City of Johannesburg

Quick Fact

Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa

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The City of Johannesburg Local Municipality is situated in Gauteng province and covers an area of 1 645km2. Also known as Jozi,  Jo ‘burg, or Egoli it is the largest city in South Africa, and the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa (http://www.localgovernment.co.za).

Rank By:
1 ranking by population size
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City of Johannesburg , Gauteng 4,434,827 1
City of Cape Town , Western Cape 3,740,026 2
Ethekwini , KwaZulu-Natal 3,442,361 3
Ekurhuleni , Gauteng 3,178,470 4
Quick Fact

2.9% of those aged 20 years and older have no form of schooling.

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According to 2011 census the City of Johannesburg Local Municipality has a total population of 4,4 million of which 76,4% are black African, 12,3% are white people, 5,6% are coloured people, and 4,9% are Indian/Asian. Of those 20 years and older 3,4%have completed primary school, 32,4% have some secondary education, 34,9% have completed matric, 19,2% have some form of higher education, and 2.9% of those aged 20 years and older have no form of schooling.

Group Percentage
Black African76,4%
Coloured5,6%
Indian/Asian4,9%
White12,3%
Other0,8%
Age Males Females
0-4 4,9% 4,8%
5-9 3,6% 3,6%
10-14 3,1% 3,1%
15-19 3,5% 3,6%
20-24 5,7% 5,6%
25-29 6,7% 6,2%
30-34 5,7% 5%
35-39 4,5% 4%
40-44 3,4% 3,2%
45-49 2,6% 2,6%
50-54 2,1% 2,3%
55-59 1,6% 1,8%
60-64 1,1% 1,3%
65-69 0,7% 0,8%
70-74 0,5% 0,6%
75-79 0,3% 0,4%
80-84 0,2% 0,3%
85+ 0,1% 0,2%
Language Percentage
Afrikaans 7,2%
English 19,8%
IsiNdebele 2,9%
IsiXhosa 6,7%
IsiZulu 23,1%
Sepedi 7,2%
Sesotho 9,5%
Setswana 7,6%
Sign Language 0,4%
SiSwati 0,8%
Tshivenda 3,2%
Xitsonga 6,5%
Other 3.8%
Not Applicable 1,5%
Group Percentage
Married 26,1%
Living together like married partners 10,4%
Never married 58,5%
Widower/Widow 2,6%
Separated 0,6%
Divorced 1,8%
Group Percentage
No Schooling 3,3%
Some Primary 33,6%
Completed Primary 5%
Some Secondary 30%
Completed Secondary 20,8%
Higher Education 5,3%
Not Applicable 2,1%
Sex Percentage
Female 49,8%
Male 50,2%
Quick Fact

90,8% of households have access to electricity

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There is 1 434 856 households in the municipality with an average household size of 2,8 persons per household. 64,7% of households have access to piped water, 26,9% have water in their yard and only 1,4% of households do not have access piped water.

Area Percentage
Urban 99,8%
Tribal/Traditional 0%
Farm 0,2%
Item Yes No
Cellphone 94,4% 5,6%
Computer 33,6% 66,4%
Television 83,8% 16,2%
Satellite Television 34% 66%
Radio 71,4% 28,6%
Landline / Telephone 21,2% 78,8%
Motor Car 38,2% 61,8%
Refrigerator 74,6% 25,4%
Electric / Gas-Stove 86,8% 13,2%
Energy Source Cooking Heating Lighting
Electricity 87,4% 82,1% 90,8%
Gas 3,4% 3,7% 0,2%
Paraffin 8,1% 4,7% 1,7%
Solar 0,2% 0,3% 0,2%
Candles 0% 0% 6,9%
Wood 0,2% 1,9% 0%
Coal 0,1% 0,9% 0%
Animal Dung 0% 0,1% 0%
Other 0,5% 0% 0%
None 0,1% 6,3% 0,2%
Access Percentage
From Home 14,4%
From Cellphone 18,1%
From Work 8,6%
From Elsewhere 8,5%
No Access 50,4%
Tenure Status Percentage
Rented 41,2%
Owned and fully paid off 23,8%
Owned but not yet paid off 16,5%
Occupied rent free 15,9%
Other 2,7%
Source of water Percentage
Regional/Local water scheme (operated by municipality or other water services provider) 95,6%
Borehole 1%
Spring 0,1%
Rain water tank 0,1%
Dam/Pool/Stagnant water 0,1%
River/Stream 0%
Water vendor 0,4%
Water tanker 1,5%
Other 1,1%
Toilet Facility Percentage
None 0,8%
Flush toilet (connected to sewerage system) 87,1%
Flush toilet (with septic tank) 2,3%
Chemical toilet 1,1%
Pit toilet with ventilation 3,4%
Pit toilet without ventilation 2,6%
Bucket toilet 2%
Other 0,7%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 95,3%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 1,6%
Communal refuse dump 1%
Own refuse dump 1,3%
No rubbish disposal 0,5%
Other 0,2%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 95,3%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 1,6%
Communal refuse dump 1%
Own refuse dump 1,3%
No rubbish disposal 0,5%
Other 0,2%
Quick Fact

31,5% Youth unemployment rate

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There are 2 261 490 economically active (employed or unemployed but looking for work) people in the City of Johannesburg; of these 25,0% are unemployed. Of the 1 228 666 economically active youth (15–35 years) in the area, 31,5% are unemployed.

Employment Status Number
Employed 1696520
Unemployed 564970
Discouraged Work Seeker 105882
Not Economically Active 855234
Income Percentage
None income 16,8%
R1 - R4,800 3,1%
R4,801 - R9,600 4,4%
R9,601 - R19,600 10,7%
R19,601 - R38,200 16,8%
R38,201 - R76,4000 14,2%
R76,401 - R153,800 10,5%
R153,801 - R307,600 9,1%
R307,601 - R614,400 7,7%
R614,001 - R1,228,800 4,5%
R1,228,801 - R2,457,600 1,6%
R2,457,601+ 0,8%
Agricultural households
Type of specific activity Number
Livestock production 18,270
Poultry production 21,966
Vegetable production 47,746
Production of other crops 23,481
Other 46,292

**An agricultural household may engage in more than one agricultural activity

Agricultural households
Type of activity Number
Crops only 38,361
Animals only 9,203
Mixed farming 18,075
Other 14,678

**An agricultural household may not fall under more than one agricultural activity

Income category of agricultural households
Annual income category of agricultural household heads Number
No income 18,100
R1-R4 800 2,886
R4 801-R38 400 26,750
R38 401-R307 200 20,120
R307 201+ 9,229
Unspecified 3,231

Place names

Places in City of Johannesburg Municipality

Key Statistics 2011

Total population4,434,827
Young (0-14)23,2%
Working Age (15-64)72,7%
Elderly (65+)4,1%
Dependency ratio37,6
Sex ratio100,7
Growth rate3,18% (2001-2011)
Population density2696 persons/km2
Unemployment rate25%
Youth unemployment rate31,5%
No schooling aged 20+2,9%
Higher education aged 20+19,2%
Matric aged 20+34,7%
Number of households1,434,856
Number of Agricultural households80,316
Average household size2,8
Female headed households36,2%
Formal dwellings81,4%
Housing owned/paying off40,2%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage87,1%
Weekly refuse removal95,3%
Piped water inside dwelling64,7%
Electricity for lighting90,8%

Key Statistics 2001

Total population3,226,055
Young (0-14)22,7%
Working Age (15-64)72,7%
Elderly (65+)4,1%
Dependency ratio36,6%
Sex ratio99,3
Growth rate4,02% (2001-2011)
Unemployment rate37,4%
Youth unemployment rate45,5%
No schooling aged 20+7,3%
Higher education aged 20+13,9%
Matric aged 20+29%
Number of households1,006,910
Average household size3
Female headed households38,3%
Formal dwellings77,4%
Housing owned/paying off47,2%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage82,3%
Weekly refuse removal90,9%
Piped water inside dwelling50,1%
Electricity for lighting85%