Stats SA agrees to review parts of its Quarterly Labour Force Survey
Despite criticism earlier in the year by then-Capitec CEO, Gerrie Fourie, about its current model overstating job numbers, Stats SA said the revamp was in line with international labour standards.
The statistics agency released the latest unemployment data on Tuesday, with the jobless rate rising by 0.3 of a percentage point to sit at a hot 33.2% in the second quarter.
Stats SA said the revised model was set to capture a more nuanced understanding of employment trends, economic participation, and the overall labour market in South Africa.
The adoption of the framework is expected to significantly alter informality data.
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The current definition of the informal sector refers to registration and size. The new resolution states that registration is the key criteria but size is no longer a required criterion.
The current definition of informal employment uses medical aid and a written contract as two of the three criteria required. The new definition prioritises social insurance or access to paid and sick leave.
Chief director of labour statistics at Stats SA Desiree Manamela: "We are not saying we have not been following ILO or ICLS resolutions, we have been following them but remember, things change and we change with what has been adopted in 2023."
The changes are expected to be included in next quarter's data.
Stats SA said that the implementation of the updated questionnaire marked a significant step forward in the effort to provide timely and relevant labour market insights for policymakers, researchers, and the public.
"The benefits of implementing the new standards far outweigh the costs, enabling a more accurate interpretation of individuals' labour force situation with more detailed information on various types of labour underutilisation, people's participation in different forms of work, and the pressure they put on the labour market."
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