The 2022 Census results has showed an increase in the KwaZulu-Natal population by 21%, between 2011 and 2022.
The Census results, presented to the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Executive Council by Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke, showed that the population in the province increased from 10.2 million in the 2011 Census to 12.4 million in 2022.
The results showed that the eThekwini Municipality continues to record the highest population with 4.2 million followed by the uMgungundlovu District at 1.2 million.
The Census 2022 is the fourth population and housing count in post-apartheid South Africa, following the first count in 1996 and subsequent censuses in 2001 and 2011.
The KwaZulu-Natal province is the third to receive the results following the presentation made by Maluleke to President Cyril Ramaphosa. The results include information at national, provincial, district and municipal level.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube said the province - with 12 423 907 people - finds itself at number two sandwiched between Gauteng and the Western Cape.
Dube-Ncube said the growth of the province’s population meant that the Provincial Executive Council would have to stretch available resources.
“With more people and no extra financial resources to turn to, we are called upon to use our equitable allocation wisely, efficiently and effectively. We are already feeling the strain of this growth in our numbers on the provision of social security, basic services, jobs and the fight against poverty.
“We are approaching a turning point in the management of dwindling resources which have to address a growing if not steady demand, issues including the negotiated wage hikes, the social wage and even the unpredictability occasioned by climate change,” Dube-Ncube said.
She said knowing that KwaZulu-Natal households have the largest number of female-headed households, which is at 4.4%, meant that government needed to focus its energy and resources in programmes that benefit women.
Nationally, the Census 2022 results showed that the South African population has increased from 51.7 million in 2011 to 62 million in 2022.
Gauteng remained the province with the highest population of 15 million, while the Northern Cape has the smallest population at 1.3 million. About 56% of the country’s population lives in three provinces, including Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.
The results showed that the Western Cape has moved from being the 5th largest province in terms of population size in 1996 to being the 3rd largest in 2022. Black Africans remain the dominant population group (81.4%), followed by Coloureds at 8.2%, Whites at 7.3% and Indians/Asians at 2.7%.
The results also showed a steady decline in the proportion of the White population, from 11% in 1996 to 7.3% in 2022. – SAnews.gov.za
