GEORGE NEWS - According to Stats SA's 2019 quarter 2 statistics, the country has 6,7 million unemployed people. This is 455 000 more than in the first quarter.
The working-age population increased by 150 000 (or 0,4%) in the second quarter of 2019 compared to the first quarter. Compared to quarter 2 of 2018, the working-age population increased by 601 000 or 1,6%.
In an article titled The global workforce crisis: $10 trillion at risk, by Boston Consulting Group (BCG global management consultants), South Africa is in the ranks of the highest unemployment economies and by 2030, based on the 20-year GDP and labour-productivity growth-rate assumptions, it will be the highest unemployment economy with the greatest labour surplus (39,2%).
"Countries with labour surpluses and persistently weak or no economic growth face a gloomy outlook as those surpluses threaten to spiral out of control," states BCG.
Population growth
According to Stats SA, the estimated overall population growth rate increased from about 1,0% for the period 2002-2003 to 1,4% for the period 2018-2019 and the estimated population of South Africa now stands at 58,78 million. About 6,84 million people live in the Western Cape.
Migration statistics indicate that Gauteng and the Western Cape received the highest number of in-migrants for the periods studied, with the Western Cape in-migration growth as follows: 2006 to 2011 - 276 227; 2011 to 2016 - 298 047; and predicted for 2016 to 2021 - 316 308.
Stats SA says life expectancy increased incrementally for each period across all provinces but more significantly in the period 2011-2016 due to the uptake of antiretroviral therapy over time. Life expectancy nationally at birth for 2019 is estimated at 61,5 years for males and 67,7 years for females, with the Western Cape showing the highest life expectancy at birth.
From 2006 to 2011, there was a rise in the total fertility rate, but since 2011 it has declined. More urbanised provinces such as Gauteng and the Western Cape have lower levels of fertility than more rural provinces such as the Eastern Cape and Limpopo.
HIV
The estimated overall HIV prevalence rate is approximately 13,5% among the South African population - an estimated 7,97 million people are living with HIV in 2019.
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