Port St Johns

Quick Fact
According to Census 2011, the population comprises 156 136 persons.
Quick Fact Image 0,61% Growth Rate
Port St John’s forms part of the O.R. Tambo District Municipality. It is bounded on the eastern side by the Indian Ocean. To the north-east, it is bounded by the Mzintlava River and Ingquza Hill Local Municipality. It is constituted by one magisterial area, viz. Port St John’s. The municipality is largely rural/traditional in character and the main economic activity is subsistence farming.

Rank By:
69 ranking by population size
  Rank view all
Umzumbe 160,975 66
Moqhaka 160,532 67
Umhlabuyalingana 156,736 68
Port St Johns 156,136 69
Stellenbosch 155,733 70
Engcobo 155,513 71
Ramotshere Moiloa 150,713 72
Quick Fact

Population that is 20 years and older, without any education was 23,5% in 2011, whereas it was 46,7% in 2001

Quick Fact Image

According to Census 2011, the population comprises 156 136 persons, of which 71 482 are male and 84 654 are female.

The municipality has a surface area of 1 291 km2 and the density is 120.9 persons per square kilometre. According to Census 2011, the population constitutes 11,4% of the population of the district.

Group Percentage
Black African99,3%
Coloured0,4%
Indian/Asian0,1%
White0,2%
Other0%
Age Males Females
0-4 7,3% 7,2%
5-9 7,1% 7,1%
10-14 7,2% 6,7%
15-19 7,3% 7,2%
20-24 4,1% 4,5%
25-29 2,6% 3,2%
30-34 1,8% 2,7%
35-39 1,5% 2,4%
40-44 1,1% 2,2%
45-49 1,1% 1,1%
50-54 1,1% 2%
55-59 1% 1,5%
60-64 0,9% 1,5%
65-69 0,5% 1%
70-74 0,6% 1,2%
75-79 0,3% 0,8%
80-84 0,2% 0,6%
85+ 0,1% 0,3%
Language Percentage
Afrikaans 0,5%
English 2,6%
IsiNdebele 0,2%
IsiXhosa 94,6%
IsiZulu 0,5%
Sepedi 0,2%
Sesotho 0,2%
Setswana 0,1%
Sign Language 0,4%
SiSwati 0%
Tshivenda 0%
Xitsonga 0%
Other 0.1%
Not Applicable 0,4%
Group Percentage
Married 15,4%
Living together like married partners 1,3%
Never married 77,7%
Widower/Widow 4,9%
Separated 0,5%
Divorced 0,2%
Group Percentage
No Schooling 3,4%
Some Primary 56,8%
Completed Primary 7,1%
Some Secondary 27,3%
Completed Secondary 5%
Higher Education 0,3%
Not Applicable 0,3%
Sex Percentage
Female 54,2%
Male 45,8%
Quick Fact

 67,8% of the population used electricity for lighting.

Quick Fact Image

65,3% of the population did not have access to piped/tap water in 2011, compared to the figure of 81,2% in 2001. Although this is a significant decrease, it still has health implications.

  32,1% of the population does not have access to toilet facilities. The bulk of the population, (54,2%) utilises pit toilets and only 3,0% utilise flush toilets that are connected to a sewerage system.    
Area Percentage
Urban 0,7%
Tribal/Traditional 99,3%
Farm 0%
Item Yes No
Cellphone 75,9% 24,1%
Computer 2,2% 97,8%
Television 40,9% 59,1%
Satellite Television 8,4% 91,6%
Radio 46,3% 53,7%
Landline / Telephone 2,3% 97,7%
Motor Car 7% 93%
Refrigerator 28% 72%
Electric / Gas-Stove 47,2% 52,8%
Energy Source Cooking Heating Lighting
Electricity 31,2% 17% 67,8%
Gas 3% 1,5% 0,4%
Paraffin 4,9% 5,6% 1,6%
Solar 0,1% 0,2% 0,3%
Candles 0% 0% 29,4%
Wood 60,1% 68,7% 0%
Coal 0,1% 0,4% 0%
Animal Dung 0,2% 0,2% 0%
Other 0,2% 0% 0%
None 0,3% 6,4% 0,5%
Access Percentage
From Home 1,2%
From Cellphone 11,2%
From Work 1%
From Elsewhere 2,5%
No Access 84,2%
Tenure Status Percentage
Rented 7,4%
Owned and fully paid off 63,3%
Owned but not yet paid off 9,6%
Occupied rent free 11,9%
Other 7,8%
Source of water Percentage
Regional/Local water scheme (operated by municipality or other water services provider) 19,6%
Borehole 3%
Spring 4,9%
Rain water tank 3,1%
Dam/Pool/Stagnant water 4,5%
River/Stream 59,8%
Water vendor 0,6%
Water tanker 3,3%
Other 1,1%
Toilet Facility Percentage
None 26,3%
Flush toilet (connected to sewerage system) 1,9%
Flush toilet (with septic tank) 1,1%
Chemical toilet 9,8%
Pit toilet with ventilation 24,2%
Pit toilet without ventilation 30%
Bucket toilet 0,9%
Other 5,8%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 3,1%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 0,5%
Communal refuse dump 1,1%
Own refuse dump 64,4%
No rubbish disposal 28,6%
Other 2,4%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 3,1%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 0,5%
Communal refuse dump 1,1%
Own refuse dump 64,4%
No rubbish disposal 28,6%
Other 2,4%
Quick Fact

At 50,3%, the rate of unemployment

Quick Fact Image

The portion of the population that lived in informal dwellings in 2001 was 1,2%. This was reduced to 1,0% in 2011. Because of the rural nature of the municipality, it makes sense that the bulk of the population (82,0%) was living in traditional dwellings in 2001.In 2011, the figure came down to 74,0%.

Employment Status Number
Employed 7989
Unemployed 8090
Discouraged Work Seeker 9893
Not Economically Active 54983
Income Percentage
None income 19,6%
R1 - R4,800 7,4%
R4,801 - R9,600 14,8%
R9,601 - R19,600 25,6%
R19,601 - R38,200 20,4%
R38,201 - R76,4000 6,3%
R76,401 - R153,800 3%
R153,801 - R307,600 1,9%
R307,601 - R614,400 0,7%
R614,001 - R1,228,800 0,1%
R1,228,801 - R2,457,600 0,1%
R2,457,601+ 0,1%
Agricultural households
Type of specific activity Number
Livestock production 7,258
Poultry production 12,171
Vegetable production 8,117
Production of other crops 4,645
Other 1,638

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

Agricultural households
Type of activity Number
Crops only 3,341
Animals only 7,602
Mixed farming 6,980
Other 268

**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 8,293
R1-R4 800 775
R4 801-R38 400 8,103
R38 401-R307 200 625
R307 201+ 46
Unspecified 349

Place names

Places in Port St Johns Municipality

Key Statistics 2011

Total population156,136
Young (0-14)42,5%
Working Age (15-64)51,8%
Elderly (65+)5,6%
Dependency ratio92,9
Sex ratio84,4
Growth rate0,61% (2001-2011)
Population density121 persons/km2
Unemployment rate50,3%
Youth unemployment rate61%
No schooling aged 20+23,5%
Higher education aged 20+3,9%
Matric aged 20+11,9%
Number of households31,715
Number of Agricultural households18,190
Average household size4,5
Female headed households60,1%
Formal dwellings24,6%
Housing owned/paying off72,9%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage1,9%
Weekly refuse removal3,1%
Piped water inside dwelling2,7%
Electricity for lighting67,8%

Key Statistics 2001

Total population146,967
Young (0-14)47,9%
Working Age (15-64)51,8%
Elderly (65+)5,6%
Dependency ratio115,1%
Sex ratio81,7
Growth rate0,14% (2001-2011)
Unemployment rate70,1%
Youth unemployment rate78,2%
No schooling aged 20+46,7%
Higher education aged 20+3%
Matric aged 20+6,3%
Number of households28,869
Average household size5
Female headed households64,1%
Formal dwellings16,6%
Housing owned/paying off60,1%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage2,6%
Weekly refuse removal3%
Piped water inside dwelling0,8%
Electricity for lighting17,1%