Msunduzi

Quick Fact

There are 163 993 households in Msunduzi Local Municipality with an average of 3,6 persons per household.

Quick Fact Image 1,12% Population growth rate

Pietermaritzburg, the second largest city in KwaZulu-Natal, falls within the boundaries of Msunduzi municipality. The city is both the administrative and legislative capital of the province, which boosts investor confidence, resulting in the city’s economy growing at an astounding rate. Pietermaritzburg is more than just a favourable investment destination; it is one of South Africa’s most desirable residential cities with well-laid-out suburbs (uMgungundlovu District Municipality IDP 2012/13).

Rank By:
3 ranking by population size
  Rank view all
Emfuleni , Gauteng 721,663 1
Polokwane , Limpopo 628,999 2
Msunduzi , KwaZulu-Natal 618,536 3
Thulamela , Limpopo 618,462 4
Mbombela , Mpumalanga 588,794 5
Rustenburg , North West 549,575 6
Quick Fact

5,5%  of those aged 20+ had no schooling.

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The dependency ratio is slightly above 46%. Black Africans constitute 81% of the population, which is the vast majority of population in the district. The Indian population constitutes 10%, while there is a smaller proportion of white people (6%) and coloured people, who constitute only 3%.

Group Percentage
Black African81,1%
Coloured2,9%
Indian/Asian9,8%
White6%
Other0,3%
Age Males Females
0-4 4,8% 4,7%
5-9 4,2% 4,2%
10-14 4,4% 4,2%
15-19 5% 5,1%
20-24 5,8% 5,8%
25-29 5,2% 5,3%
30-34 4% 4,1%
35-39 3,6% 3,7%
40-44 2,7% 3,1%
45-49 2,1% 2,1%
50-54 1,7% 2,3%
55-59 1,4% 2,1%
60-64 1,2% 1,7%
65-69 0,7% 1,1%
70-74 0,5% 0,9%
75-79 0,3% 0,6%
80-84 0,2% 0,4%
85+ 0,1% 0,3%
Language Percentage
Afrikaans 1,9%
English 18,7%
IsiNdebele 1%
IsiXhosa 1,8%
IsiZulu 71%
Sepedi 0,2%
Sesotho 1,5%
Setswana 0,5%
Sign Language 0,5%
SiSwati 0,1%
Tshivenda 0%
Xitsonga 0,1%
Other 0.9%
Not Applicable 1,9%
Group Percentage
Married 22%
Living together like married partners 4,5%
Never married 68,6%
Widower/Widow 3,5%
Separated 0,5%
Divorced 1%
Group Percentage
No Schooling 2,3%
Some Primary 36,6%
Completed Primary 5,4%
Some Secondary 31,1%
Completed Secondary 18,6%
Higher Education 3,2%
Not Applicable 2,8%
Sex Percentage
Female 52,4%
Male 47,6%
Quick Fact

Access to electricity is relatively high, with 91,9% of households using electricity for lighting.

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45,2% of households are headed by females. The percentage of households residing in formal dwellings is 73,7%, with 47,9% of household having access to piped water inside the dwelling and  51,6% of households having access to a flush toilet.

Area Percentage
Urban 75,4%
Tribal/Traditional 24%
Farm 0,6%
Item Yes No
Cellphone 89,3% 10,7%
Computer 23,2% 76,8%
Television 80,6% 19,4%
Satellite Television 29,1% 70,9%
Radio 73% 27%
Landline / Telephone 21,8% 78,2%
Motor Car 32,9% 67,1%
Refrigerator 76,6% 23,4%
Electric / Gas-Stove 84,7% 15,3%
Energy Source Cooking Heating Lighting
Electricity 88,1% 79,3% 91,9%
Gas 2,5% 1,8% 0,2%
Paraffin 6,1% 2,6% 0,6%
Solar 0,2% 0,3% 0,3%
Candles 0% 0% 6,7%
Wood 2,6% 7,8% 0%
Coal 0,1% 0,2% 0%
Animal Dung 0,1% 0,1% 0%
Other 0,2% 0% 0%
None 0,2% 7,9% 0,3%
Access Percentage
From Home 9,5%
From Cellphone 17,1%
From Work 5%
From Elsewhere 6,6%
No Access 61,8%
Tenure Status Percentage
Rented 25,9%
Owned and fully paid off 43,3%
Owned but not yet paid off 14,7%
Occupied rent free 12,7%
Other 3,5%
Source of water Percentage
Regional/Local water scheme (operated by municipality or other water services provider) 89,7%
Borehole 1,2%
Spring 0,9%
Rain water tank 0,7%
Dam/Pool/Stagnant water 1,1%
River/Stream 0,6%
Water vendor 1,1%
Water tanker 2,4%
Other 2,4%
Toilet Facility Percentage
None 2%
Flush toilet (connected to sewerage system) 51,6%
Flush toilet (with septic tank) 5,2%
Chemical toilet 3,3%
Pit toilet with ventilation 17,3%
Pit toilet without ventilation 16,8%
Bucket toilet 1%
Other 2,7%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 53,2%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 1,6%
Communal refuse dump 1,4%
Own refuse dump 37,8%
No rubbish disposal 4,2%
Other 1,7%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 53,2%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 1,6%
Communal refuse dump 1,4%
Own refuse dump 37,8%
No rubbish disposal 4,2%
Other 1,7%
Quick Fact

43,1% of youth are unemployed.

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Of the 229 672 economically active (employed or unemployed but looking for work) people in the municipality, 33% are unemployed.

Employment Status Number
Employed 153909
Unemployed 75763
Discouraged Work Seeker 25229
Not Economically Active 168035
Income Percentage
None income 16,1%
R1 - R4,800 4,6%
R4,801 - R9,600 6,8%
R9,601 - R19,600 16,1%
R19,601 - R38,200 16,5%
R38,201 - R76,4000 12,6%
R76,401 - R153,800 10,3%
R153,801 - R307,600 8,8%
R307,601 - R614,400 5,7%
R614,001 - R1,228,800 1,8%
R1,228,801 - R2,457,600 0,5%
R2,457,601+ 0,3%
Agricultural households
Type of specific activity Number
Livestock production 6,472
Poultry production 13,618
Vegetable production 21,237
Production of other crops 4,427
Other 5,660

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

Agricultural households
Type of activity Number
Crops only 16,515
Animals only 10,017
Mixed farming 6,837
Other 2,159

**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 9,337
R1-R4 800 1,327
R4 801-R38 400 17,003
R38 401-R307 200 5,971
R307 201+ 768
Unspecified 1,120

Place names

Places in Msunduzi Municipality

Key Statistics 2011

Total population618,536
Young (0-14)26,6%
Working Age (15-64)68,4%
Elderly (65+)5%
Dependency ratio46,2
Sex ratio90,9
Growth rate1,12% (2001-2011)
Population density976 persons/km2
Unemployment rate33%
Youth unemployment rate43,1%
No schooling aged 20+5,5%
Higher education aged 20+13,1%
Matric aged 20+33,7%
Number of households163,993
Number of Agricultural households35,527
Average household size3,6
Female headed households45,2%
Formal dwellings73,7%
Housing owned/paying off57,9%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage51,6%
Weekly refuse removal53,2%
Piped water inside dwelling47,9%
Electricity for lighting91,9%

Key Statistics 2001

Total population552,837
Young (0-14)29,2%
Working Age (15-64)68,4%
Elderly (65+)4,8%
Dependency ratio51,5%
Sex ratio88,2
Growth rate1,06% (2001-2011)
Unemployment rate48,2%
Youth unemployment rate58,2%
No schooling aged 20+10,9%
Higher education aged 20+9,2%
Matric aged 20+24,5%
Number of households130,292
Average household size4
Female headed households44,4%
Formal dwellings69,1%
Housing owned/paying off68,1%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage52,3%
Weekly refuse removal59,5%
Piped water inside dwelling38,3%
Electricity for lighting85,8%