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Overview of South Africa’s

demography and the Population

Policy response thereto

BRICS inaugural seminar on

Population matters

Numbi Hotel, Mpumalanga

01 March 2014

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Outline of the presentation

• Structure of the SA population

• Population growth: 1996-2011

• Population growth and structure

• SA population pyramids: 1996, 2007 and 2011

• Gender equality, equity and empowerment of women

• SRHR

• Population Policy responses

– Vision

– Goal

– Objectives and strategies

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Structure of the SA population • Population size grew noticeably from 40.5 m

in 1996 to 44.8 m in 2001 & then to 51.8m

in 2011

• 2m more females (27m or 51%) than males

(25m or 49%)

• Gauteng & KZN = largest populations;

Northern Cape = smallest population

• Percentage distribution of the population (by

population group) remained relatively stable – Black Africans constituting the vast majority (79.8%);

Coloureds (9%); Whites (8.7%) & Indians/Asians

(2.5%)

• Population growth rate is declining & will

continue to decline – Attributed to HIV & AIDS & decline in fertility

• SA is a relatively youthful population, but is

showing signs of maturing – Decline in 0 – 14 years & increase in 65+ and

increase in economically active (15 – 64) group

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Population growth: 1996-2011

40.6 m

44.8 m

48.5 m

51.8 m

1996-2001

2.01% pa

2001-2007

1.33% pa

2007-2011

0.61% pa

• Population growing – at a slower rate

• Population structure changing

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Population growth & structure Population characteristics 1996 2001 2011

% of population < 15 34.3 32.1 29

% of population 15 – 34

(Youth)

36.7 36.8 37.6

% of population 15 - 64 60.8 63.0 66

% of population > 60 4.8 4.9 8.1

Dependency ratio 0.64 0.53

Household size 4.5 3.9 3.6

Median age 22 23 25

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SA Population pyramids: 1996, 2007 and 2011

South African Population, 1996

-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

0 - 4

5-9

10-14

15 - 19

20 - 24

25 - 29

30 - 34

35 - 39

40 - 44

45 - 49

50 - 54

55 - 59

60 - 64

65 - 69

70 - 74

75 - 79

>80

Male Female

South African Population, 2007

-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

0 - 4

5-9

10-14

15 - 19

20 - 24

25 - 29

30 - 34

35 - 39

40 - 44

45 - 49

50 - 54

55 - 59

60 - 64

65 - 69

70 - 74

75 - 79

>80

Male Female

South African Population, 2014

-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

0 - 4

5-9

10-14

15 - 19

20 - 24

25 - 29

30 - 34

35 - 39

40 - 44

45 - 49

50 - 54

55 - 59

60 - 64

65 - 69

70 - 74

75 - 79

>80

Male Female

32.1% 31% 29.8%

4.9% 5.4% 8.1%

0-15

15-34

>60

36.7% 36.5% 38%

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Gender equality, equity & the empowerment of women

• Social grants, free basic services & the

mainstreaming of gender in government programmes

have contributed to improving women's quality of live

and that of their household members

• Poverty disproportionately affect women; individuals

in female headed households more vulnerable

• Unemployment much higher for females (34.6% up

from 26.3%) than males (25.6% up from 20%)

• Labour absorption rate for Black African women

(28.8%); White women (62.5%)

– Higher for White women than Black African men

(40.8%)

• Women more dependent on survivalist activities in

informal sector – low wages, high insecurity &

increased vulnerability

• High levels of violence against women & children

(GBV)

• Variation between actual & preferred family size –

poor communication & a lack of female decision

making power regarding family planning &

childbearing – Illustrating continued inequalities in

sexual & reproductive relations

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Sexual & Reproductive health & rights • Total Fertility Rate (TFR) 1960s - 2011

• Total Fertility Rate (TFR) declined from 6.7 children

per woman in 1960s to 2.9 1998) to 2.35 in 2011

Gauteng – lowest fertility rate during 2006 – 2011 at

2.10 and Limpopo the highest at 2.85

Teenage fertility declined, but teenage pregnancy

remains high at 56 births per 1000 women aged 15 –

19 (2011)

Improved access to SRH services since 1998 have

been undermined by decreased life expectancy and

increased MMR, both linked to HIV & AIDS

Maternal Mortality Rate, Infant Mortality Rate & Under

5 Mortality Rate remain worryingly high – SA unlikely

to meet MDG goals in this regard

Non pregnancy related infections accounted for 40% of

maternal deaths (DoH, 2012)

Antenatal health care coverage & proportion of births

attended by trained health professionals& proportion of

women who have delivered in a health facility are very

high

Introduction of medical male circumcision to reduce

risk of STI & HIV infection

1960s 1998 2008 2011

6.7 2.9 2.4 2.35

POPULATION POLICY

RESPONSE

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VISION

To contribute towards the establishment of a

society that provides a high and equitable

quality of life for all South Africans in which

population trends are commensurate with

sustainable socio-economic and

environmental development

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GOAL

To bring about changes in the determinants

of the country’s population trends, so that

these trends are consistent with the

achievement of sustainable human

development.

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OBJECTIVES • The systematic integration of population

factors into all policies, plans, programmes

and strategies in all spheres and within all

sectors and institutions of government;

• Developing and implementing a co-

ordinated multi-sectoral, interdisciplinary

and intergrated approach in designing and

executing programmes and interventions

that impact on major national and

population concerns;

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OBJECTIVES CONT

• Making available reliable and up-to-date

information on the population and human

development situation in the country in

order to inform policy-making and

programme design, implementation,

monitoring and evaluation at all levels and

in all sectors

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STRATEGIES

Policy objectives will be achieved through

inter-sectoral programmes implemented by

government departments and supported by

the private sector and organisations of civil

society.

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STRATEGIES FOCUS ON:

• Coordination and capacity building for

population and development planning;

• Population advocacy, information

education and communication (IEC);

• Poverty reduction;

• Health, mortality and fertility;

• Gender, women, youth and children;

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STRATEGIC FOCUS CONT.

• Education;

• Employment;

• Environment sustainability;

• Migration and urbanisation;

• Data collection and research.

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Thank you

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