demographics
SA’s population is booming and the economy is struggling to keep up
SA’s economy is not growing fast enough to satisfy the growth in its population — which is being swelled by considerable immigration, mostly from other African countries
The midyear population estimates published by Stats SA reveal many encouraging demographic trends, but they also underline the urgent need to increase the rate of job creation and economic growth. On the plus side, fertility rates are down, mortality rates have improved across the board, life expectancy is well up and the number of Aids-related deaths has declined significantly over the past decade, thanks to the progressive rollout of antiretroviral therapy. On the other hand, the SA economy needs to grow at the same pace as the population – 1.5% a year — to maintain per-capita income levels. There are now 57.7-million people living in SA, with about 900,000 more being added each year. Of these, roughly 203,000 are international migrants. Immigration now accounts for a significant 17% of SA’s population growth; one in every six new people is an immigrant. The total stock of immigrants accounts for only about 7% of the SA population, however, which is relatively moderate compared wi...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.