Joburg municipal bills
City warns property owners over annual increases on municipal bills. Image: Wikimedia Commons/ Max Marx

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Why South Africans are relocating to these three provinces

As cost of living keeps getting worse in South Africa, citizens are looking to relocate to the three provinces with main economic hubs in the country. ALSO READ: South Africa warned of food security issues that may lead to riots RELOCATING TO BETTER LIVES AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES Recent reports show that ongoing urbanisation which is fueled […]

By Hennely Nel
06-06-23 19:46
in Business
Joburg municipal bills
City warns property owners over annual increases on municipal bills. Image: Wikimedia Commons/ Max Marx

As cost of living keeps getting worse in South Africa, citizens are looking to relocate to the three provinces with main economic hubs in the country.

ALSO READ: South Africa warned of food security issues that may lead to riots

RELOCATING TO BETTER LIVES AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Recent reports show that ongoing urbanisation which is fueled by economic stagnation and job opportunities, is driving people to three provincial economic hubs, namely Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), and Western Cape.

According to Lightstone’s analysis of provincial data, nearly 60% of South Africans live in these three provinces, while the population in two of the economic powerhouses – Gauteng and the Western Cape – grew well above the national average over the last decade.

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Just more than 16 million (27%) of South Africa’s 60.5 million people live in Gauteng, while 11.5 million (19%) live in KZN and 7.2 million people (12%) live in the Western Cape, the report showed.

Since 2011, Gauteng’s population has grown by 31% as of the end of 2022, while the Western Cape has grown by 24% and KZN by 12% – compared to the national average of 17%.

Provinces
Population of people that have relocated to different provinces. Image: StatsSA

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HERE’S WHY PEOPLE PREFER MOVING TO THESE PROVINCES

The main pull of these provinces is the prospects of economic opportunities, as South Africans grapple with high unemployment and inflation, rampant load shedding, and soaring food prices.

While economic opportunities are the main driver behind semigration to these provinces, other pull factors are at play. Specifically:

  • Gauteng has the most jobs and remains the economic capital of the country
  • Western Cape is seen as the best-run province that can offer the highest quality of life
  • North-West has one of the most affordable housing markets close to jobs opportunities for migrant workers

ALSO READ: Technical experts and former Eskom employees to help combat load shedding

This article was originally published by CWENGA MAQHUBELA.

Tags: best provinces to live in SA economically driven provinces in SA Gauteng north west South Africans relocating western cape