Western Cape More people in the Western Cape have access to a telephone in their dwelling or a cellular phone than in any other province in South Africa (55,2%). Only 3% of people in this province do not have access to a phone. This interesting fact comes from the most comprehensive, detailed census ever. The results, announced in Pretoria today, represent the population of South Africa as on the night of 9 to 10 October, 1996. South Africa as a whole boasts a population of around forty-and-a-half million people. This is a large number. If all people in South Africa took hands, they would circle the circle the earth once and a bit. People with no telephones or cellular phones in their dwellings, have access to a neighbour’s telephone (27,3%), a telephone nearby (8,3%), at work (4,7%), and one at a location not nearby (1,1%). The Western Cape has the highest Coloured population in the country, constituting around 54% of the province’s 3,9 million people. There are more women than men in the province, with 1,9 million males and 2 million females. The Western Cape has 21% African/Black people, 21% White people and 1% Indian/Asian people. This is a highly urbanised province, with 88,9% of its population living in urban areas. In this respect, it is second only to Gauteng. The Western Province leads the education ratings. It has a total of 10,6% of people aged 20 years and above with higher education qualifications. At 8,4%, Gauteng is the second highest. Only 6,7% of people in the province aged 20 years and above have had no schooling at all. At least 15% have had some primary education, whilst 19% have a matric. The Western Cape has 39% of people with some secondary education. Few people in the province outside institutions have disabilities. 1% of the people have sight disabilities. Other disabilities follow: 0,5% (hearing), 0,9% (physical), 0,4% (mental) and 0,2% (more than one disability). The census provides a wealth of information that will impact significantly on the planning of a better life for all South Africans. For the first time in a quarter of a century, the census reached out to South Africans in every part of the country. Stats SA is confident that South Africa now has accurate figures concerning the composition of its population. The Statistics Council, an independent statutory body constituted of experts and community representatives, which is responsible for overseeing the quality of statistics in the country and the census in particular, recommended to the Minister of Finance that the results of Census ’96 be officially adopted. |