Stats SA released the Company and Close Corporation liquidation statistics up to the end of June 2010. The continuing upward trend in liquidations is illustrated by the graph above.

The total number of liquidations recorded for the first six months of 2010 increased by 5,8% (from 1 951 to 2 065) compared with the first six months of 2009. The total number of liquidations recorded for June 2010 increased by 21,9% (from 311 to 379) compared with June 2009 .

This 5,8% increase in the total number of liquidations for the first six months of 2010 was due to an increase of 10,5% in voluntary liquidations (from 1 774 to 1 961) (see Table 2.2). During this period there were increases of 0,6% in close corporation liquidations (from 1 052 to 1 058) and 12,0% in company liquidations (from 899 to 1 007) .

The highest numbers of liquidations during the first six months of 2010 were related to businesses in the ‘financing,insurance, real estate and business services’ industry (953 cases or 46,2% of liquidations) and the ‘wholesale and retail trade, catering and accommodation’ industry (584 cases or 28,3% of liquidations).