Employment decreased by 34 000 quarter-on-quarter, from 9 651 000 in March 2017 to 9 617 000 in June 2017, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) announced on Thursday.
Releasing the Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES) for June, Stats SA said the dip was largely due to decreases in manufacturing 13 000 (or -1.1%), construction (11 000 or -1.8%), community services (10 000 or -0.4%), transport (5 000 or -1.1%) and business services (1 000 or -0.05%).
The QES measures changes in employment across all industries in the formal sector of the economy.
The QES, however, showed increases in the mining (3 000 or 0.6%) and trade (3 000 or 0.1%) industries, while the electricity industry remained unchanged.
Employment increased by 13 000 or 0.1% year-on-year between June 2016 and June 2017.
Gross earnings
The report showed that gross earnings paid to employees decreased by R2 328 million (-0.4%) from R587 785 million in March 2017 to R585 457 million in June 2017.
The decrease was mainly due to decreases in business services industries.
“There was an increase in gross earnings reported by transport, electricity, mining, construction, manufacturing, trade and community services industries,” said Stats SA.
Meanwhile, year-on-year gross earnings increased by R33 107 million (6%).
The survey showed a quarter-on-quarter increase of 2.7% in average monthly earnings paid to employees in the formal non-agricultural sector, from R18 662 in February 2017 to R19 170 in May 2017.
Year-on-year, average monthly earnings increased by 6.9%. – SAnews.gov.za
