Cape Town - Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke has said that between 2002 and 2022 South Africa’s population increased despite the devastating impact of Covid-19.
Statistics SA’s Mid-Year Population Estimates (MYPE 2022) data estimated that there were 60.6 million in the country by the end of June 2022.
The MYPE 2022 data showed the Western Cape was the third most populated province, accounting for 11.9% of the national population.
Cape Town has the largest share of the provincial population, with about 4.7 million people or 65.8% living in the metro.
Stats SA estimated for the period 2021–2026, the Western Cape would experience one of the largest inflows of migrants, standing at approximately 460 489.
Analysing the MYPE data, Development Planning Intelligence Management and Research director Helena Jacobs said the major pull factors for migration to the Western Cape were employment, better living conditions, family and household, education and retirement.
Jacobs said migration trends on the ground range from semi-gration, where people are seeking a better workfrom-home lifestyle and moving to smaller towns within their provinces, to seasonal workers, where people migrate in search of seasonal work on farms during harvest periods.
She said: “Such factors put pressure on municipalities and the government to provide services, infrastructure and housing to keep up with the continued rapid urbanisation and population growth. This is why we as the Province continue to do research to better understand these trends.”
Maluleke said: “The proportion of elderly persons aged 60 years and older in South Africa is increasing over time and as such policies and programmes to care for the needs of this growing population should be prioritised.”
Provincial Department of Social Development spokesperson Esther Lewis said: “The Department has budgeted R236 million in support of care and services to older persons during this financial year.
“This includes the funding of 114 residential facilities or old age homes, and 185 community-based services centres.”
She said they had prioritised their mandates in line with the Older Persons Act, which includes: registration of residential facilities as well as community-based facilities; monitoring compliance with norms and standards; and addressing the rights of, and strengthening protection services to older persons.