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South Africa’s Informal Economy: A Statistical Profile

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  • Gabrielle, Wills

Abstract

This report presents a statistical profile of informal employment in South Africa from 2005 to 2007, using September Labour Force Surveys. In particular, the report uses descriptive analysis to identify the extent and composition of informal employment and its recent trends. It describes the nature of informal work in South Africa and highlights heterogeneity in the types of work activities, the industries of work and the returns to informal work. It also attempts to identify the economic value generated by the informal economy. A key contribution of the report is that it analyses South Africa’s informal economy, not only at the national level but disaggregated by the metropolitan (metro) status of areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Gabrielle, Wills, 2009. "South Africa’s Informal Economy: A Statistical Profile," MPRA Paper 52909, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:52909
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    File URL: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/52909/1/Wills_WIEGO_WP6.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Smit, Suzanne & Musango, Josephine K., 2015. "Towards connecting green economy with informal economy in South Africa: A review and way forward," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 154-159.
    2. Guild, J. & Shackleton, C.M., 2018. "Informal urban fuelwood markets in South Africa in the context of socio-economic change," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 136-141.
    3. Nimoh, Nana C. & Ali, Abdilahi & Syme, Tony, 2020. "Earnings gaps, Segmentation and Competitiveness in the Ghanaian Labour Market," EconStor Preprints 214817, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    4. Charles Peprah & Veronica Peprah & Kafui Afi Ocloo, 2023. "Improving the socio-economic welfare of women through informal sector activities in Ghana," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(4), pages 3005-3028, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Informal Economy; South Africa;

    JEL classification:

    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa

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