DataFirst 2026-08-20 NADA Version 1 Survey of Employers and Self-Employed 2023 SESE 2023 zaf-statssa-sese-2023-v1 Statistics South Africa MetadataEditor 2026-08-18 Pretoria DataFirst Helpdesk Survey of Employers and Self-Employed v1: Edited, anonymised data for public distribution Parliament of South Africa South Africa The survey has national coverage. The lowest level of geographic aggregation covered by the data is province and metropolitan municipality. 14.062712 33.090851 -35.101934 -22.105999 Sample survey data Cross-section [cross section] Statistics South Africa Face-to-face computer-assisted interviews [CAPI] DataFirst sese-2023-v1 1583 201 Unique Number 1583 Person Number 1583 1 14 1.5217940619078 1.0147453034568 Business number 1583 1 3 1.0170562223626 0.13431354244482 Province 1583 336 1 Western Cape 2 Eastern Cape 3 Northern Cape 4 Free State 5 KwaZulu-Natal 6 North West 7 Gauteng 8 Mpumalanga 9 Limpopo Gender 1583 827 1 Male 2 Female Age 1583 16 86 43.699305116867 12.509133685424 Population group 1583 1439 1 African/Black 2 Coloured 3 Indian/Asian 4 White Marital status 1583 742 1 Married 2 Living together like husband and wife 3 Widow/Widower 4 Divorced or separated 5 Never married Highest education level 1583 392 1 Grade 1/Sub A 2 Grade 2/Sub B 3 Grade 3/Standard 1/ABET 1 (Kha ri gude, SANLI) 4 Grade 4/Standard 2 5 Grade 5/Standard 3/ABET 2 6 Grade 6/Standard 4 7 Grade 7/Standard 5/ABET 3 8 Grade 8/Standard 6/Form 1 9 Grade 9/Standard 7/Form 2/ABET 4 10 Grade 10/Standard 8/Form 3 11 Grade 11/Standard 9/Form 4 12 Grade 12/Standard 10/Form 5/Matric (No exemption) 13 Grade 12/Standard 10/Form 5/Matric (Exemption/Bachelor's pass) 14 NTC I/N1/NIC/(v) Level 2 15 NTC II/N2/NIC/(v) Level 3 16 NTC III/N3/NIC/(v) Level 4 17 N4/NTC 4 18 N5/NTC 5 19 N6/NTC 6 20 Certificate with less than Grade 12/Std 10 21 Diploma with less than Grade 12/Std 10 22 Certificate with Grade 12/Std 10 23 Diploma with Grade 12/Std 10 24 Higher diploma 25 Post higher diploma (master's, doctoral diploma) 26 Bachelor's degree 27 Bachelor's degree and postgraduate diploma 28 Honours degree 29 Higher degree (master's/PhD) 30 Other 31 Do not know 98 No schooling Registered for VAT 1583 1583 1 Yes 2 No Income Tax 1583 1481 1 Yes 2 No License 1583 1424 1 Yes 2 No License: Municipality/Provincial authority 159 80 1 Yes 2 No License: Professional association 159 128 1 Yes 2 No License: Business association 159 112 1 Yes 2 No License: Traditional leader 159 145 1 Yes 2 No License: Protection agency/ies 159 158 1 Yes 2 No License: Friend/relative 159 157 1 Yes 2 No License:CIPC/CIPRO 159 134 1 Yes 2 No Other(License) 159 146 1 Yes 2 No License: LANDLORD 159 155 1 Yes 2 No Ownership type 1583 1363 1 Own-account worker (without employees) 2 Employer (with employees) Industry 1583 631 111 Growing of crops; market gardening; horticulture 112 Farming of animals 113 Growing of crops combined with farming of animals (mixed farming) 121 Forestry and related services 130 Fishing, operation of fish hatcheries and fish farms 131 Ocean and coastal fishing 132 Fish hatcheries and fish farms 303 Manufacture of grain mill products, starches and starch products and prepared animal feeds 304 Manufacture of other food products 305 Manufacture of beverages 312 Manufacture of other textiles 313 Manufacture of knitted and crocheted fabrics and articles 314 Manufacture of wearing apparel, except fur apparel 322 Manufacture of products of wood, cork, straw and plaiting materials 324 Publishing 325 Printing and service activities related to printing 335 Manufacture of other chemical products 342 Manufacture of non-metallic mineral products n.e.c. 351 Manufacture of basic iron and steel 354 Manufacture of structural metal products, tanks, reservoirs and steam generators 355 Manufacture of other fabricated metal products; metalwork service activities 392 Manufacture n.e.c. 395 Recycling n.e.c. 501 Site preparation 502 Building of complete constructions or parts thereof; civil engineering 503 Building installation 504 Building completion 614 Wholesale trade in non-agricultural intermediate products, waste and scrap 621 Non- specialised retail trade in stores 622 Retail trade in food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores 623 Other retail trade in new goods in specialised stores 625 Retail trade not in stores 626 Repair of personal and household goods 632 Maintenance and repair of motor vehicles 633 Sale of motor vehicle parts and accessories 641 Hotels, camping sites and other provision of short-stay accommodation 642 Restaurants, bars and canteens 643 Shebeen 712 Other land transport 752 Telecommunications 818 Cash loans 819 Other financial intermediation n.e.c. 841 Real estate activities with own or leased property 842 Real estate activities on a fee or contract basis 851 Renting of transport equipment 852 Renting of other machinery and equipment 862 Software consultancy and supply 881 Legal, accounting, bookkeeping and auditing activities; tax consultancy; market research and public opinion research; business and management consultancy 882 Architectural, engineering and other technical activities 889 Business activities n.e.c. 920 Educational services 931 Human health activities 933 Social work activities 959 Activities of other membership organisations 962 News agency activities 964 Sporting and other recreational activities 990 Other service activities Ownership 1583 1519 1 Yes 2 No Multiple partners 64 32 1 Yes 2 No Partners in the household 32 1 2 1.625 0.49186937683796 Other partners 64 49 1 Yes 2 No Partners in neighbourhood 15 1 5 1.9333333333333 1.387014608362 Main owner 64 30 1 Yourself 2 Another family or household member 3 Another person in the partnership or cooperative, not a household member 4 The ownership is equally shared between two or more owners 5 Other Location of the business 1583 439 1 Within the owner's dwelling/s - with its own space (e.g. a separate room) 2 Within the owner's dwelling/s - without its own space (e.g. a family room) 3 In a structure attached to the owner's dwelling/s or on the same plot (e.g. a workshop in the backyard) 4 Within another person's dwelling (e.g. a neighbour's dwelling) 5 In a non-residential building (e.g. an office block or factory) 6 From a taxi rank/bus station/train station 7 On a footpath, street or open space 8 At an open market with a permanent kiosk 9 No fixed location/mobile 10 At customers' homes or offices 11 Other 12 At an open market without a permanent kiosk Location arrangement 1217 976 1 Owned by yourself/part owner 2 Rented 3 Rent free, with permission (borrowed) 4 Rent free, without permission (squatting) 5 Other Pay for location 1057 905 1 Yes 2 No Pay: Municipality/Provincial authority 152 109 1 Yes 2 No Pay: Professional association 152 142 1 Yes 2 No Pay: Business association 152 138 1 Yes 2 No Pay: Traditional leader 152 149 1 Yes 2 No Pay: Protection agency/ies 152 150 1 Yes 2 No Pay: Friend/relative 152 145 1 Yes 2 No Pay: Owner of the location/ landlord 152 97 1 Yes 2 No Other(Payment) 152 148 1 Yes 2 No Proof of payment 152 77 1 Yes 2 No Cost of location 152 35000 2274.1447368421 3912.4996996092 Electricity availability 1217 858 1 Yes 2 No 3 Not applicable Main sources of water 1217 401 1 Piped (Tap) water in structure 2 Piped (Tap) water on site 3 Public tap/shared tap with others 4 Borehole on site 5 Borehole off site 6 Rainwater tank on site 7 Flowing water/stream 8 Dam/Pool/Stagnant water 9 Well 10 Spring 11 Other 12 No water access 13 Not applicable Access to toilet facility 1124 527 1 Flush toilet on site 2 Flush toilet off site 3 Chemical toilet 4 Pit latrine with ventilation pipe 5 Pit latrine without ventilation pipe 6 Bucket toilet 7 None 8 Other 9 Not applicable Means of communication 1462 1393 1 Fixed telephone on site 2 Fixed telephone not on site 3 Cellular telephone 4 A public telephone 5 Internet/ Email 6 None 7 Other Type of record 1583 1137 1 Simple informal records of sales and/or expenditures 2 Some accounts but not full (for example expenditures) 3 Full annual accounts 4 No accounts kept Record 446 249 1 Yes, they are all recorded separately 2 Some are recorded separately, some together 3 No, they are all recorded together Reason for not keeping records 1137 530 1 No skills 2 The business is too small 3 No time to keep records 4 Don't see a need to keep records 5 Other Duration 1583 1 12 10.040429564119 3.4014398405023 Turnover 1111 800000 40990.893789379 80990.008644596 June 1111 639 1 High 2 Normal 3 Low July 1111 638 1 High 2 Normal 3 Low August 1111 711 1 High 2 Normal 3 Low September 1111 731 1 High 2 Normal 3 Low October 1111 743 1 High 2 Normal 3 Low November 1111 635 1 High 2 Normal 3 Low December 1111 485 1 High 2 Normal 3 Low January 1111 494 1 High 2 Normal 3 Low February 1111 627 1 High 2 Normal 3 Low March 1111 726 1 High 2 Normal 3 Low April 1111 716 1 High 2 Normal 3 Low May 1111 714 1 High 2 Normal 3 Low Less than 12 months 472 188 1 Seasonal factors 2 Family reasons (e.g. Death of a family member, taking care if a sick family member) 4 No customers 5 Sickness of yourself or staff 6 Other personal reasons than sickness (pregnancy, etc) 7 Lack of raw materials 8 Lack of funds to buy supplies 9 No one to help during owner's absence 10 Business created during the past 12 months 11 Due to violence or criminal incident/s 12 Other Business started 1583 383 1 Less than a year ago 2 1 or more but less than 3 years ago 3 3 or more but less than 5 years ago 4 5 or more but less than 10 years ago 5 10 or more years ago 6 Can't remember/ Don't know Main reason 1583 729 1 Inherited/family tradition 2 Unemployed 3 Had no alternative income source 4 Retrenched 5 Inadequate income from the other source 6 I like the activity 7 I have the skills for this business 8 I have equipment for this business 9 Activity brings high income 10 Small investment needed 11 Unhappiness with previous work 12 New opportunity/ Idea 13 Other 14 To survive/make ends meet/provide for my family 15 I want to be my own boss or create employment for other people 16 I want to earn money while I searched for a job Find any support 1583 989 1 Yes 2 No Usage of own money 989 809 1 Yes 2 No Main source of money 809 341 1 Previous and/or present wage employment 2 Other business 3 Sale of livestock/crops 4 Sales of other assets 5 Inheritance 6 Pension from work 7 Retirement/severance pay 8 An investment policy that matured 9 Money paid out from a stokvel 10 Other savings 11 Old age grants 12 Other social grants (excl. old age grants) Your total amount used 809 600000 12025.144622991 41480.41842664 Borrowing of money 989 828 1 Yes 2 No Loans from commercial banks 161 147 1 Yes 2 No Loans from friends/relatives 161 131 1 Yes 2 No Loans from credit societies 161 159 1 Yes 2 No Loans from moneylenders/mashonisas 161 148 1 Yes 2 No Loans from business partners 161 155 1 Yes 2 No Loans from business association 161 157 1 Yes 2 No Loans from NGO/CBO 161 160 1 Yes 2 No Loans from others 161 153 1 Yes 2 No Loans Governemnt agencies 161 156 1 Yes 2 No Total amount borrowed 161 760000 32302.98136646 101815.64396524 Paying off money borrowed 161 137 1 Yes 2 No Total amount paid 24 100 25000 4810.8333333333 7281.0145713634 Obtain grant 989 959 1 Yes 2 No From government 30 23 1 Yes 2 No From a non-governmental organisation/ CBO 30 30 1 Yes 2 No Other(grants) 30 19 1 Yes 2 No From private enterprise 30 25 1 Yes 2 No Usage of raw material 1583 1206 1 Yes 2 No Costs 377 60000 2230.1538461538 5324.4062112938 Usage of any supplies 1583 976 1 Yes 2 No Costs 607 120000 2669.9456342669 7674.1663519049 Gross income from sales 1583 400000 5124.905874921 15226.659924022 Income from other sources 1583 100000 455.35060012634 3672.3372561825 Provision of an alternative site 1583 1169 1 Yes 2 No Better access to loans 1583 1215 1 Yes 2 No Assistance with marketing 1583 1025 1 Yes 2 No Better access to raw materials/supplies 1583 1196 1 Yes 2 No Less strict government regulations 1583 1383 1 Yes 2 No Access to modern technology 1583 1334 1 Yes 2 No Forming contacts with others in similar businesses for cooperation 1583 1291 1 Yes 2 No Other 1583 1449 1 Yes 2 No Most business assistant 684 138 1 Provision of an alternative site 2 Better access to loans 3 Assistance with marketing 4 Better access to raw materials/supplies 5 Less strict government regulations 6 Access to modern technology 7 Forming contacts with others in similar businesses for cooperation 8 Other Where advice to run a business was obtained 1583 1025 1 The institution that provided funding to start the business 2 Business partners 3 Financial advisor 4 Friends and relatives 5 No advice received 6 Other Business employ any people 1583 1363 1 Yes 2 No Paid at this time last year 220 13 1.7681818181818 1.8983016595198 Unpaid at this time last year 220 4 0.32272727272727 0.74049953408722 Paid during the last month of the year 220 60 1.9454545454545 4.2765931126181 Unpaid during the last month of the year 220 5 0.33636363636364 0.71866533738925 Paid during the last week 220 14 1.6636363636364 1.6205150132784 Unpaid during the last week 220 13 0.36818181818182 1.0709473310902 Paid during the first month 220 15 1.0818181818182 1.6586940903954 Unpaid during the first month 220 Paid full time workers (35 hours or more per week) 220 13 1.3545454545455 1.5707739629473 Unpaid full time workers (35 hours or more per week) 220 1 0.0045454545454545 0.067419986246324 Paid part-time workers (less than 35 hours per week) 220 5 0.30909090909091 0.77924509242743 Unpaid part-time workers (less than 35 hours per week) 220 3 0.15454545454545 0.45201453963691 Paid male 220 6 1.1590909090909 1.2077221439909 Unpaid male 220 3 0.15454545454545 0.4717859517046 Paid female 220 11 0.50454545454545 1.2106744686981 Unpaid female 220 11 0.21818181818182 0.858817475006 Paid Black 220 10 1.5318181818182 1.5121687119388 Unpaid Black 220 9 0.30909090909091 0.86267561426187 Paid Coloured 220 2 0.045454545454545 0.24869939810646 Unpaid Coloured 220 1 0.013636363636364 0.11624040018478 Paid Indian 220 2 0.013636363636364 0.15048006753867 Unpaid Indian 220 1 0.0045454545454545 0.067419986246324 Paid White 220 1 0.040909090909091 0.19853134486561 Unpaid White 220 1 0.022727272727273 0.14937256348849 Paid Other population group 220 3 0.031818181818182 0.29281559274979 Unpaid Other population group 220 Paid aged 15-24 years 215 149 99 Unspecified Unpaid aged 15-24 years 215 2 0.074418604651163 0.28026441391715 99 Unspecified Paid aged 25-34 years 220 77 99 Unspecified Unpaid aged 25-34 years 220 8 0.14545454545455 0.67352224353493 99 Unspecified Paid aged 35-44 years 220 116 99 Unspecified Unpaid aged 35-44 years 220 2 0.072727272727273 0.30845293474278 99 Unspecified Paid aged 45-54 years 220 169 99 Unspecified Unpaid aged 45-54 years 220 1 0.031818181818182 0.17591603340646 99 Unspecified Paid aged 55-64 years 220 179 99 Unspecified Unpaid aged 55-64 years 220 1 0.018181818181818 0.13391322630468 99 Unspecified Paid Aged more than 64 years 220 184 99 Unspecified Unpaid Aged more than 64 years 220 1 0.013636363636364 0.11624040018478 99 Unspecified Paid Under 15 years of age 220 186 99 Unspecified Unpaid Under 15 years of age 220 99 Unspecified Wages and salaries, including overtime, bonuses, etc 220 56000 3394.5727272727 5930.1816660925 Payment in kind (food, clothing, drinks, etc. 220 5000 171.77272727273 513.10323062733 Refund of transport costs 220 2400 46.936363636364 282.95901496701 Paid Other( remunaration) 220 15000 88 1022.2678700681 Wages and salaries, including overtime, bonuses, etc for yourself 1583 64000 1737.479469362 4284.2350022395 Payment in kind (food, clothing, drinks, etc.) for yourself 1583 20000 603.76184459886 1487.7510673638 Refund of transport costs for yourself 1583 18000 271.22741629817 978.17012399968 Paid Other 1583 18000 236.21036007581 1001.6866594326 Electricity costs 1583 13000 26.204042956412 329.90171609819 Water costs 1583 700 6.0688566013898 28.422066072723 Fuel and lubricants costs 1583 30800 85.046114971573 1182.9982195164 Money spent on spare parts 1583 28000 32.588755527479 757.74541124834 Amount spent on rental of premises 1583 26000 45.332280480101 746.84526362597 Amount spent on rental of machinery and equipment 1583 40000 36.743524952622 1055.1440030513 Amount spent on postage, telephone, printing and stationery 1583 600 7.8079595704359 26.577982243673 Amount spent on transport of raw materials/supplies 1583 20000 46.971572962729 660.86842538954 Amount spent on repairs and maintenance 1583 26000 45.776373973468 866.33388557024 Amount spent on business services 1583 800 2.8092229943146 33.417695046035 Amount spent on licences, permits 1583 15000 12.156032849021 377.9529352668 Amount spend on interest on loans /repayments of loans 1583 14000 28.830701200253 592.06570315894 Amount spent on insurance premiums, mortgages /bonds 1583 20000 26.524320909665 622.17750485162 Amount spent on income tax//levies 1583 11500 9.8825015792798 291.07540495326 Amount spent on protection agencies 1583 10000 6.8572331017056 251.4401147618 Amount spent other 1583 10000 12.338597599495 254.13997719744 Amount spent on machinery 1583 70000 354.60391661402 3215.8414295932 Amount spent on equipment and tools 1583 60000 310.86418193304 2002.9127780775 Amount spent on vehicles, trailers, etc. for transportation 1583 300000 779.24131396083 8853.2864664929 Amount of money spent on buildings and other structures 1583 96000 220.0947567909 3706.9001745103 Amount spent on furniture 1583 30000 71.734680985471 1230.3694327068 Amount spent on other capital items 1583 30000 100.73468098547 1089.9379279714 Net profit 1583 140000 2825.7694251421 7093.3284881631 Average net profits 1583 140000 3332.5735944409 7367.6007189221 Use of profit 1583 1103 1 Re-invest in the business 2 Save it in the bank 3 Spend it on items for the household 4 Other Debts 1583 1555 1 Yes 2 No Does the business offer transport services? 1583 1493 1 Yes 2 No Total debts 28 260 570000 95666.428571429 169564.31665615 Transport services 90 33 1 Passenger transport with combis/mini-buses 2 Passenger transport with cabs 3 Transport of goods 4 Both passenger transport and transport of goods 5 Other Type of goods 37 19 1 Sand and gravel 2 Other construction materials 3 Groceries 4 Other Not registered for VAT 1583 981 1 The business does not meet registration requirements 2 Didn't know that the business has to be registered 3 Registration process is tedious / complicated 4 Other 5 Did not know where to register the business Not registered for income tax 1481 843 1 The business does not meet registration requirements 2 Didn't know that the business has to be registered 3 Registration process is tedious / complicated 4 Other 5 Not applicable / not required to register Account for business 1583 1222 1 Yes, from bank 2 Yes, from another formal financial institution 3 Yes, from an informal organisation (e.g. stokvel) 4 No Investment account 1583 1423 1 Yes, from bank 2 Yes, from another formal financial institution 3 No Loan account 1583 1560 1 Yes, from a bank 2 Yes, from another formal financial institution (e.g. microfinance organisation) 3 Yes, from an informal organisation 4 Yes, from family / friends 5 No Asset finance 1583 1577 1 Yes, from bank 2 Yes, from another formal financial institution 3 No Mortgage loan 1583 1577 1 Yes, from bank 2 Yes, from another formal financial institution 3 No Credit facility 1583 1564 1 Yes, from bank 2 Yes, from another formal financial institution 3 No Insurance 1583 1553 1 Yes, from a bank 2 Yes, from another formal financial institution (e.g. insurance company) 3 No Business payments 1583 1249 1 Yes 2 No 3 Not applicable (no account) Payment method 1581 1088 1 Internet/ cellphone banking 2 A bank branch / personal banking 3 Debit card/ pay cash 4 Credit card Awareness about ombudsman 1583 1206 1 Yes 2 No Financial literacy 1583 1296 1 Yes 2 No Education status 1583 652 1 No schooling 2 Less than primary completed 3 Primary completed 4 Secondary not completed 5 Secondary completed 6 Tertiary 7 Other Main Industry 1583 816 1 Agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing 3 Manufacturing 5 Construction 6 Wholesale and retail trade 7 Transport, storage and communication 8 Financial intermediation, insurance, real estate and business services 9 Community, social and personal services 11 Other Metropolitan code 1583 319 1 WC - Non-metro 2 WC - City of Cape Town 3 EC - Non-metro 4 EC - Buffalo City 5 EC - Nelson Mandela Bay 6 NC - Non-metro 7 FS - Non-metro 8 FS - Mangaung 9 KZN - Non-metro 10 KZN - eThekwini 11 NW - Non-metro 12 GP - Non-metro 13 GP - Ekurhuleni 14 GP - City of Johannesburg 15 GP - City of Tshwane 16 MP - Non-metro 17 LP - Non-metro Geography type code 1583 902 1 Urban 2 Traditional 3 Farms Weight 1583 56.4023601 5755.4691308 1249.6597519864 689.51805445785