Stats SA released the key findings regarding liquidations for August 2009.

The total number of liquidations increases at slower rate. The  total  number  of  liquidations  recorded  for  the  first  eight  months  of  2009  increased  by  29,7%  (from  2 037  to 2 643) compared with the first eight months of 2008. However, the total number of liquidations recorded for August 2009 decreased by 7,4% (from 285 to 264) compared with August 2008, due to decreases in the transport, storage, communication  and  the  financing,  insurance,  real  estate,  business  services  categories  (22  and  13  liquidations respectively) .

The 29,7% increase in the total number of liquidations for the first eight months of 2009 was due to increases of 28,8% in voluntary liquidations (from 1 848 to 2 380) and 39,2% in compulsory liquidations (from 189 to 263). When comparing  the  first  eight  months  of  2009  with  the  first  eight  months  of  2008,  there  were  increases  of  34,5%  in company liquidations (from 892 to 1 200) and 26,0% in close corporation liquidations (from 1 145 to 1 443).

Liquidation Stats from jan 2005 to Aug 2009