growing numbers of older persons in South Africa

Ageing Information Sheet
July 2006
Jané Joubert and Debbie Bradshaw
MRC Burden of Disease Research Unit

Numbers and proportions of older persons in South Africa
South Africa has one of the most rapidly ageing populations in Africa and, despite the demographic impact of the AIDS epidemic, the population is projected to continue ageing over the next two decades.¹

The country accommodated 3,28 million older persons (60 years or older) during the 2001 population census, accounting then for 7,3% of the total population.² These figures make the South African population one of the demographically oldest populations on the continent. Only Nigeria has a larger number of older persons (5,42 million), and only the island populations of Reunion (9,9%) and Mauritius (9%) have higher proportions of older persons. The South African population displays similar levels of ageing as those in countries such as Brazil, India, Mexico and Samoa.³

It is projected that, by 2025, the proportion of older South Africans will increase to 10,5% and the number of older people to 5,23 million⁴ The growth in numbers is expected to occur in each five-year age group above 60, as shown in Figure 1, with substantial growth particularly in the number of older women.

Figure 1: Projected number of older females and males in South Africa, 1985-2025

Source: ASSA2002 AIDS and Demographic Model, Actuarial Society of South Africa, 2004

The plight of older South Africans - and their value
The majority of South Africa's older persons lived through 44 years of apartheid rule. They were politically marginalised and had unequal access to social services.

Since 1994, progressive transformation has been facilitated by Government to restore the past imbalances, but 55% of persons 50 years or older still lived below the country's poverty line of R800 per month at the turn of the century.⁵

In 2001, among those 60 years or older, 21% had no piped water in their households; 49% had no access to a flush toilet (including 14% with no toilet); 27% lived in informal or traditional housing; 43% had no school education and 50% had no electricity for cooking purposes. ¹

Despite these plights, older persons in South Africa have been recognised as citizens who have been - and still are - making important contributions to development, for example through alleviating financial and asset needs in households; the upbringing and social nurturing of grandchildren; providing care for sick, disabled and frail household members, and financially and materially supporting their offspring.^6-8

While older persons appear to be marginalised in HIV/AIDS education and training campaigns, an increasing number of research studies are showing that they often are the ones shouldering the enormous task of caring physically and emotionally for their AIDS-sick offspring and the offspring's dependants, despite their own declining physical abilities.^9,10

Information taken from
Joubert JD, Bradshaw D. Population ageing and its health challenges in South Africa. In Eds Steyn K, Fourie J, Temple N. Chronic disease of lifestyle in South Africa: 1995-2005. MRC Technical Report, 2006.
Joubert JD, Bradshaw D. Health challenges of ageing in South Africa. Intercom. Newsletter of the International Federation on Ageing, 2005; 12(1): 10-14.

References

1. Joubert JD, Bradshaw D. Health of older persons. In P. Ijumba, C. Day & A. Ntuli. (Eds), South African Health Review 2003/04 (pp. 147-162). Durban: Health  Systems Trust; 2004.
2. Statistics South Africa. Census 2001. Census in Brief. Report no. 03-02-03 (2001). Pretoria: Statistics South Africa; 2003.
3. United Nations. World Population Ageing: 1950-2050.New York: Population Division, United Nations; 2000.
4. Actuarial Society of South Africa. ASSA AIDS and Demographic Models: ASSA2002. Available at URL: http://www.assa.org.za/  Accessed 23 July 2004.
5. May J. Chronic poverty and older people in South Africa. Chronic Poverty Research Centre Working Paper 25 [online]. Available at URL: http://www.chronicpoverty.org/ pdfs/JMay.pdf [Accessed 03 December 2003].
6. Legido-Quigley H. The South African old age pension: Exploring the role of poverty alleviation in households affected by HIV/AIDS. Paper presented at the 4th International Research Conference on Social Security, Antwerp, 5-7 May 2003 [online]. Available from: http://www.issa.int. [Accessed on 3 September 2003].
7. Joubert JD, Swart D, Reddy P.  Knowledge, perceptions and needs of older persons with reference to 1999, the International Year of Older Persons: A qualitative study in KwaZulu-Natal. Unpublished research report. Cape Town: Medical Research Council; 1998.
8. Department of Social Development. National report of the status of older persons. Report to the Second World Assembly on Ageing, Madrid, Spain. Pretoria: Department of Social Development; 2002.
9. Ferreira M, Keikelame MJ, Mosaval Y. Older women as carers to children and grandchildren affected by AIDS: A study towards supporting the carers. Cape Town: Institute of Ageing in Africa, University of Cape Town; 2001.
10. Steinberg M, Johnson S, Schierhout G, Ndegwa D. Hitting home: How households cope with the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. A survey of households affected by HIV/AIDS in South Africa. Durban: Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Systems Trust, 2002.