Chapter 4: Results
4.2 Profiling the South African adult population (2014-2015)
Table 4.2 displays the distribution of the South African population according to selected socio-economic characteristics for adults over the age of 15 years. The data show that the largest proportion of the population has not completed secondary education (45.9%). In other words, they have not obtained a matric certificate which suggests high drop-out rates in South African schools. These figures mirror those published by the Department of Basic Education (2016). A total of 5.6% of the population have no education, with a higher proportion of girls (6.9%) than boys (4.2%) falling into this category. It is of interest to note, that in the lower school grades (no education to some secondary education), boys constitute a larger portion of the population than girls. From completed secondary education to post-matric qualification, this trend reverses as girls constitute a larger portion of the sample population. Possible determinants for the high drop-out rates among boys in South African secondary schools include poverty, high grade repetition rates, and leaving school in search of employment (Branson, Hofmeyr & Lam, 2013).
The population characteristics for employment status indicate that the employed account for the largest group (46.2%), followed by the economically inactive (40.9%), and then the unemployed (12.9%). More men than women are employed, accounting for 55.0 and 38.2
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percent of the employed population respectively. In contrast, women account for the majority of the economically inactive group (48.0%) in comparison to men (33.0%), highlighting gender inequalities in the employment sector. Gender differences are less distinct in the unemployed group with women accounting for a slightly higher proportion of the unemployed population (13.6%) than men (12.0%). Wealth quintiles are not included in this section as the variable denotes the equal distribution of the population into quintiles approximately 20.0% in size. Therefore, negligible information would be obtained regarding the population characteristics by wealth quintile.
Table 4.1: Distribution of socio-economic sample characteristics (15 years+)
Characteristic Male
(n = 10,120) (%)
Female (n = 13,464)
(%)
Total (n = 23,584)
(%) Education level
No education 4.2 6.9 5.6
Primary education 16.3 14.5 15.4
Some secondary education 46.7 45.1 45.9
Completed secondary education 16.9 17.1 17.0
Post-matric qualification 15.9 16.4 16.1
Employment status
Employed 55.0 38.2 46.3
Unemployed 12.0 13.6 12.9
Economically inactive 33.0 48.0 40.9
Source: NIDS 2016a (weighted) 4.2.2 Demographic profile
Table 4.2 represents the demographic characteristics of adults over the age of 15 years by gender in South Africa. In terms of marital status, the largest proportion of the adult population account for the never married group (55.0%). Age at first marriage is increasing in developing countries as a consequence of the demographic transition. Over half (51.8%) of the never married population are women which has positive implications for gender equality in South Africa as early marriage is synonymous with equivalently early childbearing, and is a deterrent for women to seek independence perpetuating gender inequalities (Weeks, 2012).
Married adults account for the second largest proportion of the population (28.4%), of which
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29.5% are men and 27.4% are women. This is followed by adults who are divorced, separated or widowed and account for 10.6% of the population. A trend in the demographic transition is not only later age at first marriage and lower fertility, but also an increase in divorce rates for both genders and widowhood for women who generally have a longer life expectancy than men (Weeks, 2012). This trend is observed in the South African population as a substantially higher percentage of women (14.8%), than men (6.0%) fall into this category. The lowest proportion of the adult population is cohabiting (6.0%) which is equivalent between men and women.
The distribution of the South African population by age group reflects the shape of a traditional population pyramid, with the bulk of the population aged 15 to 34 years (51.2%), followed by adults aged 35 to 64 years of age (41.0%) whilst the smallest proportion of the population are over the age of 65 years (7.8%). In considering the age distribution by gender, it is observed that men make up a slightly higher proportion than women in both the young adult and adult age groups. This trend reverses in the elderly age group were women make up the largest proportion of the South African population. The age distribution therefore reflects that of a relatively young population with a higher proportion of men to women in the younger age groups (Weeks, 2012). As South Africa becomes more developed and mortality rates continue to decrease, this population structure will change as more people live till older ages due to medical and technological advances (Weeks, 2012).
The data shows that South Africa is currently undergoing an urban transition as 64.5% of the adult population reside in urban areas. Of this, a slightly higher percentage of the urban population are men (66.3%) compared to women (62.8%). The opposite trend is observed in traditional areas which account for 31.1% of the total population, of which 33.3% are women whilst 28.8% are men. A partial explanation for this trend is that more men than women migrate to urban areas to find employment whilst leaving their wives and children back home in the more traditional and informal rural areas (Posel, 2001; Shatz, Madhavan & Williams, 2011). The smallest proportion of the population resides in farms (4.4%), with men accounting for 4.8% of the population and women accounting for 4.0% of the population.
With regard to population group, the Black African group constitute the majority of the population (77.9%), followed by the White population group (10.1%), and then the Coloured group (9.2%). The Asian and Indian group account for the smallest proportion of the population (2.8%). Each population group is equivalent in size for both genders. These figures reflect those published by Statistics South Africa (2015).
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Table 4.2: Distribution of demographic sample characteristics (15 years+)
Characteristic Male
(n = 10,120) (%)
Female (n = 13,464)
(%)
Total (n = 23,584)
(%) Marital status
Never married 58.5 51.8 55.0
Cohabiting 6.1 6.0 6.0
Married 29.5 27.4 28.4
Divorced, separated or widowed 6.0 14.8 10.6
Age
Young adult (15 to 34 years) 52.9 49.7 51.2
Adult (35 to 64 years) 41.0 41.0 41.0
Elderly (65 years+) 6.1 9.4 7.8
Geographic location
Urban areas 66.3 62.8 64.5
Traditional areas 28.8 33.3 31.1
Farms 4.8 4.0 4.4
Population group
Black African 77.7 78.0 77.9
Coloured 9.3 9.2 9.2
Asian/Indian 2.8 2.8 2.8
White 10.1 10.0 10.1
Source: NIDS 2016a (weighted)