South Africa’s population has exceeded 63 million, according to the latest mid-year population estimates for 2024 released by Statistics South Africa on Tuesday.
Stats SA said the country’s population grew by approximately 835,513 individuals, marking a 1.33 percent increase from July 2023 to July 2024.
“The data reveals that over half of the population is female, totalling around 32 million people,” the agency said.
Provincial estimates show Gauteng as the most populous province, with nearly 16 million residents, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 12.3 million. Together, these provinces account for about 45 percent of the total population.
In contrast, Northern Cape remained the least populated province, with just under 1.4 million people.
Life expectancy in South Africa has seen a significant rise, now standing at 66.5 years, up from 53.6 years in 2005.
This improvement reflects advances in medicine, public health, and socioeconomic development.
The expanded rollout of antiretroviral therapy has notably reduced AIDS-related deaths, while vaccinations and treatments for COVID-19 have decreased related fatalities.
Additionally, the infant mortality rate has dropped from 57 per 1,000 live births in 2002 to 22.9 per 1,000 in 2024, further contributing to the increase in life expectancy.
JN/APA