Stats SA has officially released its Census report covering the period from 2011 to 2022, confirming the comprehensive inclusion of every individual in South Africa, including foreign nationals, during the February 2022 Census.
The report, unveiled on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, highlights a modest increase in the population of individuals born outside of South Africa over the 11-year period. The majority of these foreign nationals are identified as male young adults, predominantly aged between 20-44.
Data from the report points out that a significant portion of these individuals hails from five countries: Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho, Malawi, and the United Kingdom (UK). Notably, these countries have maintained their positions since the 2011 Census.
**Top 5 Countries of Origin for Foreign Nationals:**
1. Zimbabwe: 1.012 million (45%)
2. Mozambique: 416,564 (18.7%)
3. Lesotho: 227,770 (10.2%)
4. Malawi: 198,807 (8.9%)
5. UK: 61,282 (2.8%)
It’s worth noting that while Nigerian numbers experienced a slight decrease from 26,341 in 2011 to 24,718 in 2022, Nigeria still moved up to the 9th place from the 11th position on the list.
Addressing the complexities of documenting immigrants, Calvin Molongoana, the Census project director at Stats SA, clarified that every individual within South Africa’s borders in February of the previous year was counted, irrespective of their legal status, documented or undocumented. However, members of the diplomatic corps and other diplomatic officials were excluded, as they are recorded by their respective nations.
In terms of migration patterns, Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke noted that the Western Cape, Northern Cape, North West, Gauteng, and Mpumalanga provinces experienced “positive net-migration,” indicating that these provinces saw more incoming migration than outgoing.
The overall South African population witnessed a substantial increase by 10 million, reaching a total of 62 million people over the decade covered by the census.
