Population Growth and Distribution

The dataset shows population growth estimates for South Africa allocated to district municipalities. A time series analysis conducted by the CSIR (utilising an innovative Temporal Analyses Tool to compare the StatsSA data of 1996 with that of 2001 and 2011 for the recently updated settlement typology) enabled an analysis of growth and decline per town and settlement, as well as for less developed areas, across the country. For the South African population as a whole growth was estimated as 1.85% (based on linear calculation of average growth for periods 1996-2001/2001-2011/1996-2011). For cities and larger towns the average growth rate was calculated as 2.87%, pointing to on-going trends of population concentration. Even though this is a relative slow rate, a trend of concentration is clearly evident.