SA population rises 20% to 62m, census signals

South Africa’s population reached 62 million last year, a national census showed, 20% higher than when the last count was undertaken in 2011.

The average annual growth rate of 1.8% over the period was the highest since the first post-apartheid-rule census was undertaken in 1996, the data released by the national statistics agency on Tuesday showed. The count provides the government with demographic data used for public administration purposes and budgetary allocations.

Of those counted, 81.4% were Black, 8.2% of mixed race, 7.3% White and 2.7% Indian.

The number of immigrants stood at more than 2.4 million, and included just over 1 million Zimbabwean nationals and 416,564 Mozambicans. The data illustrates the country’s continued attractiveness as a destination for economic migrants and political refugees, primarily from the rest of Africa.

The population of Gauteng, the economic hub, stood at 15 million, the highest of the nine provinces, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 12.4 million and the Western Cape with 7.4 million. One third of people who moved internally went to Gauteng and 15% to the Western Cape.

Other highlights:

• There has been a steady decline in the proportion of the White population, from 11% in 1996 to 7.3% in 2022.
• The census showed South Africa had 17.8 million households, up from 14 million in 2011. Almost half of those were situated in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
• Informal dwellings accounted for 8.1% of the total, down from 13.6% in 2022.
• More than 80% of households had access to piped water and more than 90% had access to electricity for lighting.
• About 66% of households had their refuse removed at least once a week, up from 52.1% in 1996.