Launch of new and updated datasets on South Africa’s labour market and development
DataFirst, in partnership with the Southern Africa – Towards Inclusive Economic Development (SA-TIED) programme, invites you to the launch of two key datasets that expand South Africa’s evidence base on labour markets and socio-economic development: the updated Post-Apartheid Labour Market Series (PALMS v4) and the newly developed Post-Apartheid Socio-Economic Series (PASES v1).
The event will take place on 24 November 2025 at the University of Cape Town (School of Economics Seminar Room, Level 4, Middle Campus) or online from 12:00 to 15:00.
Developed through more than ten years of research, these datasets offer consistent and comparable insights into South Africa’s social and economic transformation since the early 1990s. The updated PALMS harmonises data from 90 Statistics South Africa household surveys (1994–2024) and the 1993 PSLSD, while PASES combines 28 Statistics South Africa surveys (1995–2024) to capture key indicators on employment, education, welfare, and transport.
This launch provides a unique opportunity to:
1. Review key technical developments in the construction and harmonisation of these series.
2. Engage with guidance on best practice for use by researchers and practitioners.
3. Explore how these data can strengthen evidence-informed policy, and how future collaboration might extend their reach and impact.
4. Learn about the kinds of research questions these datasets can help to answer.
Your participation will help foster meaningful dialogue between researchers and policymakers committed to advancing inclusive, evidence-informed policy in South Africa.
Kindly RSVP by 19 November 2025 to confirm your attendance.