BusinessLive reports that a sharp rise in government jobs in the first quarter of 2018 managed to offset a drop in trade jobs from the December quarter.
Statistics SA reported on Tuesday in its latest quarterly employment statistics (QES) report that what it termed "community services" — essentially government jobs — grew by 67,000 to 2.7m in the March quarter from 2.6m in the December quarter. Trade jobs — which tend to peak in the December quarter —declined by 26,000 to 2.13m from 2.15m. The overall number of formally employed South Africans grew by 56,000 to 9.84m at end-March from 9.78m at end-December. But while the total number of jobs grew 0.6%, the total salary paid declined by 3.9% to R25.6bn from the previous quarter. The average salary of formally employed South Africans was R19,858 in February, 1% lower than November’s R20,060. People working in "electricity-, gas-and water-supply industry" earned the highest average salary of R41,146, while those in “wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles, motor cycles, and personal and household goods; hotels and restaurants industry" earned the lowest average salary of R13,269.
- Read this report by Sunita Menon in full at BusinessLive
- Read too, Job count rises by 56,000 but confidence remains low, at BusinessLive
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page