Why South Africans are flocking to this semigration hotspot
One South African province has reclaimed its status as the country’s semigration hotspot—and it’s not the one you’d expect.
For years, the Western Cape has led South Africa’s semigration trend, remaining the top choice for those relocating within the country.
However, the trend appears to be shifting.
One province, long overlooked by many seeking coastal lifestyle benefits, is quietly regaining appeal, driven by a simple factor: jobs.
South Africans pulled to Gauteng
The latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey from Stats SA shows that Gauteng added 95,000 jobs in the most recent quarter, marking the country’s largest gain.
In contrast, the Western Cape, despite having the lowest official unemployment rate at 21.1%, lost 117,000 jobs, the biggest decline among all provinces.
According to BusinessTech and Keke Khojane, GCS Head of Office at Galetti Corporate Real Estate, employment opportunities remain the main reason people are semigrating back to Gauteng.
Khojane noted that return-to-office mandates and hybrid work models are currently driving a recovery in Gauteng’s office and commercial property markets.
Large employers appear to be leading this trend.
Vodacom, Nedbank and Arena Holdings have all scrapped remote-first policies and reinstated five-day office attendance.
This shift is steadily reducing the number of remote work opportunities available, pulling workers back into the province that still houses the bulk of South Africa’s corporate headquarters.