RSA Economic Indicators

The South African economic indicator time-series database incorporates a comprehensive set of indicator time-series covering all aspects of the South African economy. The emphasis is on demographics, labour, prices, general economic indicators, financial and capital markets, public finance, balance of payments statistics, national accounts and industry data.

Database features

• The database consists annual, quarterly and monthly time-series from as early as 1948 to the present.
• Comprehensive online metadata includes a descriptive data overview, instructions for accessing the database, an explanation of the various mnemonic schemes utilised in the database and a complete listing of the database contents. Each time-series is extensively defined with cross-referencing to source. The documentation is embedded in the database and presented in HTML format on the Internet.
• Data is available over the Internet and on CD-ROM and can be downloaded into Excel, EViews and CSV formats.
• Internet access to the data combines an intuitive point and click hierarchical interface with basic tabulation, graphical and analytical features.
• A Windows based browser is available to database subscribers for local data manipulation on the user's own PC.
• Updates are implemented on a daily basis as they are released by the various primary data sources.

RSA Economic Indicators Database structure

• Agricultural Statistics (Department of Agriculture)
  The agricultural statistics databank contains meaningful information on field crops, horticulture, livestock, capital allocation and information on agricultural imports and exports. The source of the information is the Directorate: Agricultural Statistics of the National Department of Agriculture.

• Automobile Sales (NAAMSA)
  The National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA), is an important source of information about the motor industry in sub-Saharan Africa. NAAMSA releases a monthly report detailing the local sales and exports of passenger, light, medium, heavy and extra heavy vehicles. The NAAMSA databank also contains monthly figures released by Associated Motor Holdings (AMH). AMH is a separate automobile association from NAAMSA, mostly servicing the Indian and Korean motor manufacturers.

• House Price Indices (Absa)
  Monthly South African house price indices.

• International trade (SARS)
  Monthly Preliminary statement of trade statistics Commisioner for Customs & Excise at the South African Revenue Service (SARS)

• Mineral production and sales (Department of Minerals and Energy)

• RSA general economic indicators (BER, NPI, etc.)

• RSA macroeconomic and financial indicators (SARB)
  Includes the SA Reserve Bank (SARB) Quarterly Bulletin and the SARB Monthly Release of Statistics. The SARB Quarterly Bulletin provides a review of domestic economic, trade, monetary and public finance developments and is published quartely in March, June, September and December of each year. The SARB Monthly Release of Statistics represent an abstract of statistics published regularly in the Reserve Bank's Quarterly Bulletin. The purpose of the Release is to update selected monthly statistics between publications of the Quarterly Bulletin. Both releases are divided into sections covering: Money and banking; Banks and mutual banks; International economic data; Capital market; National government finance; and Economic indicators.

• South African Petroleum Industry Association (SAPIA)
  This database includes demand and prices provided by SAPIA for petroleum products including petrol, diesel and illuminating paraffin.

• Short-term indicators (Statistics South Africa)

• Steel and engineering industries statistics (SEIFSA)
  This database includes SEIFSA indices of wage rates and labour costs for hourly-paid employees in the metal and engineering industry as well as price indices for products and services. The Steel and Engineering industries statistics data is updated on a monthly basis.

Primary data sources

• Absa Bank (Absa house price index)
• Bureau of Economic Research (BER)
• Bureau of Market Research (BMR)
• Chamber of Mines (CM)
• Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA)
• Department of Agriculture
• Department of Labour
• Department of Minerals and Energy
• Department of Transport
• Eskom
• Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE)
• McGregor BFA (Pty) Ltd
• National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA)
• National Productivity Institute
• National Treasury
• Quantec Research (Pty) Ltd
• Rode and Associates
• South African Petroleum Industry Association (SAPIA)
• Steel and engineering industries statistics (SEIFSA)
• South African Futures Exchange (SAFEX)
• South African Reserve Bank (SARB)
• South African Revenue Service (SARS)
• Standard Bank
• Statistics South Africa (Stats SA)
• Telkom
• Transnet

Update frequency

Updated on a daily basis as data becomes available.

Delivery

Access to the RSA Economic Indicators database is through our EasyData website, which allows users to browse and download all the desired data in MS Excel or CSV format.