South Africa
Title of the survey:
Labour Force Survey.
Organization responsible for the survey:
Planning and conduct of the survey:
Statistics South Africa (Stats SA).
Analysis and publication of the results:
Statistics South Africa (Stats SA).
Topics covered:
Employment, unemployment, underemployment, hours of work, wages, income, informal sector employment, duration of employment and unemployment, discouraged workers, industry, occupation, status in employment, education/qualification levels.
Coverage of the survey:
Geographical:
Whole country.
Population groups:
The survey includes all population groups (private households and resident in workers hostels), but the employment and unemployment questions are only asked to persons aged 15 years and above. Persons living in institutions (student hostels, old age homes, hospitals, prisons and military barracks) are excluded.
Availability of estimates from other sources for the excluded areas/groups:
None.
Groups covered by the survey but excluded from the published results:
None.
Periodicity:
Conduct of the survey:
Bi-annually.
Publication of results:
Bi-annually.
Reference periods:
Employment:
The week prior to the interview, in February and September of each year.
Seeking work:
Four weeks prior to the interview, in February and September of each year.
Availability for work:
One week after the interview, in February and September of each year.
Concepts and definitions:
Employment:
All persons aged 15 to 65 years who have done any of the following activities, except begging;
- run or do any kind of business, big or small, for himself/herself or with one or more partners;
- do any work for a wage, salary, commission or any payment in kind (excl. Domestic work);
- do any work as a domestic worker for a wage, salary, or any payment in kind;
- help unpaid in a household business of any kind;
- do any work on his/her own or the household’s plot, farm, food garden, cattle post or kraal, or help in growing farm produce or in looking after animals for the household;
- do any construction or major repair work on his/her own home, plot, cattle post or business or those of the household; catch any fish, prawns, shells, wild animals or other food for sale or household food.
Persons who did not work during the reference week but, who have a job to return to, are also classified as employed. The off-season agriculture is not a temporary absence. Are also considered as employed full-time and part-time students working full time and those working part-time in the seven days prior to the interview, as well as paid and unpaid apprentices and trainees.
Unemployment:
Two definitions, the "official" and the "expanded", of unemployment are used.
The "official definition" refers to people, aged 15 to 65 years, who:
- did not work during the seven days prior to the interview;
- want to work and are available to start work within a week after the interview;
- have taken steps to look to work or start some forms of selfemployment in the four weeks prior to the interview.
The "expanded definition" excludes criterion (c).
Underemployment:
Time-related underemployment:
It covers persons who:
- are working less hours than the normal hours worked in a specific activity;
- have no choice to work less hours (number of hours of work are not voluntary);
- are willing to work longer hours;
- have taken steps to look for extra work in the four weeks prior to the survey.
Inadequate employment situations:
Not covered.
Hours of work:
Hours actually worked and usual hours are covered in the survey. In both these instances, data are presented for the main job, other work activities and total hours, separately.
Employment-related income:
Income from paid employment:
It refers to regular or total cash earnings including overtime, allowances and bonuses before any tax or deductions. It refers only to main job.
Income from self-employment:
Same as above if it is the main activity.
Informal sector:
Respondents are asked about their place of work, whether it is in the formal or informal sector. Informal sector employment is where the employer (institution, business or private employer) is not registered to perform its activity.
Usual activity:
Not covered.
Classifications:
Branch of economic activity (industry):
Title of the classification:
International classification.
Population groups classified by industry:
Employed and unemployed (industry of last job for the unemployed:
Number of groups used for coding:
190.
Links to ISIC:
ISIC-Rev.3 (1988).
Occupation:
Title of the classification:
International classification.
Population groups classified by occupation:
Employed and the unemployed (occupation of last job for the unemployed).
Number of groups used for coding:
369.
Links to ISCO:
ISCO-88.
Status in employment:
Title of the classification:
National classification.
Population groups classified by status in employment:
Employed.
Groups used for classification:
Employees and self-employed.
Links to ICSE:
No information.
Education:
Title of the classification:
National classification.
Population groups classified by education:
Employed and unemployed persons as well as inactive population (all ages).
Groups used for classification:
No schooling; grade 0 to grade 12; NTC I to NTC III; diploma/certificate with less than grade 12; diploma/certificate with grade 12; degree, postgraduate degree or diploma.
Links to ISCED:
ISCED-1997.
Sample size and design:
Ultimate sampling unit:
Dwelling.
Sample size (ultimate sampling units):
30,000 dwellings.
Overall sampling fraction:
No information.
Sample frame:
The database of enumerator areas(EAs), as established during the demarcation phase of Census 1996, constituted the sample frame for selecting EAs for the Labour Force Survey.
Updating of the sample:
Yearly.
Rotation:
Scheme:
The same dwellings are visited on, at most, five different occasions. This means a rotation of 20 per cent of dwelling units at each time.
Percentage of units remaining in the sample for two consecutive survey rounds:
80 per cent.
Maximum number of interviews per sample unit:
Five.
Length of time for complete renewal of the sample:
Five rounds.
Field work:
Type of interview:
Personal interviews.
Number of ultimate sampling units per sample area:
Ten.
Duration of field work:
Total:
21 days (for example, from 2 to 22 September 2001).
Per sample area:
About 14 hours.
Survey organization:
Permanent and ad-hoc organizations.
Number of field staff:
About 936 persons (both permanent and contractual staff members).
Substitution of non-responding ultimate sampling units:
No.
Estimation and adjustments:
Total non-response rate:
About 10 per cent.
Adjustment for total non-response:
Yes.
Imputation for item non-response:
No.
Adjustment for areas/population not covered:
No.
Adjustment for undercoverage:
Yes.
Adjustment for overcoverage:
Yes.
Adjustment for seasonal variations:
No.
History of the survey:
Title and date of the first survey:
Labour Force Survey 2000.
Significant changes or revisions:
Not applicable.
Documentation and dissemination:
Documentation:
Survey results:
Labour Force Survey (bi-annually); Statistical Releases (P0210).
Survey methodology:
Labour Force Survey (bi-annually).
Dissemination:
Time needed for initial release of survey results:
About 6 months after fieldwork (26 March 2002 for the September 2001 results).
Advance information of public about date of initial release:
Yes.
Availability of unpublished data upon request:
No.
Availability of data in machine-readable form:
Yes.
Website:
http://www.statssa.gov.za/.