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LFS-QLFS-LMDSA

Quarterly Labour Force Survey 2013, Q3-Q4, Panel

South Africa, 2013
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Reference ID
zaf-statssa-qlfs-2013q3-q4-panel-v1
DOI
https://doi.org/10.25828/8332-v636
Producer(s)
Statistics South Africa
Collections
South African Labour Force Survey Data
Metadata
Documentation in PDF DDI/XML JSON
Created on
May 27, 2026
Last modified
May 27, 2026
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32070
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  • Identification
  • Version
  • Coverage
  • Producers and sponsors
  • Study authorization
  • Sampling
  • Data collection
  • Access policy
  • Distributor information
  • access_policy
  • Contacts
  • Metadata production
  • Citation

    • Identification

    Survey ID number
    zaf-statssa-qlfs-2013q3-q4-panel-v1
    Title
    Quarterly Labour Force Survey 2013, Q3-Q4, Panel
    Abbreviation or Acronym
    QLFS 2013Q3-Q4, Panel
    Country
    Name Country code
    South Africa zaf
    Study type
    Labour Force Survey
    Other identifiers
    Type Identifier
    doi https://doi.org/10.25828/8332-v636
    Abstract
    The Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) is a household-based survey conducted by Statistics South Africa to collect information on the labour market activities of individuals aged 15 years and older living in South Africa. In 2013, Statistics South Africa developed the QLFS Panel dataset to support longitudinal analysis of labour market dynamics. The panel was constructed using data from the third and fourth quarters of the 2013 QLFS and was officially released in April 2014.

    The QLFS panel enables researchers to track the same individuals over time, thereby providing insights into labour market transitions such as movements into and out of employment. It also allows for the analysis of employment outcomes across sectors, industries, occupations, and provinces, as well as the examination of job-search methods used by individuals.The QLFS Panel was used to prepare Labour Market Dynamics in South Africa, 2013.

    The rotational design of the QLFS enables tracking of individuals across survey waves. In principle, up to three-quarters of respondents can be tracked between two consecutive quarters, while one-quarter of the sample is rotated out in the fourth quarter. The panel dataset matches individuals across quarters using identifiers such as name, surname, gender, age, and population group. Importantly, the panel tracks individuals rather than households and includes only members of private households and hostels.
    Kind of Data
    Sample survey data [ssd]
    Unit of Analysis
    Individuals

    Version

    Version Description
    v1: Edited, anonymised dataset for public distribution
    Version Date
    2026-05
    Version Notes
    DataFirst retrieved this version from StatsSA on 15th April, 2021

    Coverage

    Geographic Coverage
    National coverage
    Geographic Coverage notes
    The QLFS sample covers the non-institutional population of South Africa with one exception. The only institutional subpopulation included in the QLFS sample are individuals in worker's hostels. Persons living in private dwelling units within institutions are also enumerated. For example, within a school compound, one would enumerate the schoolmaster's house and teachers' accommodation because these are private dwellings. Students living in a dormitory on the school compound would, however, be excluded.
    Geographic Unit
    Provincial and metropolitan level
    Universe
    The QLFS sample covers the non-institutional population, except for workers' hostels. Persons living in private dwelling units within institutions are also included in the enumeration. For example, within a school compound, one would enumerate the schoolmaster's house and the teachers' accommodation, as these are private dwellings. Students living in a dormitory on the school compound would, however, be excluded.

    Producers and sponsors

    Primary investigators
    Name Affiliation
    Statistics South Africa Government of South Africa

    Study authorization

    Authorization Date
    1999
    Agency
    Agency name Affiliation Abbreviation
    Statistics South Africa Government of South Africa StatsSA
    Authorization Statement
    Data collection by organs of state in South Africa is authorised by the Statistics Act, 1999

    Sampling

    Sampling Procedure
    The sampling frame was based on the 2001 Population Census, where the country was divided into 80 787 enumeration areas (EAs). The survey sample, consisting of approximately 30 000 dwellings, was designed to be representative at both provincial and metro/non-metro levels, and within metropolitan areas, further representative across geographic types such as urban formal, urban informal, farms, and tribal areas.

    The QLFS follows a stratified two-stage sampling design. In the first stage, PSUs were selected using probability proportional to size (PPS) sampling, while in the second stage, dwelling units were selected systematically within each PSU. A total of 3,080 PSUs were selected and divided equally into four rotation groups. Under the rotation design, sampled dwellings remain in the survey for four consecutive quarters, with one-quarter of the sample rotated out and replaced each quarter. The sampling unit is the dwelling, while the household is the unit of observation, meaning that if a household moves out, any new household occupying the dwelling is subsequently surveyed for the remaining rotation period.
    Refer to the Metadata report for more details on sampling.

    Data collection

    Dates of Data Collection
    Start End
    2013-07 2013-12
    Time Method
    Cross-section [cross section]
    Time periods
    Start date End date
    2013-07 2013-12
    Data Collectors
    Name Affiliation Abbreviation
    Statistics South Africa Government of South Africa StatsSA

    Access policy

    Location of Data Collection
    DataFirst Dataportal
    URL for Location of Data Collection
    Archive where study is originally stored
    Statistics South Africa website

    Distributor information

    Distributor
    Organization name Affiliation URL
    DataFirst University of Cape Town

    access_policy

    Access authority
    Name Affiliation URL Email
    DataFirst University of Cape Town support@data1st.org
    Access conditions
    Creative Commons Attribution only CC-BY license.
    Citation requirements
    Statistics South Africa. Quarterly Labour Force Survey 2013, Q3-Q4, Panel [dataset]. Version 1. Pretoria: Statistics South Africa [producer], 2014. Cape Town: DataFirst [distributor], 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25828/8332-v636
    Deposit requirements
    Users of the data must send DataFirst a copy of or link to any publication based on the data

    Contacts

    Contacts
    Name Affiliation Email URL
    DataFirst Helpdesk University of Cape Town support.data1st.org

    Metadata production

    DDI Document ID
    zaf-statssa-qlfs-2013q3-q4-panel-v1
    Producers
    Name Affiliation Role
    DataFirst University of Cape Town Metadata producer
    Date of Metadata Production
    2026-05

    Metadata version

    DDI Document version
    Version 1

    Citation

    Citation
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