Volume II - The Northern Cape Provincial Spatial Development ...

Northern Cape PSDF
Volume 2
Office of the Premier &
Department of Rural Development & Land Reform
81
December 2011
The South African population density increased from 33 persons per square kilometre (km 2 ) in
1996, to almost 40 persons per km 2 in 2007. As can be expected, the Northern Cape, the province
with the largest land mass and smallest population, has the lowest density, but its population
density has increased slightly from 2.8 persons per km 2 in 1996 to 2.9 persons per square
kilometre in 2007. By contrast, the population density in Gauteng has rocketed from 448.3 people
per km 2 in 1996 to 614.5 people per km 2 in 2007. KwaZulu‐Natal is the second most densely
population province in South Africa at 111.4 people per km 2 according to the 2007 Community
Survey.
However, the Provincial Treasury of the Northern Cape Province (2011) in its Medium Term
Expenditure Framework 2011/12‐2013/14 estimates that the population size and Percentage
distribution of the district municipalities for 2007 and 2009, and the growth rate is as follows:
Table E.8: Population of the Northern Cape on district level for 2007 and 2009 (Source: Global
Insight, 2011 as cited in the Northern Cape’s Medium Term Expenditure Framework 2011/12‐
2013/14, 2011).
DISTRICT
MUNICIPALITY
TOTAL
POPULATION
(2007)
% OF
NORTHERN
CAPE POP
TOTAL
POPULATION
(2009)
% OF
NORTHERN
CAPE POP
% GROWTH
RATE
Frances Baard 364 611 32.9 371 536 32.9 0.96
Johan Taolo Gaetsewe 207 440 18.7 209 892 18.6 0.58
Namaqua 123 561 11.2 126 730 11.2 1.27
Pixely ka Seme 178 942 16.2 181 530 16.1 0.72
Siyanda 233 062 21.0 239 111 21.2 1.29
TOTAL:
Northern Cape
1 107 616 100 1 128 799 100 0.95
The above table estimates a growth rate of 0.95% in the Northern Cape in comparison of the LED
Strategy that estimates a growth rate of 0.3%. The population estimate of the Community Survey
represents a significant discrepancy in the population composition as estimated by Statistics South
Africa and LED Strategy. This will ultimately influence the population growth rate projected for
the Northern Cape, which in turn could influence the development and service delivery
capabilities, infrastructure investment and the amount of government funds allocated to the
Northern Cape.
E.1.2.2 MIGRATION PATTERN
Migration is defined as the change of people’s place of residence, which involves the crossing of
some kind of migration defining boundary such as an international or provincial border. A migrant
is thus defined as a person who changes his/her place of residence, and in the process crosses a
migration‐defining boundary. Migration is, in many ways, a response to structural disequilibria
between and within sectors of the economy, or between countries. Deepening and widening
inequality in income and opportunities within provinces, and an absolute increase in the numbers
of people enduring poverty and extreme hardship, add to the pressure for people to migrate.
It is estimated that the migration stream for the population of 2006‐2011 in the Northern Cape is a
net‐migration of ‐25 500 people, of which 66 600 were out‐migrants and 41 100 in‐migration, thus
Dennis Moss Partnership