Striking disparities in employment across South Africa: evidence from a new spatial database

Abstract

Public awareness of the unequal distribution of economic opportunities across the territory of South Africa has been hampered by limited information and analysis. This paper makes use of a new source of spatial economic statistics to illuminate key features of the country’s economic geography. We reveal the striking concentration of employment in cities and discuss both the quantity and character of these jobs. The metros have a more favourable and diverse economic structure than towns and rural areas. However, most have performed poorly over the last decade, thereby dragging down the national economy. The release of the new dataset should encourage further research on spatial inequalities and labour market dynamics.