the electricity industry (-1 000).

The QES bulletin is separate from the Quarterly Labour Force Survey, which is also published by Stats SA. While the labour force survey gives SA's official unemployment rate, the QES gives a snapshot of total non-agricultural formal sector employment. 

The QES bulletin does not provide an official unemployment rate. 

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa said that while the uptick in jobs was welcome, local businesses still face high duress and stress levels, including the "calamitous" effects of an irregular supply of electricity.