MINISTRY FOR WELFARE AND POPULATION DEVELOPMENT
September 1996
GENERAL NOTICE
NOTICE 1544 OF 1996
PLEASE NOTE THAT COMMENTS ON THIS DOCUMENT SHOULD BE MADE BY OR BEFORE 28 FEBRUARY 1997
Department of Welfare
Private Bag X901
PRETORIA
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PART ONE - PREAMBLE
1.1 THE INTERRELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN POPULATION, DEVELOPMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENT
1.2 WHY SOUTH AFRICA NEEDS AN EXPLICIT POPULATION POLICY
1.3 THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THE NATIONAL POPULATION POLICY
PART TWO - THE POPULATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SITUATION
2.1 DATA AND INFORMATION ON POPULATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
2.2 THE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SITUATION
2.4 PAST POLICY AND PLANNING CONTEXTS FOR POPULATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
PART THREE - POPULATION POLICY GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES
PART FOUR - INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORKS FOR IMPLEMENTING, MONITORING AND EVALUATING THE POLICY
4.1 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POLICY
4.2 THE CABINET
4.3 PARLIAMENT AND LEGISLATURES
4.4 POPULATION UNITS
4.6 CIVIL SOCIETY
4.7 CONCLUSION
The Minister for Welfare and Population Development wishes to acknowledge the contribution of all individuals and organisations who participated in the production of the Green and White Papers on Population Policy. In particular, she would like to acknowledge the following:
Respondents to the Green Paper, who prepared expert opinions or attended consultative meetings.
Core group
Working Group
Additional consultants
Representatives from the following government departments gave vital input to this process:
International support
The UNFPA kindly provided financial support for some of the provincial consultations, and for the core group's activities. Benson Morah from the UNFPA Country Support Team for Southern Africa in Harare, Zimbabwe, gave immeasurable technical assistance at key moments in the development of the White Paper.
Editorial Team
Population, development and the environment are intricately interrelated. The population situation of a country is chiefly the consequence of past and current aspects of the interaction between development and environmental variables. A country's population situation also affects its development prospects and the quality of the environment. The growing international understanding of these interrelationships enables and urges governments to take them into account when designing, implementing and monitoring development programmes.
An analysis of the human development and population situations in South Africa indicates that there are a number of population concerns that must be resolved in order to achieve equitable and sustainable human development. These population concerns need to be addressed through a new policy framework within the context of the national development strategy and related intersectoral and sectoral policies. The government is committed to resolve these concerns and their underlying factors within the overall development framework as currently contained in the Reconstruction and Development Programme.
The policy has been developed in the context of democratisation and within the framework of the Constitution. The guiding principles of the policy provide the ethical context for a human rights approach to integrating population concerns into development planning, implementation and monitoring.
Past policies aimed at addressing population issues focused on fertility reduction, restricted population movement and controlled settlement patterns. Through the new population policy the Government acknowledges the current international development paradigm which places the population at the centre of development as its driving force and ultimate beneficiary. The reciprocal relationships between population, development and the environment are therefore inherent to the approach of this population policy. This means that a basic tenet of the policy approach is that population concerns are multi-faceted and that efforts to address them within the context of the national development strategy should be multi-sectoral.
The proposed direction of the population policy is in line with the approach and recommendations advocated by the United Nations International Conference on Population and Development, held in September 1994.
The vision of the policy emphasises the attainment of a high and equitable quality of life for South Africans. The policy forms an integral part of the national development strategy. In this sense it is complementary to the overall development strategy and related intersectoral and sectoral policies. The goal and objectives of the policy focus on changes in the determinants of the country's population trends, so that these trends are consistent with the achievement of sustainable human development.
A range of strategies are identified as those that should be operationalised to achieve the objectives of the policy. The strategies comply with the multi-sectoral nature of the population policy; they relate to programmes that should be implemented by a variety of government departments and supported by the private sector and organisations of civil society. It includes strategies concerning the availability of reliable data, capacity-building to interpret the interrelationships of population, development and the environment, and the effective use of such data and information in developing policies and designing, implementing and monitoring programmes. Strategies for reducing poverty, mortality and unwanted fertility, ensuring environmental sustainability, promoting gender equality and creating educational and economic opportunities are also essential to achieve the objectives of the policy. Strategies to ensure adequate provision for internal and international migration flows and to promote the participation of civil society in all aspects of the implementation of the policy are equally important.
The implementation of the policy will be the responsibility of the entire government at all levels and in all sectors as well as the private sector, civil society and all South Africans. This is due to the multi-faceted nature of population concerns and the factors that impact on them.
Population units at national and provincial level attached to the departments responsible for the welfare function will be restructured to facilitate and support the implementation of the policy. Their functions will include promoting advocacy for population and related development issues; assisting government departments to interpret the population policy in relation to their areas of responsibility; analysis and interpretation of population dynamics; commissioning of research on the reciprocal relationships between population and development; and disseminating information to inform policy design and programming, and monitoring and evaluation of population policy implementation.
The design and implementation of interventions that will lead to the achievement of the objectives of the policy will be undertaken by all relevant government departments at all levels and in all sectors. Many of the programmes required to effectively operationalise the strategies are already being planned or implemented by various government departments at national and provincial level. However, existing and future development programmes may have to be oriented or reoriented towards achieving the objectives of the policy.
Population1, development and the environment are intricately interrelated, often in ways not easily discerned. There has been increasing recognition of these interrelationships, resulting in different development paradigms gaining currency over time. The focus of the current paradigm is "sustainable human development". That is, the population is placed at the centre of all development. It is regarded as the driving force and ultimate beneficiary of development.
"Sustainable human development" sees the development challenge in terms of meeting the needs of the present generation and improving their quality of life without destroying the environment or depleting non-renewable natural resources, in order to avoid compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Internationally, there have recently been a number of fundamental changes in the conception and role of development, with a concomitant shift in focus to sustainable human-centered development. Development is now seen as "a process of enlarging people's choices". Its basic objective is creating "an enabling environment for people to enjoy long, healthy and creative lives".
The role of population in development within this paradigm is encapsulated in the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development which was agreed upon by the international community (including South Africa) in 1994. This Programme of Action endorses a new strategy on development that emphasizes the reciprocal relationships between population, development and the environment. It focuses on meeting the needs of individuals rather than on achieving demographic targets. Among its objectives and recommended actions are:
The Programme of Action also places emphasis on:
The population situation is chiefly the consequence of past and current aspects of the interaction between development and environmental variables. Development affects population and the environment. Low levels of socioeconomic development (a corollary of poverty) are typically characterised and perpetuated by high rates of fertility, mortality and population growth. Changes in various development indicators have a direct impact on population trends.
For instance, increasing levels of income, education and the empowerment of women are positively associated with better health and declining fertility and mortality rates, and often also with migration from rural areas. Some patterns of economic production lower the quality of the environment while others enhance it. For example, unregulated industrial production can lead to air and water pollution. Population pressure, too, can affect the environment. For example, pressure on ecologically fragile areas can exacerbate environmental degradation and disrupt the ecosystem.
A country's population situation also affects its development prospects and the quality of the environment. For instance, high population growth places increasing pressure on government to provide services that will not only sustain but improve existing standards of living. When the rate of population increase is much higher than a country can cope with, given the resources available to it, the quality of fife will decline. The more youthful the population, the greater the proportion of a nation's resources that will have to be invested in the provision of services (for example education and health) for the dependent population, thereby reducing the resources immediately available for stimulating economic growth in the short term. Further, a disproportionately young population will ensure that the population will increase in the future. When the population is thinly distributed throughout the country it is more expensive to make social services and infrastructure available than when it is concentrated in urban areas.
As a result of the close interrelationships between population, development and the environment, many population variables are now used as indicators of the development status of a country or geographical area. Similarly, other indicators of development reflect the population situation of a country. As a consequence of the improved understanding of these interrelationships, it is incumbent on government to take them into account when designing, implementing and monitoring development programmes. Recommendations by various international forums are a further encouragement. The most recent of these international documents are the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development; the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development; the World Summit on Social Development and the Platform of Action of the Fourth World Conference on Women and Development. Among the recurring recommendations of these forums it has been agreed that "population issues should be integrated into the formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all policies and programmes relating to sustainable development".
Further, the framework of population policies should be designed and conceived as an integral component of development policies and strategies; not as a substitute for them.
South Africa needs an explicit, comprehensive and multi-sectoral population policy as an integral component of strategies for reducing past inequities while substantially enhancing the quality of fife of the entire population. Past policies, especially with regard to the demographic processes of fertility, mortality and migration, were flawed in many respects. They were anchored in the apartheid ideology. They focused on:
Past policies were also based on incorrect assumptions about the wide range of determinants of demographic processes, for instance, that poverty is the consequence of a high population growth rate instead of recognizing the reciprocal relationships between the two phenomena.
Development plans largely excluded the majority of the population.
Data and other pertinent information on population and human development, though available, were either incomplete or deficient in many respects. Consequently, the knowledge base on the population, and on the interrelationship between population and development, was inadequate. Although population data were used in the formulation of many sectoral and intersectoral development plans and programmes, this was not usually done systematically for the entire population.
Existing institutional mechanisms which deal with population-related issues are limited by their location in government, and by the technical capacity of their staff. They are also limited by the ways in which they relate to other institutions, both inside and outside of government, with which they have to deal and through which their programmes can be implemented.
Mechanisms for coordination and collaboration are either weak or ineffective. This lack of effective cooperation and coordination has resulted in programme interventions being neither realistic nor pragmatic.
An analysis of the population and human development situation in South Africa indicates that there are a number of population concerns that need to be addressed within the context of various development programmes and strategies. Some of these concerns constitute serious obstacles to improving the quality of life of the population, and therefore need to be resolved.
The Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) currently constitutes the country's overall planning framework. It is an integrated, coherent socioeconomic policy framework that sets out the various interconnected programmes for addressing the many social and economic problems facing the country in a comprehensive and holistic manner. Its major programmes focus on meeting basic needs, developing human resources, democratising the state and society, and building the economy. The need for data on the population to be able to formulate and implement pragmatic and realistic interventions for achieving the objectives of the RDP, and for their continuous monitoring and evaluation, is recognized. These data, however, require further elaboration so as to make the RDP a more effective instrument for achieving the government's objectives in the post-apartheid era.
There is therefore a need for a new policy framework to address population issues in order to achieve equitable and sustainable development. In addition to removing the flaws in past policies and filling in gaps in the RDP, such a policy framework should also benefit from relevant international experience.
In June 1994, the Government of National Unity initiated a process of reviewing the population policy adopted during the apartheid era as well as the functions of the population units at national and provincial levels. This review was undertaken in a number of stages.
Consultations were held with the staff of population units and with population experts in order to identify the key issues that needed to be reviewed. A core group of national consultants and a broader working group of members of the population units were set up to undertake the review and prepare a new policy.
A public discussion document, entitled A Green Paperfor Public Discussion: Population Policyfor South Africa? was launched in April 1995 during the Conference on Formulating Population Policy for South Africa, organised by the Department of Welfare. An NGO Conference Report-back on the International Conference on Population and Development and on consultation on population policy was also held in April 1995. The Green Paper was widely advertised (including advertisement on Internet) between April and September 1995. Written submissions were requested from interested parties and the general public. In addition, the population units facilitated workshops in all provinces for both government and the representatives of civil society to build a broad based consensus on national population problems and the best means of addressing them.
A total of 749 submissions on the Green Paper were received from academics, community groups, government departments, the private sector and NGOs. These were then analysed and a report on the major findings was prepared by the core group and submitted to the national and provincial Ministers responsible for the population function in October 1995. Proposals were also made regarding the approach the population policy should take in order to reflect the findings of the submissions on the Green Paper.
The predominant views expressed in the submissions were that a new population policy for the country was necessary, and that such a policy should -
A draft discussion document on the population policy was subsequently compiled in December 1995. Extensive consultations were held, during the drafting of the discussion document and the subsequent reviewing thereof, with all relevant ministries and departments as well as with demographers and other population experts, such as those in NGOs and the United Nations Population Fund and World Health Organization. The final draft of the White Paper was presented to the Minister for Welfare and Population Development in September 1996.
A considerable amount of information is available on South Africa's population and on various indicators of human development in the country. Unfortunately, however, this information is often deficient, especially with respect to its quality, reliability, coverage and completeness.
Its usefulness is therefore limited, particularly with regard to accurately assessing the population and human development situation in the country, and developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating development plans and programmes.
Although eleven population censuses have been conducted since 1904, their coverage has been limited because some of the former homelands were not included. This is especially the case in the more recent census enumerations. Inappropriate methodologies were adopted in the enumeration of populations residing in informal settlements around major cities. The organisation of the censuses was poor in several respects and the quality of data collected varied greatly between the various racial groups and provinces. Sample surveys conducted in the pre- 1994 period did not as a rule cover the former homelands. The sampling procedures adopted were biased against the informal settlements. The coverage and completeness rates of the vital registration system have always been low. The system did not cover the entire country, nor did the registration of births take place in health institutions. Data on international migration is deficient. Significant numbers of people have immigrated into South Africa illegally while many people who leave the country do not declare themselves as emigrants. In addition, human resource capacities for undertaking analyses of the population and related data have been very limited, especially within government institutions.
As a result of the deficiencies mentioned above, there is no generally accepted set of reliable population and socioeconomic data for the entire country. The estimates available are largely those made by national institutions and/or international agencies. There are few comprehensive or reliable analyses of demographic and socioeconomic trends and of the interrelationships between population and demographic phenomena in the country.
Consequently, statistics used in this document, and explanations about their levels, trends and determinants, are based on the "best" available information and should be treated as generally indicative.
The data situation is expected to be substantially improved in the immediate future since the Government, through the Central Statistical Service, has already set in motion measures aimed at correcting past errors in the mechanisms for data collection, analysis, and dissemination.
A system of integrated household surveys to be conducted annually (the October Household Survey series) became operational in 1993. A new Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) will be conducted in 1997 and is expected to be repeated at five-year intervals. The first postapartheid population census to cover the entire country is scheduled for 1996.
With a Gross National Product (GNP) per capita of US$2,980 and a Human Development Index of 0.649 in 1993, South Africa is classified as an upper-middle income country with a medium level of human development. But economic performance, as measured by the rate of economic growth, has fluctuated in the past decade. Furthermore, the level of human development for the majority of the population is low. National level figures mask huge differentials in the quality of life of the various sub-groups of the population, especially those identified by race and sex, and in the various geographical regions. These differentials are primarily a legacy of the apartheid system of government which promoted structural inequities as regards access to basic services and opportunities to contribute to and benefit from the economy.
The economic growth rate has fluctuated between 4.2 per cent and -2.2 per cent over the past ten years. World Bank estimates indicate that the average annual GDP growth rate declined from 3.2 per cent for the period 1970-80 to 0.9 per cent for the period 1980-93. With an average annual population growth rate of over 2.0 per cent throughout these periods (2.6 per cent in 1970-80; 2.4 per cent in 1980-93), a negative average annual growth rate of -0.2 per cent in GNP per capita was estimated for the period 1980-93. These figures indicate declines (instead of improvements) in the standard of living in the recent past. With existing inequities of access to resources, these declines are likely to have been more acutely felt among the disadvantaged sub-groups, which constitute the majority of the population. However, recent economic growth rates have increased to 2.7 per cent in 1994 and 3.3 per cent in 1995.
The nature of both economic development and population settlement have been unsustainable.
Industrial production patterns have placed stress on the environment through air and water pollution. The reliance of 1.5 million households on agricultural production, in the context of forced removals to the homelands, has created overgrazing, overcrowding, and erosion in many areas which were already characterised by poor quality of land and low rainfall.
Environmental degradation has been exacerbated by deforestation, as there are inadequate energy resources for these populations. In general, water is scarce. Sixty-five per cent of the land receives less than 500 millimetres of rain per year; ground water is limited. Consequently, international agreements on water transfers have been concluded with neighbouring countries.
The demand for water for agricultural irrigation, municipal and domestic use, forestry, industry, power generation and nature conservation is increasing rapidly. A further pressure on the environment arises from a lack of sanitation and refuse removal services in many rural and urban areas.
Some key quality-of-life indicators such as infant mortality rate and life expectancy at birth are relatively high by African standards at an estimated 41 per 1,000 live-births and 64 years respectively. The adult literacy rate is estimated at 81 per cent (1993). The combined enrolment rate at the first, second and third levels of education is estimated at 78 per cent (1993). Contraceptive prevalence is high at 60 per cent (1994).
In reality however, the relative levels of human development are much lower for the majority of South Africans than is reflected by the above national aggregate indicators. South Africa's history is characterised by colonialism, racism, apartheid, sexism and repressive laws. This history has created a divided society which has been reinforced and sustained by a system of separate and unequal development and by segregation in virtually all spheres of social, economic, political and cultural fife. One section of society is characterised by extreme wealth, with high levels of consumption, human development and the enjoyment of fundamental human rights. However, the major part of society is characterised by abject poverty, squalor, and minimal access to basic social and economic services. In the absence of democracy, fundamental human rights (including the enjoyment of full citizenship rights) were granted to the majority of the population only in 1994.
The country has one of the most skewed income distribution profiles in the world (as is reflected by a Gini coefficient of 0.65). On average, Africans earn 13 per cent of the income earned by whites, while Asians and coloureds earn 40 per cent and 27 per cent respectively.
An estimated 45 per cent of the population five in poverty. Almost all of the poor are Africans who live in either rural areas or urban slums/squatter settlements. The rate of unemployment is estimated at 40 per cent for the entire country. Unemployment is particularly high amongst Africans, young people and women. With an estimated annual average of 2.7 per cent per annum growth rate of the labour force between 1993 and the year 2000, unemployment is likely to increase unless the economy grows by at least double that figure and in a manner which generates employment. African literacy levels are estimated at 45.3 per cent compared with 96.4 per cent for whites.
Further stress on the environment occurs as a result of widely differing consumer patterns within the total population. Only 27 per cent of the population have running water in or near their homes. A major challenge faces water resource management if it is to meet the entire population's needs for a safe and accessible water supply, given the generally limited water availability, the growing population and the great consumption differentials. Only 34.1 per cent of Africans have flush toilets in their homes.
Disparities by gender exist in many indicators of human development. These disparities reflect the generally low status of women. Although enrolment rates at primary, secondary and tertiary educational levels are estimated to be slightly higher for females (79.6 per cent) than for males (77.1 per cent), and adult literacy rates are almost equal (80.8 per cent for females; 81.3 per cent for males), the income share of females is only 30.5 per cent of total income.
These figures reflect their lower labour force participation rate and indicate that they are employed largely in low-wage jobs. Women are under-represented in the decision-making structures of both government and the private sector. They hold only 23.7 per cent of seats in Parliament, and constitute only 17.4 per cent of administrators and managers. The maternal mortality rate of 230 per 100,000 deliveries reflects the poor reproductive health status of women. The incidence of violence against women is high, with an average of one rape every 83 seconds. Although the Constitution guarantees equality between the sexes in all aspects of life, many administrative and cultural practices still discriminate against them. In addition, women cannot as a rule take advantage of such life enhancing opportunities as politics, education, community involvement or leisure, because of their heavy domestic and work burdens. Female-headed households are particularly disadvantaged; their average income is about half that of male-headed households (R1,141 and R2,089 respectively). Consequently, a larger proportion of female rather than male-headed households live in poverty.
The South African population situation is characterised by:
There are substantial differences in the demographic parameters between sub-groups of the population, mostly as a consequence of similar differences in the level of human development, which can be attributed to past patterns of development in the country.
2.3.1 POPULATION SIZE AND GROWTH RATE
Various estimates put the population size of South Africa, at between 40 and 43.5 million in 1995. Projections by the United Nations indicate that the population size may increase to 46.3 million by the year 2000 and to 56.4 million by the year 2010.
The average growth rate of the population is currently estimated at 2.17 per cent per annum, having declined from about 2.26 per cent per annum in the 1990-95 period and from 2.6 per cent per annum in the 1965-75 period. The population growth rate is projected to decline further to about 1.99 per cent per annum in the 2000-2010 period. At the current rate of growth, the country's population size will be doubled in the next 32 years.
2.3.2 AGE, SEX AND RACIAL COMPOSITION
About four out of every ten South Africans (37.3 per cent) are under 15 years of age; 58.3 per cent are between 15 and 65 years; while 4.4 per cent are 65 years old and older. The population is relatively young, with a consequent built-in momentum for future increases in the overall size of the population. The dependency ratio is high, at 72 per 100 persons in the economically active ages (15 - 64 years). This high dependency ratio is due to the large number of dependent children that have to be supported by the economically active population.
The dependency burden is higher than is at first apparent as a large percentage of people in the economically active ages are either unemployed (estimated at 40 per cent) or do not actively participate in the economic life of the country.
The sex ratio (males per 100 females) is estimated at 98.9 but varies considerably between provinces and rural and urban areas as a consequence of past patterns of internal migration.
Since rural to urban migration in the country has been selective of adult males in their most economically productive ages, there is a preponderance of females (as well as children and the elderly) in the rural areas and in the less economically developed provinces, and a preponderance of males in the economically active ages in the urban areas and more industrialized provinces. For instance, sex ratios at the economically active ages are well over 120/100 in Gauteng, the Free State, and the North-Western province, while they are as low as 60/100 in the Northern and Eastern Cape provinces.
Africans constitute over three quarters of the population (77.5 per cent); whites constitute 12.1 per cent while coloureds and Asians make up 8.1 per cent and 2.3 per cent respectively.
2.3.3 FERTILITY
The crude birth rate (CBR) is estimated at 31.2 per 1,000 in the 1985-90 period, down from 37.2 per 1,000 in the 1970-75 period. The total fertility rate (TFR) estimates range between 3.9 and 4.09. The fertility structure is characterized by a high incidence of high-risk childbearing. Teenagers and women over 35 years of age accounted for 15 and 16 per cent of births respectively in 1993. There is a considerable gap between preferred and actual family sizes, indicating that many couples are not able to achieve their preferred family size. The contraceptive prevalence rate is high at an estimated at 60 per cent (for married women in 1994). The age at first marriage is increasing. However, the typical negative correlation between age at first marriage and fertility level does not seem to hold in South Africa. It would appear that marriage is no longer a social requirement for childbearing.
There are substantial differences in the fertility rates between the various sub-groups of the population, essentially reflecting differences in the levels of human development, as well as in the cultural values attached to children. The estimated total fertility rate of 1.5 for the white population is less than a third of the estimated TFR for Africans (4.3) and lower than the estimated TFRs of 2.2 and 2.3 for Asians and coloureds respectively. The magnitude (and rate) of decline in fertility also varies between the racial groups, being lowest for Africans and highest among coloureds, especially since the mid 1960s. Total fertility rates are higher in rural than in urban areas and in the less developed provinces (especially those that contain the former homelands) compared with the more developed provinces. The contraceptive prevalence rate is highest among whites (at 81 per cent in 1994) and lowest among Africans (at 55 per cent in 1994). It is also higher in metropolitan than in rural areas. There is a positive correlation between contraceptive prevalence and women's level of education. The teenage birth rate has been on the increase for the African population, especially since 1980, but has been declining for other racial groups. Preferred family sizes are also much lower in urban areas and among younger women.
2.3.4 MORTALITY
Like fertility, the mortality rate for South Africa has been declining over time, leading to an increase in the expectation of life at birth. The crude death rate (CDR) is estimated at 9.4 per 1,000 persons in 1994, down from 14 per 1,000 persons in 1970. The infant mortality rate (MR), an important indicator of the quality of life and level of development of a population, was estimated at 41 per 1,000 live-births in 1994, less than half the rate of 89 per 1,000 live-births in 1960. The mortality rate for children under 5 years of age was estimated at 68 per 1,000 in 1994. Consequently, life expectancy at birth increased from an estimated 49 years for both sexes in 1960 to 64 years in 1994. The maternal mortality rate, an important indicator of the reproductive health and socioeconomic status of women, was estimated at a high of 230 per 100,000 deliveries in 1993.
There are a number of characteristic (though not peculiar) features of the structure and pattern of mortality in the country. The level of premature adult mortality is high. In 1985 it was estimated that 38 and 25 per cent of fifteen year old men and women respectively were likely to die before reaching the age of 60, chiefly as a result of factors associated with lifestyle including the relatively high incidence of crime. The incidence of premature death due to AIDS is currently low but is likely to increase substantially in the future. About 15 per cent of all deaths are not due to natural causes. The primary causes of unnatural deaths are violent crime (which accounts for 50 per cent of all unnatural deaths: 59 per cent and 44 per cent for males and females respectively) and road accidents, which account for 13 per cent of unnatural deaths, largely of pedestrians.
There are also significant differentials in mortality indicators among various sub-groups of the population, which again reflect differences and past inequities in access to services, the quality of fife, and thus on the level of human development. The infant mortality rate of 49 per 1,000 live-births among the African population is six times the rates of 8.3 and 9 among the white and Asian populations respectively, and double the rate for coloureds at 23. Life expectancy at birth is nine years higher for whites than for Africans, and six years higher for females than for males (66.3 and 60.3 years respectively in 1993). Life expectancy is also lower in the less developed provinces. The magnitude and rate of decline in the infant mortality rate in the recent past has, however, been higher among Africans and coloureds than other racial groups, amongst whom the levels have been much lower in the past.
2.3.5 MIGRATION, URBANISATION AND SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE POPULATION
2.3.5.1 Internal migration
The rate of internal migration in the country has been very high though it is not accurately known. The most important underlying factors for the high rate of internal migration were the forced removals of African people from the commercial farms to the homelands from the 1960s until the early 1990s, and the continuing migrant labour system. This latter has traditionally been selective of able-bodied persons, primarily males, from the economically depressed provinces and rural areas to the industrial and urban centers in search of employment
and other opportunities for a better life. In addition, there is considerable movement of people between rural and urban areas, sometimes for long periods. Children and older people are often sent from cities and towns to rural areas for care and schooling. The new socio-political environment in the country may be associated with increased migration to the urban areas.
The pattern of migration in the country, especially in the past, has had serious effects on the age and sex structure of the population, as well as negative effects on social cohesion and family stability.
Except in KwaZulu/Natal and certain parts of Gauteng, available evidence shows that there are relatively few people in the country who are displaced as a consequence of violence.
2.3.5.2 Urbanisation
Rural to urban migration, in combination with the natural increase of the population in the urban areas, has increased the level of urbanisation in the country. It is estimated that 53 per cent of the population live in formal urban areas (proclaimed towns with some form of local authority), which is slightly up from 47 per cent in 1960. Inclusion of the population living in areas adjacent to formal towns (such as "informal settlements") and in other settlements of more than 5000 people which have not yet attained town status, raises the functional urbanisation level to an estimated 58 per cent. A large majority (70.1 per cent) of the urban population are concentrated in the four metropolitan centers; 14.8 per cent live in large towns and 15.1 per cent in small towns. Four fifths (79.3 per cent) of the rural population live in the former homelands, while a fifth (20.7 per cent) live in commercial fanning areas.
2.3.5.3 International migration
As a result of the white settlement programme encouraged in the colonial and apartheid era, large numbers of persons (largely from Europe, the United States, Canada and Australia) have immigrated to South Africa. The number of immigrants from other countries (chiefly from neighbouring African countries) has also been high as a result of the contract labour system (though contract labourers never settled permanently) and, more recently, illegal immigration.
National statistics are not usually kept on contract labourers. There are no reliable estimates of illegal immigrants though their number is thought to be high. The number of refugees in the country is estimated to be high, though again no reliable estimates are available. On the other hand, fewer persons are recorded as having emigrated from the country. Overall, there has been a surplus of immigrants over emigrants in most years since 1945.
The Government, through the Department of Home Affairs and the Report of the Labour Market Commission, is reviewing various policies related to the regulation of immigration to the country and the naturalisation of immigrants from other African countries.
No comprehensive review of the impact of immigration on the population structure, economy and demand for services in the country has been undertaken.
As outlined above, the explicit and implicit policies adopted by government in the past impacted on population parameters (especially demographic processes), and past systems of development planning, and the implementation of plans played a key role in determining and shaping the country's population and human development situation.
In 1974 a national family planning programme was established to promote access to contraceptive services in order to lower the rate of increase of the black population. At the same time the government was encouraging an increase in the white population through immigration. Within the context of that programme, static and mobile family planning clinics were established and contraceptive commodities were provided free of charge. The clinics operated independently of other health services, which were often not accessible and were not free. The programme consequently came under much pressure, both for its ideological focus and the in a dequacy of its services. By the mid-1980s the programme's management distanced itself from the demographic intent of the Population Development Programme. instead, it promoted the programme's health benefits and started to integrate family planning into the other primary health care services.
In the early 1980s the government decided to implement a policy aimed explicitly at lowering the national population growth rate on the grounds that the country's resources (especially water) could not sustain the prevailing high levels of population growth. This policy was based on the recommendations of the 1983 Report of the Science Committee of the President's Council on Demographic Trends in South Africa. The Population Development Programme (PDP) was established in 1984 to implement this policy.
The PDP set a demographic target of achieving a total fertility rate of 2.1 by the year 2010 to stabilize the size of the population at 80 million by the year 2100. The major thrust of the programme was fertility reduction through family planning. However, in recognition of the fact that family planning by itself would not achieve this objective, the PDP included interventions in other areas that impact on fertility levels, namely education, primary health care (including family planning), economic development, human resource development, and housing. Although it did not concern itself directly with mortality or migration, it did consider the impact of mortality, urbanisation and rural development on fertility. The recognition of the broader dimensions of population growth marked a significant shift in government attitudes to the population problem and ways of solving it. However, the programme did not address the fundamental question of the lack of citizenship rights of the black population, nor the institutionalised discrimination in the very areas it sought to address.
Since the PDP was multi-sectoral, it was to be implemented through an intersectoral committee consisting of representatives of departments responsible for education, primary health care, economic development, manpower development and housing. Each of these departments was to give priority to meeting the relevant needs of the population in the areas under its mandate. The Chief Directorate Population Development (CDPD) was established in the Department of Health and Population Development. Population units were also set up under the CDPD in the provinces. Similar units were subsequently established in the homelands.
The implementation of the PDP was inadequate for a variety of reasons. There was no substantial shift in national funding priorities. Consequently, the intersectoral committee operated more in form than in substance. The CDPD did not have any authority to intervene in the programmes of other departments to ensure that the aims of the PDP were being pursued. In addition, there was no viable strategy or mechanism for the effective coordination of the multi-sectoral programme. An over-arching socioeconomic development plan for the country did not exist. There was insufficient reliable demographic data and an insufficient number of appropriately trained human resources to analyse and interpret the data and to integrate population variables into sectoral plans and programmes. Attempts by the provincial population units to pursue the objectives of the PDP through the implementation of various projects in the field were not very successful either. Their briefs were unclear. They had no development funds and so could only facilitate the access of communities to other departments' resources, or to other sources.
As a result of these difficulties, the focus of the CDPD and the provincial population units shifted (as from 1990) to the formulation and implementation of population information, education and communication (IEC) programmes. However, there were differences in focus, especially in the homelands, where the units concentrated on community development. The IEC programmes promoted the small family norm and stressed the relationship between poverty and large family size. The objective was to influence family size preferences and the reproductive behaviour of sub-groups with high fertility. Preference for a small family size increased during this period, especially among the Africans, though this change could also have been brought about by a variety of other factors, which may have included the effects of the IEC programmes. The population units worked closely with the private sector and nongovernmental organisations, as well as with relevant government departments.
Insufficient use was made of population data in the allocation of resources at central, sectoral or provincial levels of government. Development planning and programming was Seldom undertaken with the support of demographic analysis. The use of population data was further limited in scope because no over-arching socioeconomic development planning framework existed for the country as a whole.
The outline of the country's population and human development situation and of past government policies presented above is intended to help identify some of the major population concerns that could constitute obstacles to sustainable development. It also helps to identify underlying factors. The population concerns include:
2.5.1 A poor knowledge base regarding population and population-development relationships;
2.5.2 limited systematic use of population data in formulating and implementing, monitoring and evaluating development plans and programmes for the entire population;
2.5.3 limited institutional and technical capacity for demographic analysis and for integrated population and development planning;
2.5.4 the structure of the population, and consequent investments to meet the needs of the young and the aged;
2.5.5 high incidence of unwanted fertility and teenage pregnancy;
2.5.6 high rates of infant and maternal mortality, linked to high-risk child bearing;
2.5.7 high rates of premature mortality attributable to preventable causes;
2.5.8 the causes and consequences of urban and rural settlement patterns;
2.5.9 the absence of adequate analysis of the nature and impact of international immigration for policy development purposes;
2.5.10 the growth rate of the population and of the labour force, relative to the rate of growth of the economy, the backlog of social needs to be met, the level of unemployment, and the aspirations of the people;
2.5.11 the pressure of population, production and consumption patterns on the environment.
The underlying factors include:
The Government is committed to resolving these concerns and underlying factors in a comprehensive manner within the framework of its overall development framework as currently contained in the RDP. This commitment is a further justification for the population policy.
The population policy is based on the following guiding principles:
3.1.1 All South Africans are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of South Africa. Population policies should therefore respect human rights.
3.1.2 Population, sustained economic growth and sustainable development are closely inter-related. Population policy should therefore be an integral part of an integrated system of development policies and programmes in a country. Its ultimate goal should be enhanced human development.
3.1.3 A population policy is more comprehensive than a fertility policy. It includes such considerations as migration, mortality and fertility as well as their economic, social, cultural and other determinants.
3.1.4 Timely and reliable data and information are basic prerequisites for the design of an appropriate population policy.
3.1.5 The right to development is a universal and inalienable right. It is an integral part of fundamental human rights. The human being is the central subject of development. As people are the country's most important and valuable resource, all individuals should be given the opportunity to make the most of their potential. The role of the Government in the development process is to facilitate people's ability to make informed choices, and to create an environment in which they can manage their lives.
3.1.6 People have the right to be informed about all matters relating to their daily lives. The South African public should have access to relevant information concerning government policies, and an a understanding of this information and its implications for all areas of their fives. This includes information on population and development issues.
3.1.7 People have the right to move freely within the boundaries of their country. Refugees may seek asylum from persecution in countries other than their own.
3.1.8 All couples and individuals have the basic right to decide freely and responsibly on the number and spacing of their children, and to have the information, education and means to do so.
3.1.9 Poverty is one of the most formidable enemies of choice. Therefore, one of the most important objectives of a population policy is to contribute towards the eradication of poverty and to draw all people into the mainstream of development.
3.1.10 Advancing gender equality, equity and the empowerment of women, while ensuring the ability of women to decide about their own behavior, are cornerstones of population and development programmes.
3.1.11 The overall well-being of children should be given the highest priority by government.
3.1.12 Civil society should be involved in the design and implementation of
The vision of this policy is to contribute towards the establishment of a society which provides a high and equitable quality of life for all South Africans and in which population trends are commensurate with sustainable socioeconomic and environmental development.
The policy is therefore complementary to the national development strategy and related sectoral policies.
The goal of the policy is to bring about changes in the determinants of the country's population trends, so that these trends are consistent with the achievement of sustainable human development.
The objectives of the policy are to ensure:
3.4.1 The availability of reliable and up-to-date information on the population and human development situation in the country in order to inform policy making and programme design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation at all levels and in all sectors;
3.4.2 the systematic integration of population factors into all policies, plans, programmes and strategies aimed at enhancing the quality of fife of the people at all levels and within all sectors and institutions of government;
3.4.3 a coordinated, multi-sectoral, interdisciplinary and integrated approach in the design and implementation of programmes and interventions that impact on the major national population concerns.
The policy objectives will be achieved through the following major strategies:
3.5.1 Strengthening commitment to, and enhancing national capacities and mechanisms for, the collection, analysis, interpretation and dissemination of population data, including data on all aspects of human development, and the use of such data for policy making and development programming;
3.5.2 establishing and continuously updating a national statistical database and information system that will pool pertinent data and information from various departments, making such information accessible to the various planning units and the general public in order to enhance the sharing and exchange of such information;
3.5.3 ensuring that all data collected, the analyses of such data and the findings of pertinent research studies are, to the extent possible:
3.5.4 developing and promoting the use of composite indicators, goals and targets for:
3.5.5 enhancing the technical capacity of planning staff in pertinent government institutions at all levels and in all sectors with regard to the methodologies for integrated population, development and gender-sensitive planning and programming;
3.5.6 expanding opportunities for training in demography and population studies;
3.5.7 sharing of technical information, advice and services relating to population and development issues between various government institutions, the private sector and civil society, for the more effective design and implementation of programmes that impact on the major population concerns;
3.5.8 establishing and/or strengthening mechanisms for intersectoral consultation, collaboration and coordination;
3.5.9 sustaining advocacy on population and development issues targeted at leadership at all levels;
3.5.10 integrating information, education and communication strategies into all relevant programmes;
3.5.11 reducing poverty through meeting people's basic needs for social security, employment, education, training and housing, as well as the provision of infrastructure and social services;
3.5.12 ensuring environmental sustainability through comprehensive strategies which address population, production and consumption patterns independently as well as in their interactions;
3.5.13 improving the quality, accessibility, availability and affordability of primary health care services, including reproductive health3 and health promotion services, to the entire population in order to reduce mortality and unwanted fertility, with a special focus on disadvantaged groups, currently under-served areas, and adolescents- and eliminating all disparities in the provision of such services,
3.5.14 reducing the high incidence of crime and violence, especially violence against women;
3.5.15 promoting responsible and healthy reproductive and sexual behavior among adolescents and the youth to reduce the incidence of high-risk teenage pregnancies, abortion and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, through the provision of life skills, sexuality and gender-sensitivity education, user-friendly health services and opportunities for engaging in social and community life;
3.5.16 advocating and facilitating the taking of measures that will enable women and girls to achieve their full potential through:
3.5.17 promoting the equal participation of men and women in all areas of family and household responsibilities, including responsible parenthood, reproductive health, child-rearing and household work;
3.5.18 improving the quality, accessibility, availability and affordability of education from early childhood through to adult education, with the emphasis on gender-sensitive and vocational education and the promotion of women's educational opportunities at the tertiary level;
3.5.19 incorporating population education (on the linkages between population dynamics and development) into school curricula in relevant teaming areas at all levels;
3.5.20 creating employment-generating growth with a focus on economic opportunities for young people and women;
3.5.21 increasing alternative choices to migration from rural to urban areas through the provision of social services, infrastructure and better employment opportunities in the rural areas within the context of rural development programmes and strategies;
3.5.22 reducing backlogs in urban infrastructure and social services, and making adequate provision for future increases in the population living in urban areas;
3.5.23 reviewing the nature and impact of all forms of international migration in order to formulate and implement an appropriate policy;
3.5.24 promoting the participation of civil society in all aspects of the implementation of this policy.
Additional strategies will be developed -
Because of the multi-faceted nature of population issues and the factors that impact on them, the implementation of this policy, and the consequent achievement of its goal and objectives will be the responsibility of the entire government at a levels and in all sectors, as well as the private sector, civil society, and indeed of all South Africans. There is therefore a need for the active participation and involvement of all individuals and national institutions; for strong commitment on the part of the political leadership of all kinds and at all levels; for effective coordination of the relevant efforts and activities to be undertaken by many institutions in different locations; and for strong collaboration between these institutions.
New programmes or action plans may be designed for the implementation of this policy. But, more importantly, all existing and future programmes have to be oriented or reoriented towards achieving its objectives. Deliberate efforts will be made to utilize existing structures of government and civil society to implement the policy so as not to create additional institutional frameworks, unless these are absolutely necessary. Some reorientation of functions and the establishment and/or strengthening of operational linkages will, however, be necessary.
This population policy will be implemented in two ways. First by providing the necessary demographic and interpretative capacity in all relevant departments to ensure the undertaking of adequate demographic analysis and related policy interpretation to support the policy making and planning needs of each sectoral department. And secondly through sectoral and intersectoral programmes which impact on key population concerns.
The President will report on the progress with this policy as part of the annual national development report.
The Cabinet Committee for Social and Administrative Affairs is responsible for ensuring the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of this policy as part of the national development strategy.
In order to ensure that legislation supportive of the achievement of the objectives of the policy is enacted and that legislation militating against it is identified and repealed, all parliamentary and provincial legislature portfolio committees whose areas of responsibility are related to population and development issues should ensure that all current and future legislation is consistent with the goal and objectives of this policy. They should also monitor the implementation of this policy as it pertains to their sectors.
Interportfolio committee meetings will constitute mechanisms for facilitating coordination between sectors and for addressing any overarching legislative issues. They should also monitor the implementation of this policy.
Population units will be restructured at national and provincial levels to play a facilitative and supportive role in the implementation of the policy. They will be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the progress of the population policy as part of the monitoring of the national development strategy. The functions of the population units will be to:
4.4.1 Promote advocacy for population and related development issues targeted at government leadership at all levels;
4.4.2 disseminate, as part of the monitoring and evaluation role, relevant population information to all structures of government in suitable formats to inform them about population trends;
4.4.3 undertake the analysis and interpretation of data on the country's population dynamics and on the reciprocal relationships between population and development to inform policy design and programming;
4.4.4 develop means to assist government departments to enhance their capacity and expertise in analysing the linkages between demographic variables and their policies and programmes (this may involve the commissioning of appropriate training and capacity building to institutions in civil society);
4.4.5 assist government departments to interpret the population policy in relation to their areas of responsibility;
4.4.6 assist government departments to analyse data and to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of programmes for purposes of assessing the overall successes and failures of the national development strategy;
4.4.7 monitor and evaluate population policy implementation;
4.4.8 commission relevant research in consultation with the Central Statistical Service and/or other departments in order to ensure comparability and compatibility of data and so as to prevent duplication,
4.4.9 liaise with institutions outside of South Africa to promote collaboration and the exchange of expertise and experience in the population and development field;
4.4.10 coordinate government preparations for and reporting on international population conferences.
In view of the above functions, the technical capacity of population unit staff needs to be enhanced.
The population units may initiate intersectoral collaboration in the analysis and interpretation of demographic data to inform the strategies and the monitoring and evaluation of this policy, as well as in the commissioning of research. They can call for intersectoral technical meetings to highlight the interaction of demographic trends with development, and encourage departments to develop strategies or campaigns, individually or intersectorally. Existing intersectoral coordinating mechanisms will be used where possible.
Collaboration between provincial population units and between provincial population units and the national population unit will be encouraged to facilitate the sharing of expertise and resources.
The national and provincial population units are at present attached to the departments responsible for the welfare function. This is due to historical decisions and does not reflect the cross-departmental and service nature of their functions. Their location will therefore be reviewed by Cabinet in the context of national and provincial debates about the preferred location for intersectoral development planning and monitoring functions and particularly the role of the central planning unit in the Office of the Deputy President. It is expected that this Office will ultimately play a coordinating role.
In the interim the national and provincial population units will be attached to the departments responsible for the welfare function. Their functions are different from those of welfare, and involve servicing many sectoral departments. The population units will therefore be separate entities with a unique mandate and functions. Their budgets and priorities will be approved and monitored separately from those of the welfare components.
The national population unit will collaborate closely with the central planning unit in the Office of the Deputy President in order to facilitate the incorporation of the population policy as part of the national development strategy.
Similarly, provincial population units will collaborate closely with the units responsible for provincial development planning.
The Cabinet Committee on Social and Administrative Affairs will make it clear to all relevant departments that the population units offer a service to all of them.
The design and implementation of interventions that will lead to the achievement of the objectives of the policy will be undertaken at sectoral level (and the provincial equivalent).
The various ministries and departments (especially those in the social and economic sectors) therefore have the major responsibility for the implementation of the policy. All existing and future sectoral and intersectoral policies and programmes must be oriented towards achieving the objectives of this policy. This implies that the technical capacity of professional staff must be enhanced.
In order to ensure effective population policy implementation, including the development of shared goals, targets and indicators related to the strategies of this policy, interdepartmental liaison and co-ordination is necessary. Mechanisms and structures already established, such as various interdepartmental and intergovernmental task teams, the Office for the Status of Women or the Interministerial Committee on Youth at Risk, should be utilised as far as possible without creating unnecessary additional structures, in order to avoid duplication of effort and to maximise the use of resources.
A fine function department may initiate intersectoral programmes in collaboration with other relevant departments. Such collaboration, facilitated through intersectoral committees, will be necessary to ensure a shared understanding of the key population concerns for which each sector has some responsibility.
The role of civil society is critical for the achievement of the objectives of this policy. Its involvement and participation is of paramount importance. Many government departments already have effective mechanisms for involving community structures in decision making and in the actual implementation of programmes. In addition, existing consultative structures, from community development forums to the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC), will incorporate issues addressed in this population policy into their deliberations at national, provincial and local levels.
Many organisations representing civil society and NGOs are already dealing with some of the issues identified in this population policy in a complementary role to the Government. In addition, they will continue to monitor and critique this policy and its implementation in order to ensure the openness and responsiveness which is essential to democracy.
Through the concerted efforts of a of these structures, population concerns will be integrated into the national development strategy from policy development to programme implementation, monitoring and evaluation. In this$ way, the population policy will contribute to the establishment of a society which provides a high and equitable quality of life for all South Africans.
Population or demographic trends
Population or demographic trends refers to changes over time in the three demographic processes of fertility, mortality and migration, as well as concomitant changes in the size, composition and distribution of the population.
Fertility
Fertility refers to the number of five births occurring in a population. The average number of children that would be born to a woman (or group of women) during her lifetime is referred to as the total fertility rate (TFR). The fertility rate (or general fertility rate) is the number of live-births per 1,000 women aged 15 - 49 years in a given year.
Crude birth rate
The crude birth rate (CBR) is the number of live births per 1,000 population in a given year.
Mortality
Mortality refers to deaths that occur within a population. The infant mortality rate (IMR) is the number of deaths to infants under one year of age per 1,000 live births in a given year. Similarly, the child (under five) mortality rate is the number of deaths to children under five years of age per 1,000 population under five years old in a given year. The maternal mortality rate is the number of women who die as a result of complications related to pregnancy and childbirth in a given year per 100,000 births in that year.
Crude death rate
The crude death rate (CDR) is the number of deaths per 1,000 population in a given year.
Life expectancy at birth
Life expectancy at birth is an estimate of the average number of years a person can be expected to live from the time he/she is born. It is a good indirect measure of the mortality (and health) conditions of a population.
Migration
Migration is the movement of people across specified boundaries for the purpose of establishing a new residence. Such movements can be due to various reasons, for example, in search of a job or better life, to live with relatives, forced displacements, etcetera. Movements for the purpose of establishing a residence across international boundaries, or from one country to another, is referred to as international migration; as emigration when such movement is out of a country, and as immigration when such movement is into a country.
Natural increase
Natural increase is the surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths in a population in a given period of time. The rate of natural increase is the rate at which a population is increasing (or decreasing) in a given year due to the surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths, expressed as a percentage of the population. The rate of natural increase does not include the effects of emigration of immigration.
Population growth
Population growth is the overall change in the size of the population in a geographic area, due to three processes, i.e. fertility, mortality and migration.
Population growth rate
The population growth rate is the rate at which a population is increasing (or decreasing) in a given year due to natural increase and net migration, expressed as a percentage of the base population. It takes into account all the components of population growth, namely births, deaths and migration.
Population policy
A population policy refers to explicit or implicit measures undertaken by a government to (directly or indirectly) influence the processes of fertility, mortality and migration as well as their outcomes such as the growth, distribution, composition, size and structure of the population. Population policies are often adopted and implemented as integral components of the development strategies of countries.
Racial classifications
The terminology used in this White Paper reflects systems of racial classification under apartheid, under which data were kept. The use of these classifications is necessary in order to indicate the challenges facing South Africa in its goal of achieving equality. The terms African, Asian, coloured and white are generally used, except when referring to Africans, Asians and coloureds collectively, in which case the term "black" is used.
Footnotes:
(1) Technical concepts used in the white Paper are described in the section CONCEPTS USED IN THE WHITE PAPER.
(2) Please refer to the section CONCEPTS USED IN THE WHITE PAPER for an explanation of the use of racial classification.
(3) Reproductive health services refers to the constellation of services aimed at fostering sexual and reproductive health. These include preventive and promotive services, such as information, education, communication and counselling, as well as treatment in relation to reproductive tract infections, sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, and other reproductive health conditions; contraception; prenatal care, safe delivery and post-natal care; infertility; abortion; and cancers of the reproductive system.