South African population growth slowing

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s population rate has slowed over the last five years mainly due to declining fertility levels and rising AIDS deaths, the national statistical chief said last week.

Statistician General Pali Lehohla said the country of 47,4 million included approximately 24,1 million women, 15.3 million children under 15 and 3,7 million people older than 60. He said population growth had decreased due to a slide in fertility levels from 2,86 children per woman in 2001 to 2,73 children this year as well as the impact of the HIV-AIDS pandemic, Lehohla said in a report published by Statistics South Africa.The HIV prevalence rate among adults was 8,5 per cent of the total population in 2001 which had risen to 10,9 per cent by 2006, Lehohla said.”The median time lapse from becoming HIV-positive until death due to AIDS in this release is estimated to be 10 years for both males and females …,” he added.Life expectancy at birth was 49 years for men and 52,5 years for women, primarily because of the ravages of the pandemic.Some 5,2 million people were living with the disease, he said.The UN’s AIDS agency estimated the figure at 5,5 million people while South Africa’s health department in July put the figure at 5,54 million.Stats SA ascribed the discrepancy in figures to different modelling assumptions at each of the agencies.Demographics showed the country as home to 37,7 million Africans, 4,4 million whites, 4,2 million coloureds and 1,2 million Indians and other Asians.Nampa-AFPHe said population growth had decreased due to a slide in fertility levels from 2,86 children per woman in 2001 to 2,73 children this year as well as the impact of the HIV-AIDS pandemic, Lehohla said in a report published by Statistics South Africa.The HIV prevalence rate among adults was 8,5 per cent of the total population in 2001 which had risen to 10,9 per cent by 2006, Lehohla said.”The median time lapse from becoming HIV-positive until death due to AIDS in this release is estimated to be 10 years for both males and females …,” he added.Life expectancy at birth was 49 years for men and 52,5 years for women, primarily because of the ravages of the pandemic.Some 5,2 million people were living with the disease, he said.The UN’s AIDS agency estimated the figure at 5,5 million people while South Africa’s health department in July put the figure at 5,54 million.Stats SA ascribed the discrepancy in figures to different modelling assumptions at each of the agencies.Demographics showed the country as home to 37,7 million Africans, 4,4 million whites, 4,2 million coloureds and 1,2 million Indians and other Asians.Nampa-AFP