South Africa’s youth face a combination of health challenges and reality. While many young people describe themselves as healthy and hopeful, their lived experience reveal a more complex story shaped by financial pressures, limited access to quality health services, and everyday life challenges. Recent data reveals shifting patterns in how young people experience health, access   read more »

Thirty years ago, South Africa made a promise. In 1996, the country adopted its Constitution and conducted its first democratic census, committing to count every person equally regardless of race, geography, or circumstance. Over three decades, this promise has been upheld through four national censuses that reflect the transformation of the nation. The Constitution and   read more »

In a year marked by fewer births and shifting demographics, one thing remains constant: the power of a name. According to the latest Recorded Live Births (RLB) data from Statistics South Africa, parents in 2024 showed a clear preference for names that reflect joy, resilience, and cultural pride. Lethabo, Lubanzi, and Nkazimulo topped the charts   read more »

Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has updated and revised the Census 2022 Municipal Profiles following a comprehensive assessment of census themes, variables, and geographic layers. These updates enhance the depth and accuracy of the data available to the public, researchers, and policymakers. Expanded Variables in SuperCROSS – Census 2022 Municipal Profiles New variables, which were   read more »

Every year, thousands of babies in South Africa never get to take their first breath, while many others die within days of birth. The latest report from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), Perinatal Deaths in South Africa, 2016–2020, highlights a concerning trend: stillbirths have more than doubled since 1997, reaching 15,908 in 2020. Early neonatal   read more »

In 2024, South Africa marks 30 years of democracy—a milestone that coincides with the 30th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Cairo, Egypt, in 1994. This dual commemoration underscores the transformative power of inclusive data to shape equitable futures, the theme of this year’s World Population Day which was   read more »

1.    Census 2022 10% Sample The Census 2022 10% Sample is among many Census products disseminated to the public in the second dissemination phase. Census 2022 micro-data were sampled from the latest census to cater to the data needs of academia, research institutions, NGOs, planners, and policymakers, as has been the practice for the last   read more »

South Africa’s population has now exceeded 63 million, according to the latest mid-year population estimates for 2024. The country’s population grew by approximately 835,513 individuals, marking a 1,33% increase from July 2023 to July 2024. The data reveals that over half of the population is female, totalling around 32 million people. Provincial population estimates indicate   read more »

South Africa has made strides in terms of registration of births. The results of a report, Estimating the completeness of birth registration in South Africa, 2002–2016, indicates that the number of registered births were high and on an increasing trajectory. There has been a significant increase in the number of children registered within the first   read more »

In 2022 the estimated population of South Africa included more than five million people aged 60 or older. This represents a 9,2 percent share of the overall South African population. According to a report by Statistics South Africa titled Marginalised Groups Series VI: The Social Profile of Older Persons, 2017–2021, more than half (60,9%) of   read more »