Pretoria - South Africa's employment growth rate decreased in the fourth quarter of 2008 compared to the fourth quarter of 2007, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) reported on Tuesday.
"The quarter-on-quarter growth rate in employment in the formal non-agricultural business sector was 0.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008, down from 0.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2007," Stats SA said.
The December 2008 Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES) survey showed that the number of people employed in the formal non-agricultural business sector of the South African economy increased by about 23 000 persons from September 2008 to December 2008.
Gross earnings paid to employees in this sector increased between the quarters ended September 2008 and December 2008.
"The gross earnings paid to employees during the quarter ended December 2008 amounted to R273 341 million," Stats SA said, adding that this reflected a quarterly increase of R19 377 million compared with the quarter ended September 2008.
The year-on-year growth rate in employment in the formal non-agricultural business sector was 1.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008, down from 1.8 percent in the third quarter of 2008.
"The December 2008 Quarterly Employment Statistics survey shows that an estimated 8 513 000 people were employed in the formal non-agricultural business sector of the South African economy.
"This reflected an annual increase of about 103 000 employees compared with December 2007 (an estimated 8 410 000 employees)," Stats SA said.
The decline in the growth rate from 1.8 percent year-on-year in the third quarter of 2008 to 1.2 percent year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2008 was the sixth consecutive decline in the annual growth rate.
Stat SA further reported that the gross earnings paid to employees in the formal non-agricultural business sector increased between the quarters ended December 2007 and December 2008.
"The gross earnings paid to employees during the quarter ended December 2008 (October 2008 to December 2008) amounted to R273 341 million," Stats SA said.
This reflected an annual increase of R31 772 million compared with the quarter ended December 2007 (October 2007 to December 2007).
Average monthly earnings, including bonuses and overtime payments, paid to employees in the formal non-agricultural business sector decreased between August 2008 and November 2008.
The December 2008 Quarterly Employment Statistics survey reflected a quarterly decrease of 0.1 percent in average monthly earnings paid to employees in the formal non-agricultural business sector between August 2008 and November 2008.
"Average monthly earnings, including bonuses and overtime payments, paid to employees in the formal non-agricultural business sector increased between November 2007 and November 2008," Stats SA said.
The December 2008 Quarterly Employment Statistics survey reflected an annual increase of 8.6 percent in average monthly earnings paid to employees in the formal non-agricultural business sector between November 2007 and November 2008.
