As of 2022, South Africa's population increased and counted approximately 60.6 million inhabitants in total, of which the majority (roughly 49.1 million) were Black Africans. Individuals with an Indian or Asian background formed the smallest population group, counting approximately 1.56 million people overall. Looking at the population from a regional perspective, Gauteng (includes Johannesburg) is the smallest province of South Africa, though highly urbanized with a population of nearly 16 million people.

Increase in number of households

The total number of households increased annually between 2002 and 2022. Between this period, the number of households in South Africa grew by approximately 65 percent. Furthermore, households comprising two to three members were more common in urban areas (39.2 percent) than they were in rural areas (30.6 percent). Households with six or more people, on the other hand, amounted to 19.3 percent in rural areas, being roughly twice as common as those in urban areas.

Main sources of income

The majority of the households in South Africa had salaries or grants as a main source of income in 2019. Roughly 10.7 million drew their income from regular wages, whereas 7.9 million households received social grants paid by the government for citizens in need of state support.

As of 2023, South Africa's population increased and counted approximately 62.3 million inhabitants in total, of which the majority inhabited Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western-Eastern Cape. Gauteng (includes Johannesburg) is the smallest province in South Africa, though highly urbanized with a population of over 16 million people according to the estimates. Cape Town, on the other hand, is the largest city in South Africa with nearly 3.43 million inhabitants in the same year, whereas Durban counted 3.12 million citizens. However, looking at cities including municipalities, Johannesburg ranks first. High rate of young population South Africa has a substantial population of young people. In 2024, approximately 34.3 percent of the people were aged 19 years or younger. Those aged 60 or older, on the other hand, made-up over 10 percent of the total population. Distributing South African citizens by marital status, approximately half of the males and females were classified as single in 2021. Furthermore, 29.1 percent of the men were registered as married, whereas nearly 27 percent of the women walked down the aisle. Youth unemployment Youth unemployment fluctuated heavily between 2003 and 2022. In 2003, the unemployment rate stood at 36 percent, followed by a significant increase to 45.5 percent in 2010. However, it fluctuated again and as of 2022, over 51 percent of the youth were registered as unemployed. Furthermore, based on a survey conducted on the worries of South Africans, some 64 percent reported being worried about employment and the job market situation.

South Africa is the sixth African country with the largest population, counting approximately 60.5 million individuals as of 2021. In 2023, the largest city in South Africa was Cape Town. The capital of Western Cape counted 3.4 million inhabitants, whereas South Africa's second largest city was Durban (eThekwini Municipality), with 3.1 million inhabitants. Note that when observing the number of inhabitants by municipality, Johannesburg is counted as largest city/municipality of South Africa.

From four provinces to nine provinces

Before Nelson Mandela became president in 1994, the country had four provinces, Cape of Good Hope, Natal, Orange Free State, and Transvaal and 10 “homelands” (also called Bantustans). The four larger regions were for the white population while the homelands for its black population. This system was dismantled following the new constitution of South Africa in 1996 and reorganized into nine provinces. Currently, Gauteng is the most populated province with around 15.9 million people residing there, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 11.68 million inhabiting the province. As of 2022, Black African individuals were almost 81 percent of the total population in the country, while colored citizens followed amounting to around 5.34 million.

A diverse population

Although the majority of South Africans are identified as Black, the country’s population is far from homogenous, with different ethnic groups usually residing in the different “homelands”. This can be recognizable through the various languages used to communicate between the household members and externally. IsiZulu was the most common language of the nation with around a quarter of the population using it in- and outside of households. IsiXhosa and Afrikaans ranked second and third with roughly 15 percent and 12 percent, respectively.

As of 2024, South Africa's population increased, counting approximately 63 million inhabitants. Of these, roughly 27.5 million were aged 0-24, while 654,000 people were 80 years or older. Gauteng and Cape Town are the most populated South Africa’s yearly population growth has been fluctuating since 2013, with the growth rate dropping below the world average in 2024. The majority of people lived in the borders of Gauteng, the smallest of the nine provinces in terms of land area. The number of people residing there amounted to 16.6 million in 2023. Although the Western Cape was the third-largest province, the city of Cape Town had the highest number of inhabitants in the country, at 3.4 million. An underemployed younger population South Africa has a large population under 14, who will be looking for job opportunities in the future. However, the country's labor market has had difficulty integrating these youngsters. Specifically, as of the fourth quarter of 2024, the unemployment rate reached close to 60 percent and 384 percent among people aged 15-24 and 25–34 years, respectively. In the same period, some 27 percent of the individuals between 15 and 24 years were economically active, while the labor force participation rate was higher among people aged 25 to 34, at 74.3 percent.

This dataset provides the population estimates for Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Ekurhuleni for 2020 and 2030.

The Global Human Footprint dataset of the Last of the Wild Project, version 2, 2005 (LWPv2) is the Human Influence Index (HII) normalized by biome and realm. The HII is a global dataset of 1 km grid cells, created from nine global data layers covering human population pressure (population density), human land use and infraestructure (built-up areas, nighttime lights, land use/land cover) and human access (coastlines, roads, navigable rivers).The Human Footprint Index (HF) map, expresses as a percentage the relative human influence in each terrestrial biome. HF values from 0 to 100. A value of zero represents the least influence -the "most wild" part of the biome with value of 100 representing the most influence (least wild) part of the biome.

This dataset captures observations of consumer visits to three major shopping malls in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 2022 to 2023. The data, sourced from Fetch Analytics, utilizes ​​​​smartphone​​​​ signal tracking to provide insights into consumer behavior. Key variables include mall name, visit frequency, distance traveled, and demographic indicators such as income and Living Standard Measure (LSM). The dataset allows for a granular analysis of how spatial and socioeconomic factors influence shopping patterns in a fragmented retail landscape. This dataset is valuable for researchers investigating consumer behavior, spatial economics, and urban retail planning.

This dataset is a collation of articles written by different authors on the history of South Africa during the apartheid regime (1948 to 1994). Apartheid in South Africa was the racial segregation under the all-white government of South Africa which dictated that non-white South Africans (a majority of the population) were required to live in separate areas from whites and use separate public facilities and contact between the two groups would be limited. The different racial group were physically separated according to their location, public facilities and social life.

Abstract

This dataset is from the Gauteng City-Region Observatory which is a partnership between the University of Johannesburg, the University of the Witwatersrand, the Gauteng Provincial Government and several Gauteng municipalities, including the Gauteng Provincial Government, as well as the South African Local Government Association (SALGA). The GCRO conducted Quality of Life Surveys in 2009 (Round 1), 2011 (Round 2), 2013-2014 (Round 3) and 2015-2016 (Round 4), 2017-2018 (Round 5), and 2020-2021 ( Round 6). Round 7 took place from 11 September 2023 to 19 April 2024 and is the latest round of the survey.

Geographic coverage

The survey covers the Gauteng Province in South Africa.

Analysis unit

Households and individuals

Universe

The survey covers all adult residents in Gauteng Province, South Africa.

Kind of data

Sample survey data

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face

Research instrument

GCRO conducted a consultative process for the questionnaire for the Quality of Life Survey Round 7 during which various modules were integrated into the Round 7 questionnaire. These modules include Administrative, Demographics, Core services, Environment/Sustainability, Governance, Health, Social mobility, Economic, Social cohesion, Community attitudes, Transport, Experiences of violence, Life satisfaction, Crime and Safety, and Migration.

As of January 2024, there were 45.34 million active internet users in South Africa. According to the same report, close to 26 million internet users in the country used social media, around 42.8 percent of the total population. The future of internet usage in South Africa: projected growth and mobile dominance South Africa's digital population grew significantly during the last decade. In 2023, almost 44 million people were connected to the internet, up from around 25 million in 2013. Furthermore, the majority of the South African population, specifically 78.7 percent, utilized mobile devices to access the internet in 2022. This proportion will increase to over 90 percent by 2027. Additionally, the number of mobile internet users in South Africa was almost 47.8 million in 2022. Social media usage in South Africa: popularity and demographics The country's most popular social media platform during the third quarter of 2022 was Meta’s instant messaging application WhatsApp. Facebook and Instagram ranked second and third among South African internet users. Moreover, a closer look into the demographics of social media users in the country reveals that people between the ages of 25 to 34 years made up the highest share of users in South Africa.

South Africa crime rate per 100K population for 2021 was 41.87, a 23.26% increase from 2020.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>South Africa crime rate per 100K population for 2020 was <strong>33.96</strong>, a <strong>7.48% decline</strong> from 2019.</li>
<li>South Africa crime rate per 100K population for 2019 was <strong>36.71</strong>, a <strong>0.14% increase</strong> from 2018.</li>
<li>South Africa crime rate per 100K population for 2018 was <strong>36.66</strong>, a <strong>2.11% increase</strong> from 2017.</li>
</ul>Intentional homicides are estimates of unlawful homicides purposely inflicted as a result of domestic disputes, interpersonal violence, violent conflicts over land resources, intergang violence over turf or control, and predatory violence and killing by armed groups. Intentional homicide does not include all intentional killing; the difference is usually in the organization of the killing. Individuals or small groups usually commit homicide, whereas killing in armed conflict is usually committed by fairly cohesive groups of up to several hundred members and is thus usually excluded.

Socio-demographic and smoking history characteristics of controls without and cases with pulmonary TB in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa (n = 279).

Unemployment Rate in South Africa increased to 32.90 percent in the first quarter of 2025 from 31.90 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024. This dataset provides - South Africa Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

This statistic shows the top ten largest municipalities in South Africa as of 2016. Johannesburg had the largest population of South African municipalities in 2016, with nearly 5 million inhabitants.

The South African residential real estate market, valued at $19.89 billion in 2025, is experiencing robust growth, projected to expand at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10.46% from 2025 to 2033. This growth is driven by several factors including a growing population, increasing urbanization, particularly in major cities like Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban, and a strengthening economy. Demand is particularly strong for villas, landed houses, and condominiums, reflecting a diverse range of buyer preferences and affordability levels. While the market benefits from government initiatives aimed at affordable housing and infrastructure development, constraints such as high interest rates, fluctuating exchange rates, and limited housing stock in desirable areas could temper growth in specific segments. The major players in the market, including Pam Golding Properties, Kaan Development, and RDC Properties, are actively shaping the market through innovative developments and strategic acquisitions. Competition is intense, particularly in the premium segments. The market's future is promising, indicating continued growth driven by consistent demand and strategic investment. The segmentation within the South African residential real estate market reveals noteworthy trends. The "Villas and Landed Houses" segment is expected to remain dominant, appealing to high-net-worth individuals and families seeking spacious living. However, the "Condominiums and Apartments" segment is experiencing significant growth, driven by an increasing number of young professionals and urban dwellers seeking more convenient and affordable living options. Geographically, Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban consistently maintain their positions as the most lucrative markets, attracting both domestic and international investment. However, other cities like Pretoria and Port Elizabeth are also witnessing increased activity as infrastructure improves and economic opportunities expand. The overall market is characterized by a healthy balance of supply and demand, though specific locations and property types may experience periods of greater competitiveness. Recent developments include: July 2022- To improve access to affordable and sustainable housing in South Africa, IFC (International Finance Corporation) announced an investment to help South African residential property developer Alleyroads build over 1,000 rental apartments in the Johannesburg area., June 2022- Construction of a new mixed-use building, Rubik, began in Cape Town's CBD. The building will complement the city's growing skyline. Located on the corner of Roop and Rybeek Streets, the Rubik consists of luxury residential apartments above prime office and quality retail space. The architects have designed it in a very characteristic modern glass 'layered' building.. Notable trends are: Increasing Demand for Sectional Title Living in South Africa.

As of 2022, the number of households in South Africa increased and amounted to approximately 18.48 million, roughly 530,000 more than in the previous year. Between 2002 and 2022, the number of families in South Africa grew by around 65 percent. Looking at the number of households from a regional perspective , the Gauteng province (includes the city of Johannesburg) has the bulk of households, with almost 5.6 million residences. Although Gauteng is the smallest region in the country, it is highly urbanized and houses most of the population.

Households headed by women

The number of households headed by women averaged around 42 percent. Rural areas such as the Eastern Cape and Limpopo had a higher proportion of women in charge of their family unit. Urbanized regions, namely Gauteng and the Western Cape, were more likely to be headed by men.

Languages spoken in households

The most spoken language within and outside of South African households was isiZulu, with around 25 percent of the population utilizing it. The English language was the second most common language spoken outside of households, with a share of roughly 17 percent. However, within households, individuals preferred to speak other official languages such as isiXhosa and Afrikaans. South Africa has a diverse range of cultures, and language plays a crucial role in preserving these cultures.

The South African commercial real estate market, valued at $9.28 billion in 2025, is projected to experience robust growth, exhibiting a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7.63% from 2025 to 2033. This expansion is fueled by several key drivers. Increased urbanization and population growth in major cities like Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban are creating a surge in demand for office, retail, and industrial spaces. Furthermore, a burgeoning tourism sector and associated hospitality investments are contributing significantly to the market's positive trajectory. The ongoing development of logistics infrastructure to support growing e-commerce activity also plays a crucial role. While potential economic uncertainties and fluctuations in interest rates could pose challenges, the overall market outlook remains positive, underpinned by the continued strength of the South African economy and targeted investments in key sectors. Strong performance is expected across all segments, with the office and logistics sectors likely to see particularly substantial gains due to increasing corporate activity and supply chain optimization strategies respectively. The diverse portfolio of established and emerging property developers in South Africa, including major players like Growthpoint Properties and Amdec Group, further underscores the market's dynamic nature and competitive landscape. The segmentation of the market reveals strong growth potential within specific areas. The substantial investment in modernizing existing commercial infrastructure in Johannesburg and Cape Town will drive significant growth. Furthermore, the expansion of retail spaces in rapidly growing suburban areas will cater to evolving consumer preferences and boost market value in those regions. However, challenges remain, including the need for continued infrastructure development to support sustainable growth in key areas, particularly in logistics and transportation networks. While the overall market exhibits positive momentum, proactive strategies focused on addressing these factors will be crucial to ensure sustained, long-term growth. Careful risk management by investors and developers regarding economic volatility will be critical in navigating potential headwinds. Recent developments include: November 2023: WeWork South Africa announced that it was accelerating its expansion plans as the rise in popularity of hybrid work saw a boost in demand for flexible office spaces.September 2023: Instant Group, a flexible workspace marketplace, acquired property advisor PSA to broaden its reach and grow its business across Africa.. Key drivers for this market are: 4., Urbanization and Population Growth4.; Foreign Direct Investments. Potential restraints include: 4., Urbanization and Population Growth4.; Foreign Direct Investments. Notable trends are: Increasing Demand for Office Space in South Africa.

Abstract

The South Africa Enterprise Survey was conducted between January and December 2007. Data from 1057 establishments in private manufacturing and services sectors were analyzed. The sample included enterprises with more than four employees (937 companies) as well as micro firms, establishments with less than 5 workers, (120 observations). The survey targeted establishments in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban.

The objective of the survey is to obtain feedback from enterprises in client countries on the state of the private sector as well as to help in building a panel of enterprise data that will make it possible to track changes in the business environment over time, thus allowing, for example, impact assessments of reforms. Through interviews with firms in the manufacturing and services sectors, the survey assesses the constraints to private sector growth and creates statistically significant business environment indicators that are comparable across countries.

The standard Enterprise Survey topics include firm characteristics, gender participation, access to finance, annual sales, costs of inputs/labor, workforce composition, bribery, licensing, infrastructure, trade, crime, competition, capacity utilization, land and permits, taxation, informality, business-government relations, innovation and technology, and performance measures. Over 90% of the questions objectively ascertain characteristics of a country’s business environment. The remaining questions assess the survey respondents’ opinions on what are the obstacles to firm growth and performance. The mode of data collection is face-to-face interviews.

Geographic coverage

National

Analysis unit

The primary sampling unit of the study is the establishment. An establishment is a physical location where business is carried out and where industrial operations take place or services are provided. A firm may be composed of one or more establishments. For example, a brewery may have several bottling plants and several establishments for distribution. For the purposes of this survey an establishment must make its own financial decisions and have its own financial statements separate from those of the firm. An establishment must also have its own management and control over its payroll.

Universe

The whole population, or the universe, covered in the Enterprise Surveys is the non-agricultural economy. It comprises: all manufacturing sectors according to the ISIC Revision 3.1 group classification (group D), construction sector (group F), services sector (groups G and H), and transport, storage, and communications sector (group I). Note that this population definition excludes the following sectors: financial intermediation (group J), real estate and renting activities (group K, except sub-sector 72, IT, which was added to the population under study), and all public or utilities sectors.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The South Africa Enterprise Survey 2007 included enterprises with more than four employees as well as micro establishments, firms with less than five workers. There are 120 micro establishments in the sample.

The sample for enterprises with more than four employees was designed using stratified random sampling with strata defined by region, sector and firm size.

Establishments located in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban were interviewed.

Following the ISIC (revision 3.1) classification, the following industries were targeted: all manufacturing sectors (group D), construction (group F), retail and wholesale services (subgroups 52 and 51 of group G), hotels and restaurants (group H), transport, storage, and communications (group I), and computer and related activities (sub-group 72 of group K). For establishments with five or more full-time permanent paid employees, this universe was stratified according to the following categories of industry: 1. Manufacturing: Food and Beverages (Group D, sub-group 15), Machinery and Equipment (Group D, sub-group 29), Electrical Machinery and Equipment (Group D, sub-group 31); 2. Manufacturing: Textiles (Group D, sub-group 17), Garment (Group D, sub-group 18), Leather and Footwear (Group D, sub-group 19), Paper and Paper Products (Group D, sub-group 21), Printing and Publishing (Group D, sub-group 22); 3. Manufacturing: Non-Metallic Mineral Products (Group D, sub-group 26), Basic Metals (Group D, sub-group 27), Fabricated Metal Products (Group D, sub-group 28); 4. Manufacturing: Wood and Wood Products (Group D, sub-group 20), Furniture (Group D, sub-group 36) 5. Manufacturing: Refined Petroleum Products (Group D, sub-group 23), Chemical Products (Group D, sub-group 24), Rubber and Plastics (Group D, sub-group 25) 6. Retail Trade: (Group G, sub-group 52); 7. Rest of the universe, including: • Other Manufacturing (Group D excluding sub-groups in strata 1-5); • Construction (Group F); • Wholesale trade (Group G, sub-group 51); • Hotels, bars and restaurants (Group H); • Transportation, storage and communications (Group I); • Computer related activities (Group K, sub-group 72).

Size stratification was defined following the standardized definition used for the Enterprise Surveys: small (5 to 19 employees), medium (20 to 99 employees), and large (more than 99 employees). For stratification purposes, the number of employees was defined on the basis of reported permanent full-time workers.

The implementing agency (EEC Canada) was unable to obtain a satisfactory sample frame from South African statistical agency (STASA) or its Department of Revenue. The best alternative solution was a list obtained from the Department of Trade and Industry Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office (CIPRO), which contained about 800000 establishments when delineating in-scope cities and industries, but which had incomplete firm characteristics necessary for stratification purposes (e.g. contact information, size). In order to determine the sample frame, EEC Canada randomly drew 9550 units and contacted them.

In South Africa, the survey included panel data collected from establishments surveyed in the 2003 Investment Climate Survey (ICS) of South Africa. That survey included establishments in the manufacturing and the rest of universe strata, distributed across Gauteng (Johannesburg), KwaZulu Natal (Durban), Western Cape (Cape Town) and Eastern Cape (Port Elizabeth) provinces.

In order to collect the largest possible set of panel data, an attempt was made to contact and survey valid establishments (579) in the panel list provided which was part of the Enterprise Survey's scope. Of the 716 establishments provided to EEC Canada from those surveyed in 2003, there were 35 doubles, 8 out-of-scope, 89 excluded from this survey by The World Bank to avoid over representing Construction in a single Residual stratum, and 5 with undefined ISIC codes. This left a total potential of 579 panel establishments. EEC Canada surveyed 231 panel establishments or 40% of the total potential panels without eliminating those establishments which had closed. Once eliminated, this percentage coverage exceeded 55%. Given the non-random nature of panel establishment selection, these establishments are not allocated probability weights in the final dataset.

In this survey, the micro establishment stratum covers all establishments of the targeted categories of economic activity with less than 5 employees located in Johannesburg. The implementing agency selected an aerial sampling approach to estimate the population of establishments and select the sample in this stratum for all states of the survey.

First, to randomly select individual micro establishments for surveying, the following procedure was followed: i) select districts and specific zones of each district where there was a high concentration of micro establishments; ii) count all micro establishments in these specific zones; iii) based on this count, create a virtual list and select establishments at random from that virtual list; and iv) based on the ratio between the number selected in each specific zone and the total population in that zone, create and apply a skip rule for selecting establishments in that zone.

The districts and the specific zones were selected at first according to local sources. The EEC team then went in the field to verify the sources and to count micro establishments. Once the count for each zone was completed, the numbers were sent back to EEC head office in Montreal.

At the head office, the count by zone was converted into one list of sequential numbers for the whole survey region, and a computer program performed a random selection of the determined number of establishments from the list. Then, based on the number that the computer selected in each specific zone, a skip rule was defined to select micro establishments to survey in that zone. The skip rule for each zone was sent back to the EEC field team.

In Johannesburg, enumerators were sent to each zone with instructions how to apply the skip rule defined for that zone as well as how to select replacements in the event of a refusal or other cause of non-participation.

For complete information about sampling methodology, refusal rate and weighting please review "South Africa Enterprise Survey 2007 Implementation Report" in "Technical Documents" folder.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The current survey instruments are available: - Core Questionnaire + Manufacturing Module [ISIC Rev.3.1: 15-37] - Core Questionnaire + Retail Module [ISIC Rev.3.1: 52] - Core Questionnaire [ISIC Rev.3.1: 45, 50, 51, 55, 60-64, 72] - Micro

The Egyptian capital, Cairo, is the largest agglomeration on the African continent. In 2023, almost ** million people resided in Greater Cairo (consisting of parts of three governorates). Johannesburg-Pretoria, South Africa, and Lagos, Nigeria, followed, with close to **** million and **** million inhabitants, respectively.

Abstract

The Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO) (based at the University of Johannesburg (UJ)) in partnership with the Gauteng Provincial Government, contracted Development Research Africa (DRA) to conduct an integrated Quality of Life/Customer Satisfaction Survey in the Gauteng City-Region (GCR). The objective of the GCRO is to assist the Gauteng Government to build Gauteng as an integrated and globally competitive region, where the economic activities of different parts of the province complement each other in consolidating Gauteng as an economic hub of Africa, and an internationally recognised global city-region. The this end, the main aim of the survey, conducted from July to October 2009, was to inform the GCRO and the Provincial Government, as well as other role-players about the perceived state of the municipalities within the GCR footprint about the quality of life of their inhabitants.

Geographic coverage

The Quality of Life Survey covers the whole of Gauteng and also areas with GCR 'footprints' in the four neighbouring provinces of Free State, North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

Analysis unit

Households and individuals

Universe

The Gauteng City-Region Observatory Quality of Life Survey 2009 covered all household residents of Gauteng and selected areas of the four neighbouring provinces of Free State, North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

Kind of data

Qualitative and quantitative data

Sampling procedure

For the purpose of this study, multi-stage cluster sampling was used as no sampling frame containing all members in the universe or population exists. The sample was drawn in stages, with wards being selected at the first stage, dwelling units within the wards being selected in the second stage and respondents selected at the third stage.

Phase 1 The wards formed the primary sampling units (PSUs). A random starting point(s) was used as a method to select the dwelling units to be surveyed. A total number of 602 wards in 4 provinces (Gauteng 448 wards), (Mpumalanga 72 wards), (North-West 70 wards) and (Free State 12 wards) were completed. A total of 6639 interviews were completed in these wards.

Phase 2 During the second phase, the field teams were required to complete a certain number of interviews, depending on the population size of that particular ward. The teams had to complete for an example in ward X 3 interviews and in ward Y they had to complete 33 interviews. This meant that the field teams had different target number of interviews that they needed to complete in all the pre-selected wards. Ward maps were obtained before fieldwork commenced, and random starting points were identified, marked and numbered on the map. This allowed for the random selection of one (if more than one existed) starting point. The field managers concerned will firstly identify where the starting point(s) is/are on the ground. Oncethat has been established he/she will from the starting point count 20 households from the starting point moving to his/her left. The 20th household that he/she has selected was the household were the interviews was supposed to take place Thereafter, the next 20th household was selected and approached until the target number of interviews was obtained.

The following process of household selection was adhered to: From the starting point 20 houses were counted in a ward. However, if there were:

• 1-5 target number of interviews to be completed in a ward; 01 starting point was used; • 6-10 target number of interviews to be completed in a ward; 02 starting points were used; • 11-15 target number of interviews to be completed in the ward; 03 starting points were used; • 16-20 target number of interviews to be completed in the ward; 04 starting points were used; • 21-25 target number of interviews to be completed in the ward; 05 starting points were used; and • 25 and above target number of interviews to be completed in a ward; 06 starting points were used

In the case of a household refusal or if a selected respondent was mentally disabled, the household was immediately substituted with the household on the left. If still there was no interview completed then another substitution, going to the right of the originally selected household, was done. In case of non-contact whereby there was no-one home after two visits at two different times (afternoon and evenings) on the same day, the same substitution method was followed. Therefore, at least two-revisits at different times were done in cases where selected dwelling units, households or individuals were not at home i.e. non-contact. However, in some cases households visited after 19:00 on the day were substituted as agreed to in order to ensure that all the target number of households would be completed in the allocated time per ward.

Phase 3 For the purpose of this study, one randomly selected household respondent was selected per household. All household members qualified if they met the following criteria: • Resident(s) of the household irrespective of nationality but excluding nonresidents and visitors; and • 18 years of age or older • In the event of a child headed household (all household members are under 18 years old), the oldest child was assumed to be the head of household, and should be interviewed If more than one eligible person was found per dwelling unit, the ideal and most practical and accurate method of random selection of an individual was the use of a KISH grid. One individual per household was selected using the KISH grid after a comprehensive listing exercise was completed of all eligible individuals at the dwelling unit. Once the respondent had been selected the fieldworker will follow up only that person per household. If selected, substitutions could not be made where there were refusals or non-contact over a period of a day after two or more re-visits on the same day.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The Gauteng City-Region Observatory and Data Research Africa (DRA) developed the quantitative evaluation tool for the survey. DRA reformatted the pre-pilot questionnaire and provided input into the layout and flow as well as question structure to ensure accurate data capturing. DRA field managers piloted the questionnaire with 30 interviews with individuals from households with different demographic characteristics . The Gauteng City-Region Observatory Quality of Life Survey 2009 questionnaire collected data on demographic details of the enumerated population (population group, gender, age, language) and on housing (dwelling type, tenure, satisfaction with dwelling, perceived quality of housing and housing allocation) as well as household services (water, sanitation, refuse, energy sources). Questions included those on migration, health (including disability), education and employment (including employment sector). Questions on community services and amenities were included, and questions on transport, leisure activities and safety and crime. Financial data was collected (including on debts, income, and social grants) and data on household assets. Finally, data on public participation and governance was also collected, and data on the perceived personal wellbeing and quality of life of respondents.