Latest news with #StatsSA
The Citizen
11 hours ago
- Health
- The Citizen
South Africans living longer: Here's the life expectancy rate in 2025
While life expectancy is projected to increase, South Africans are having fewer children. Should we be worried? South Africans are living longer, with the national life expectancy now 12 years more than it was at the turn of the century. The continued rise in life expectancy is thanks to advances in healthcare, HIV prevention, and overall living conditions. According to Statistics South Africa's (Stats SA) 2025 mid-year population estimates, life expectancy at birth is now 64 years for males and 69 years for females. This marks a recovery from the setbacks of recent years, including a major dip during the Covid-19 pandemic and continued health impacts of HIV and AIDS. Life expectancy has improved In 2002, males had an average life expectancy of 52 years, while females averaged 57 years. This year's figures reflect a notable improvement, especially among men. Life expectancy for both sexes declined sharply between 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In just one year, males saw a 3-year drop in life expectancy (from 62.8 to 59.8), while females experienced a 3.6-year decline (from 68.8 to 65.2). Although the pandemic had a devastating impact, Stats SA notes that life expectancy began to recover steadily from 2022. 'Life expectancy at birth in South Africa improved by 1.9 years for males (61.7 years) and 2.2 years for females (67.4 years) in 2022,' it said. As public health programmes expand and treatment coverage improves, particularly among women of reproductive age, the country's long-term outlook continues to stabilise. Progress in healthcare has also resulted in major improvements in child survival. The infant mortality rate (IMR) has declined from 61.9 deaths per 1 000 live births in 2002 to 23.1 in 2025. 'Similarly, the under-five mortality rate (U5MR) declined from 79.9 child deaths per 1 000 live births to 26.1 child deaths per 1 000 live births between 2002 and 2025,' Stats SA noted. The decline in child mortality is attributed to better maternal and child health services, expanded immunisation coverage, and reduced HIV transmission from mother to child. These advances mean that more children are surviving into adolescence, even as fewer are being born. ALSO READ: Why SA has 32.9% unemployment and Zimbabwe 8% Fewer births South Africa's total fertility rate (TFR) has, however, fallen steadily over the last two decades, following global trends. In 2008, the rate stood at 2.78 children per woman. By 2025, it had dropped to 2.21, according to Stats SA's estimates. This is worryingly close to, but still above, the replacement fertility rate of 2.1. 'More rural provinces of Limpopo and Eastern Cape indicate higher total fertility rates, whilst more urbanised provinces such as Gauteng and the Western Cape indicate lower rates of fertility,' Stats SA found. South Africa has one of the lowest fertility levels on the continent, with a study on fertility and childbearing in South Africa noting the extent of the decline. 'Fertility in South Africa declined from an average of 6 to 7 children per woman in the 1950s to an average of 4 to 5 children in the 1980s and about 3.3 children per woman in the mid-1990s'. Among the factors for the decline are delayed marriage, the desire for smaller families or economic challenges, improved healthcare and living conditions, contraceptives, and access to education. Pretoria-based obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Rogers Mmabatswa told The Citizen that many of his patients said they had decided on smaller families because of the rising cost of living. 'Many complain about the cost of raising their children. Food, clothing, and schooling are expensive. So, for a lot of people, there are financial considerations when deciding whether to have a child, or another.' Should SA be worried? A 2024 study by the economic policymaking institute, Centre for Economic Policy Research, outlined the economic dangers of a low birth rate. 'The challenge of low fertility is magnified by the fact that it causes older-age population shares to swell. Population ageing may naturally hamper economic activity insofar as older people impose significant burdens associated with public expenditures on health and long-term care and economic security and tend to work less than their younger counterparts.' However, Mmabatswa says smaller families that come from reduced birth rates may have positives. 'Parents and caregivers are able to dedicate more time and energy to their children, giving them increased individual attention than if there were many other children vying for their attention. 'This will often translate to better performance at school, sport, or socially.' NOW READ: Are you employed if you work an hour a week? Stats SA says yes
The South African
14 hours ago
- Politics
- The South African
BAD news for South Africa's WHITE population in 2025
South Africa's white population is the only demographic in the country that continues to decline. This worrying fact was revealed in Stats SA's latest mid-year population estimate for 2025. We'll get into the reasons why South Africa's white population continues to decrease shortly … However, Stats SA's latest report is also full of pertinent information regarding South Africa's current population statistics. Like how we've breached the 63-million people mark, which represents an increase of 772 291 individuals (1.23%) in one year. The number of black Africans entering the country largely offsets the departure of white South Africans leaving the country. Image: File As The South African reported last week, these are the most popular countries South Africa's white population are moving to. And according to the new report, an additional 10 500 white residents will choose to leave the country for good this year, too, reports BusinessTech . As such, emigration among white South Africans climbs from 84 308 to 94 898 in 2025. And Stats SA estimates it will crest the 100 000 mark by next year. Interestingly, it's not only emigration that's responsible for the decline in South Africa's white population … Deaths from COVID-19-related symptoms peaked in 2021 after prolonged exposure to the virus. Image: File Notably, Stats SA's Crude Death Rate (CDR) measures the annual rate of deaths per 1 000 people. It's highest ever was 11.1 per 1 000 people in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. This exceeded even the CDR during peak HIV pandemic (in 2006). In the last few years, CDR has stabilised at 8.7. However, this year the CDR ticked up for the first time again this decade, to 8.8 deaths per 1 000 people. All of the country's demographic groups are growing, except South Africa's white population. As such, South Africa's white population is now 7.1%, a decline of 0.9% from 2024. Over the same period, the black African population increased by 0.2%, coloured 0.1% and Indian/Asian notably to 1.6%. US immigration authorities are tightening their processes after the truth about several Afrikaner 'refugees' came to light. Image: Adobe stock Moreover, while white people continue to leave, a migration by black Africans is being led into South Africa. Stats SA estimates 903 697 black Africans will enter the country by 2026. Likewise, the Indian/Asian population is expected to grow by more 56 000 in the coming year, leading to a net positive migration. Other interesting data from the mid-year population estimate reveals that 51.1% of South Africa's population is female. Gauteng remains the most populous province with 16-million residents, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 12.2 million. While the Northern Cape is the least populated province, home to only 1.4-million residents. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
a day ago
- Business
- IOL News
The data black hole: South Africa cannot govern what it cannot see
At Beitbridge alone, an estimated R690 million in smuggled goods passes annually, says the author. Image: Independent Newspapers Archives At South Africa's northern border, the crossings continue quietly, steadily and mostly unrecorded. While public debate often centres on the visibility of foreign nationals, the far more consequential reality remains largely neglected: South Africa has not conducted a comprehensive national audit of migration flows in over a decade. There is no integrated system tracking who enters, who stays or how movements across borders intersect with labour markets, infrastructure pressure or regional development. This absence is not merely an administrative gap; it is an entrenched institutional blind spot that weakens governance, inflames public anxiety and erodes our credibility in a continent that is moving towards integration through data. The Department of Home Affairs, along with other state organs, operates with fragmented or outdated systems. A biometric border management system, budgeted at R400 million between 2020 and 2023, remains partially deployed and disconnected from labour, policing and regional intelligence networks. As confirmed in the 2025 White Paper on Labour Migration, South Africa has yet to establish a functional labour market information system that connects cross-border movement data to national planning. Stats SA's Quarterly Labour Force Surveys and Mid-Year Population Estimates offer no clear picture of undocumented populations. Civil society and academic estimates vary widely, from 2.5 to over 5 million undocumented migrants. In this vacuum, policies are constructed, services are stretched and myths are allowed to harden into assumptions. The cost of not knowing is rarely borne by those in power. In practice, this sustained opacity benefits a wide range of actors. At Beitbridge alone, an estimated R690 million in smuggled goods passes annually, enabled by under-monitored crossings and document fraud. Informal labour markets, particularly in construction, agriculture and retail, absorb undocumented workers under exploitative conditions, displacing regulation and depressing wages. According to a 2022 WIEGO study, 44% of informal traders in Johannesburg's inner city are foreign nationals, operating with little oversight. At the upper end of the labour market, foreign professionals are frequently hired in sectors such as academia, banking and technology; yet there is no public system for tracking or disaggregating these appointments by origin, skills category or permit status. This lack of consolidated data limits institutional accountability and makes it difficult to assess either the scale of crossborder hiring or its alignment with national development priorities. For political actors, the absence of reliable data allows migration to become a rhetorical device, one that can distract from policy failures when evidence is lacking. The implications of this data vacuum stretch across all tiers of governance. Human trafficking, a R10 billion industry in Southern Africa, flourishes in the blind spots between policy and enforcement. The cost of deportation operations alone has reached R1.2 billion over the past two years; funds that could be redirected to stabilising urban infrastructure or creating employment pathways for local youth. South Africa's 8.9 million NEET youth (not in employment, education or training) compete in an increasingly chaotic labour environment. In the absence of disaggregated skills and migration data, their anxieties are misdirected and their prospects uncertain. Meanwhile, AfCFTA's R50 trillion market potential, built on the free movement of people and goods, assumes that member states can at least measure who is moving. At present, South Africa cannot meet that assumption. According to the International Organization for Migration, over 70% of intra-SADC migration, formal and informal, culminates within South Africa's borders. As neighbouring countries like Eswatini, Mozambique and Namibia become holding zones or corridors for redirected global migration, South Africa increasingly absorbs the outcome of upstream policy decisions. In the absence of regional coordination and continuous cross-border insight, onward movement into South Africa becomes both untraceable and increasingly difficult to manage. Yet without this capacity, we remain unaware of the scale, the conditions and the consequences. The lack of coordination across the region is now more than a technical failure; it is a strategic risk. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Migration data is more than a governance tool; it is a lever for national development. The 2023 Africa Migration Report shows that countries linking mobility to infrastructure, skills and labour planning see stronger growth and more social cohesion. Africa's growth now hinges on human mobility: artisans, engineers, students and informal traders moving across borders. Yet South Africa has not embedded mobility into its planning frameworks. In the absence of integrated data systems, migration remains untracked, unaligned and undervalued. As data scientists and statisticians gather this November, from the South African Statistical Association's summit in Gauteng to the Global Data and AI Summit in Nairobi, African states are preparing to lead with insight. South Africa must do the same. South Africa's leadership in Africa cannot rest on sentiment alone. True Pan-Africanism is not about borderless idealism; it is about accountable systems, shared data and the ability to protect both sovereignty and solidarity through intelligence and cooperation. Until we have the capacity to measure movement, protect labour markets and coordinate with neighbours, liberalisation is not visionary; it is volatile. Pan-Africanism must evolve from declarations to data. That is how we protect the integrity of regional integration. The answer lies not in simply closing borders but in building intelligent ones. South Africa's ability to respond begins with a national migration audit, conducted over 12 months and grounded in interdepartmental collaboration. A digitally enabled migration observatory, anchored in Pretoria and integrated with SADC partners, would help close critical information gaps and restore transparency. This should be complemented by a real-time regional registry and a public-facing dashboard that informs rather than inflames national debate. This is not just a state imperative; it is a national one. Training up to 100 000 NEET youth in migration analytics, digital registry design and regional coordination would create new professional pathways while restoring confidence in the function of the state. Private sector institutions, from banks to transport firms, must also align to new standards of identity verification and border logistics, investing in systems that support clarity and social cohesion. Cities such as London and countries like Morocco demonstrate that well-resourced migration data systems, when implemented with robust oversight, can build coordination and accountability; though even these models must guard against overspend and privacy breaches. Africa is not short of talent or templates. What we need is clarity of vision and the institutional courage to act on what we find. South Africa risks falling behind not because migration is inherently destabilising but because we do not see it clearly enough to manage it constructively. Visibility is no longer optional. It is a strategy for sovereignty, cohesion and credibility in a regional future already unfolding around us. Nomvula Zeldah Mabuza is a Risk Governance and Compliance Specialist with extensive experience in strategic risk and industrial operations. She holds a Diploma in Business Management (Accounting) from Brunel University, UK, and is an MBA candidate at Henley Business School, South Africa. Image: Supplied Nomvula Zeldah Mabuza is a Risk Governance and Compliance Specialist with extensive experience in strategic risk and industrial operations. She holds a Diploma in Business Management (Accounting) from Brunel University, UK, and is an MBA candidate at Henley Business School, South Africa. *** The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Independent Media or IOL. BUSINESS REPORT
The South African
2 days ago
- Business
- The South African
Why 85% of applicants don't comply with SPAZA shop fund
Four months since its launch, the R500-million spaza shop fund has failed to reach initial expectations. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition revealed recently that the spaza shop fund has attracted more than 10 000 applications. However, a worryingly low amount of spaza shop fund applications have meant compliance requirements. As such, applications have had to be split into two categories. The first group, made up of 14% who comply. And a second group of the remaining 86%, 'who do not yet meet requirements' but will be assisted. Experts say if you include South Africa's informal sector, the country's unemployment rate is actually closer to 10%, and not 33% as reported by Stats SA. Image: File A group representing the informal traders says government's 'rigid compliance criteria' is to blame for the low uptake, reports Daily Maverick . The fund is the brainchild of the Minister of Small Business Development, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams. And it came about following the 2024 poisoning of several young children. However, the South African Spaza Shops Association's Kgothatso Ramautswa, says it is 'deeply concerned' by the lack of compliance: 'This is not a reflection of spaza shop owners, but rather a failure of government to design a realistic funding support system. The fund is failing its intended beneficiaries. If 86% are non-compliant, the problem lies in the system, not the people,' Ramautswa says. South Africa's tax-free informal sector is worth billions, say economists. And the fund is a way to 'get them on the books.' Image: File However, in the face of such low compliance, the department says it will provide non-financial support. This will include assistance in applying for the necessary documentation through their local municipality for spaza shop fund applicants. The current maximum funding available per spaza shop fund is R100 000. And this is offered as a blended finance instrument, with a 50% grant and 50% interest-free loan. The debt portion of which is repayable with zero interest. As a reminder, the government's R100 000 per qualifying owner is made up like so. R40 000 for stock purchases, R10 000 for business training and R50 000 for infrastructure upgrades. As such, the package is designed to promote sustainability, competitiveness and regulatory compliance versus larger retailers. As of now, no spaza shop fund applications have actually been denied. However, in future they could be for the following non-compliance: Applicant is not a South African citizen. If the applicant is misrepresenting ownership or control of the business. Any fraudulent or misrepresentation documents in the application. Invalid or non-existent trading permit or a business licence. Use of funding for personal or non-business-related purposes. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
TimesLIVE
2 days ago
- Business
- TimesLIVE
Youth unemployment won't be solved by deregulation
South Africa's youth unemployment crisis is deepening — again. Stats SA's latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) shows that youth employment dropped by 153,000 in the first quarter of 2025, and formal sector jobs are in retreat. These findings prompted the Daily Maverick to warn of 'The Great Unworking' — an era where the promise of jobs is collapsing, particularly for the young...
