There are 15.4 million children (aged 0 to 17) whose fathers are currently alive. 54% of them say their father is not part of their household. (GHS 2008)

This week’s theme: Husbands and wives

61% of white South African adults are married or living together. For black South Africans this proportion is 30%. (AMPS2009A)

This week’s theme: Husbands and wives

In 2008, there were 186,522 civil marriages, 16,003 customary marriages, and 732 civil unions. In 2007 there were 80 civil unions. (StatsSA Marriages and Divorces, 2008)

This week’s theme: Husbands and wives

In 2008, there were roughly 15,000 marriages in each month January to November. In December, the figure was just over 30,000 (StatsSA Marriages and Divorces, 2008)

This week’s theme: Husbands and wives

There are 1.8 million women with children under the age of two in South Africa. 64% of them are single. (AMPS2009A)

This week’s theme: Husbands and wives

10,000 litres of drinking water supplied to a house/flat by the Cape Town municipality will cost R16.69, or one sixth of a cent per litre. At Pick ‘n Pay, the price of still mineral water ranges from R2.40 per litre (Nestle Pure Life Still Mineral Water 5L) to R30.65 per litre (Evian Rebirth Mineral Water 750ml). (www.pnponline.co.za & City of Cape Town municipal account)

This week’s theme: Prices in South Africa

The average price of electricity in South Africa is 33.14c per kWh (valid until March 2010). In the UK, it depends on the provider, the price plan and usage, but would be between 8.5p (R1.02) and 12p (R1.42) per kWh. (NERSA media statement 25 June 2009, www.ukpower.co.uk)

This week’s theme: Prices in South Africa

Post Script, 1:30pm: As some commentators have suggested, the cost of 33.14c per kWh quoted above represents the average cost across South Africa, including industry. Households in major metropolitan areas are paying in the region of 60c to 80c per kWh, depending on which city they live in (Source: www.politicsweb.co.za). See Theo Engels’ comment below to see how complicated things can get!

At Europcar, a group C rental car (VW Polo, Toyota Corolla or similar) would cost you R743 for this coming weekend, February 6th to 8th. On the weekend of the World Cup finals (July 10th to 12th), the same car would cost you R1369. At Budget, the costs would be R600, for either weekend. (Company websites)

This week’s theme: Prices in South Africa

Post Script: As one commentator said, the Budget website, which gave the R600 figures, seems to be giving completely false information. If you call the call centre, you get costs of R1094 for this weekend (6 to 8 February) and R1638 for the World Cup weekend.

Superfreakonmics, the best-selling book by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner (ISBN 978-0-06-088957-9) would cost you R225 at Loot.co.za, R289 at kalahari.net and R422 at Exclusive Books. If you lived in the US, you could purchase it at Amazon for $13.96, roughly R105. (Company websites).

This week’s theme: Prices in South Africa

The cost of the cheapest one-way economy class flight from Cape Town to Joburg on the 9th of July 2010 (just before the World Cup final) is R769 on Kulula, R882 on SAA, R1263 on Mango, R2299 on 1Time and R4929 on BA. (Airline websites, 31 Jan 2010).

This week’s theme: Prices in South Africa