Moreover, the white population group experienced a substantial decline from 29.4% in 1996 to 22.6% in 2022, and black Africans from 29.3% in 1996 to 25.9% in 2022,” the report said.
Meanwhile, more than 55,000 homeless people were recorded, with more males (70.1%) than females (29.9%), for both roofless and sheltered. Homelessness is more prevalent in metropolitan areas (74.1%) compared to non-metropolitan areas (25.9%), the census showed.
The City of Tshwane recorded the highest number of homeless people (18.1%), followed by the City of Johannesburg at 15.6%.
The majority of homeless people were those who left their jobs (41%) followed by those who abuse drugs or alcohol (25%). There were more homeless children aged between 0 to 17 living in shelters, compared to those on the streets.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said: “We note that the number of people older than 20 with no education has significantly decreased, where the number of people who now have grade 12 has more than doubled since 1996.
“It is significant also that a large proportion of our children are now in early childhood development centres.“We still have work to do to ensure all eligible children attend ECD [early childhood development] centres.”
He said the presentation shows that people’s housing circumstances have improved, with almost 90% of South Africans now staying in formal housing.
“Despite the present challenges of load shedding, which we are urgently addressing, we should be encouraged by the almost universal access to electricity supply,” Ramaphosa said.
He commended Stats SA for placing an absolute premium on the credibility and integrity of the data, and adhering to international best practice.
“The data contained in a census is one of the most crucial planning, monitoring and evaluation tools for governments.
“It informs the planning, budgeting and policymaking work of government at the most fundamental level.”
Ramaphosa said the information would assist as policymaking that is not informed by accurate data can result in inefficiency in the allocation of resources, underestimation of the needs of citizens, poorly planned programmes and poor financial management.
The report further revealed that internal migration was geared mostly towards Gauteng from other provinces followed by the Western Cape. Four provinces – Limpopo, the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State – experienced the most outflow of people.
The stats also showed there were more than 2.4-million iternational migrants, which equates to just above 3% of the total population. The majority came from Zimbabwe (45.5%) followed by Mozambique with 18.7% and Lesotho with 10.2%.
Millions of young people not attending school – census
More children now attend foundation phase,says Ramaphosa
Image: GCIS/SIYABULELA DUDA
About 5.2-million young people in SA are not attending school.
This is about 200,000 more people aged five to 24 years who are not attending school compared to 2011. The Census 2022, released by Stats SA yesterday, has also revealed that SA’s population has grown to 62-million.
The numbers show Gauteng has the highest number of young people not going to school, at 1.3-million, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 1-million.
While more children are going to school compared to 2011, relative to the population growth, the figures show five provinces recorded an increase in the number of those not in school, including the Western Cape.
In 2011, the census revealed that 5-million young people were not attending school, while 13.8-million were.
Wits University’s education economist Brahm Fleisch said though the school attendance rate was gradual, it was encouraging.
“[The numbers are] not a big change, but they are definitely going in the right direction.“The school attendance rate saw a big jump between 1996 and 2001 but we still continueto see a positive increase but we are no longer seeing a big jump, it is a gradual increase,” said Fleisch.
He, however, warned that the increase in school attendance would lead to overcrowding in schools if the government does not match the pupil number increase with more teachers and classes.
The report noted that SA had intensified measures to prevent school dropouts. As a result, fewer children were dropping out of school compared to those during apartheid.
However, it said race disparity in access to education intersects with other forms of disadvantage, including poverty and the urban-rural divide.
“Overall, the percentage of individuals attending school increased from 70.1% in 1996 to 73.4% in 2022.
“However, not much changewas observed between 2011and 2022,” the report said.
The percentage of black Africans who attended school increased. The number of individuals who were not attending school declined across all population groups from 1996 to 2022.
Image: SIPHIWE SIBEKO
Moreover, the white population group experienced a substantial decline from 29.4% in 1996 to 22.6% in 2022, and black Africans from 29.3% in 1996 to 25.9% in 2022,” the report said.
Meanwhile, more than 55,000 homeless people were recorded, with more males (70.1%) than females (29.9%), for both roofless and sheltered. Homelessness is more prevalent in metropolitan areas (74.1%) compared to non-metropolitan areas (25.9%), the census showed.
The City of Tshwane recorded the highest number of homeless people (18.1%), followed by the City of Johannesburg at 15.6%.
The majority of homeless people were those who left their jobs (41%) followed by those who abuse drugs or alcohol (25%). There were more homeless children aged between 0 to 17 living in shelters, compared to those on the streets.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said: “We note that the number of people older than 20 with no education has significantly decreased, where the number of people who now have grade 12 has more than doubled since 1996.
“It is significant also that a large proportion of our children are now in early childhood development centres.“We still have work to do to ensure all eligible children attend ECD [early childhood development] centres.”
He said the presentation shows that people’s housing circumstances have improved, with almost 90% of South Africans now staying in formal housing.
“Despite the present challenges of load shedding, which we are urgently addressing, we should be encouraged by the almost universal access to electricity supply,” Ramaphosa said.
He commended Stats SA for placing an absolute premium on the credibility and integrity of the data, and adhering to international best practice.
“The data contained in a census is one of the most crucial planning, monitoring and evaluation tools for governments.
“It informs the planning, budgeting and policymaking work of government at the most fundamental level.”
Ramaphosa said the information would assist as policymaking that is not informed by accurate data can result in inefficiency in the allocation of resources, underestimation of the needs of citizens, poorly planned programmes and poor financial management.
The report further revealed that internal migration was geared mostly towards Gauteng from other provinces followed by the Western Cape. Four provinces – Limpopo, the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State – experienced the most outflow of people.
The stats also showed there were more than 2.4-million iternational migrants, which equates to just above 3% of the total population. The majority came from Zimbabwe (45.5%) followed by Mozambique with 18.7% and Lesotho with 10.2%.
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