CAPE TOWN: THE formal sector shed 44,000 jobs in the first quarter of this year, consistent with a slowdown in economic activity over the period, Statistics SA’s quarterly employment statistics showed on Tuesday.
The number of people employed in SA’s formal sector fell to 8.942-million from 8.986-million in the fourth quarter of last year. Jobs were lost in trade; community services; mining and quarrying; construction; and business services. Manufacturing added jobs, while transport and electricity industry staff levels remained unchanged.
Employment fell by 0.5% on a year-on-year basis (the first quarter of this year compared with the first quarter of last year). Jobs were lost in manufacturing; construction; business services; community services; transport; mining and quarrying; and the electricity industry. The only increase was in the trade industry.
Gross earnings paid to employees declined by 4.4% from R497.3bn in the fourth quarter of last year to R475.3bn in the first quarter of this year. The decline was mainly due to decreases in manufacturing; community services; trade; construction; transport; and mining and quarrying. Despite the quarterly decrease in gross earnings paid to employees, average monthly earnings paid to employees in the formal sector rose by 0.2% to R16,461 in the three months ended February this year.
The survey is conducted among 20,000 tax paying businesses in the formal sector. The sector excludes agriculture and private households.
