Here's why South Africans are semigrating to this particular hotspot
But the tide, it may seem, might be turning.
One particular province, long written off by many in search of lifestyle perks on the coast, is quietly regaining its pull, and the driving force is simple: jobs.
According to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey from Stats SA, Gauteng added 95 000 jobs in the most recent quarter, the largest gain in the country.
By contrast, the Western Cape, despite boasting the lowest official unemployment rate at 21.1%, shed 117 000 jobs, the highest loss of any province.
According to BusinessTech and Keke Khojane, GCS Head of Office at Galetti Corporate Real Estate, employment opportunities remain the number-one reason people are semigrating back to Gauteng.
Khojane said that return-to-office mandates and hybrid models are currently fuelling a recovery in Gauteng's office and commercial markets.
And big employers are leading the charge, it seems.
Vodacom, Nedbank and Arena Holdings have all scrapped remote-first policies and reinstated five-day office attendance.
This shift is steadily reducing the number of remote work opportunities available, pulling workers back into the province that still houses the bulk of South Africa's corporate headquarters.
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