Merafong City

Quick Fact

According to Census 2011, Merafong City Local Municipality has a total population of 197 520

Quick Fact Image -0,64% Growth rate

The Merafong City Local Municipality is a local municipality in the West Rand district of Gauteng. Its boundaries enclose some of the richest gold mines in the world. It is situated about 65 km from Johannesburg and is serviced by a number of major roads, including the N12 from Johannesburg to Cape Town and the N14.

(www.merafong.gov.za)

Rank By:
46 ranking by population size
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Greater Letaba , Limpopo 212,701 43
Abaqulusi , KwaZulu-Natal 211,060 44
Matatiele , Eastern Cape 203,843 45
Merafong City , Gauteng 197,520 46
Nongoma , KwaZulu-Natal 194,908 47
George , Western Cape 193,672 48
Umzimvubu , Eastern Cape 191,620 49
Quick Fact

6,5% of those aged 20 years and older have no form of schooling.

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According to Census 2011, Merafong City Local Municipality has a total population of 197 520, of which 86,5 % are black African, 11,8 % are white, 1,1 % are coloured, and 0,3 % are Indian/Asian. Of those aged 20 years and older, 6,1 %have completed primary schooling, 39,8 % have some secondary education, 26,4 % have completed matric, and 7,1% have some form of higher education

Group Percentage
Black African86,5%
Coloured1,1%
Indian/Asian0,3%
White11,8%
Other0,3%
Age Males Females
0-4 4,9% 4,8%
5-9 3,8% 3,7%
10-14 3,5% 3,4%
15-19 3,7% 3,9%
20-24 5,2% 4,9%
25-29 6% 5%
30-34 5,2% 4,1%
35-39 4,7% 3,5%
40-44 4,6% 3%
45-49 4,5% 4,5%
50-54 3,7% 2,1%
55-59 2,1% 1,5%
60-64 1% 1%
65-69 0,6% 0,7%
70-74 0,4% 0,5%
75-79 0,2% 0,3%
80-84 0,1% 0,2%
85+ 0,1% 0,2%
Language Percentage
Afrikaans 12,2%
English 3,7%
IsiNdebele 0,5%
IsiXhosa 23,7%
IsiZulu 6%
Sepedi 1,4%
Sesotho 18,4%
Setswana 20,4%
Sign Language 0,6%
SiSwati 1,4%
Tshivenda 0,5%
Xitsonga 4,9%
Other 1.5%
Not Applicable 4,8%
Group Percentage
Married 29,9%
Living together like married partners 9,7%
Never married 56%
Widower/Widow 2,8%
Separated 0,5%
Divorced 1%
Group Percentage
No Schooling 4%
Some Primary 38,8%
Completed Primary 6,3%
Some Secondary 33,9%
Completed Secondary 14,1%
Higher Education 1,4%
Not Applicable 1,5%
Sex Percentage
Female 45,7%
Male 54,3%
Quick Fact

82,8% of households have access to electricity.

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There are 66 624 households in the municipality with an average household size of 2,7. A total of 52,9% of households have access to piped water inside the dwelling, and 30,4% have water in their yard. Only 1,0% of households do not have access to piped water

Area Percentage
Urban 96,3%
Tribal/Traditional 0%
Farm 3,7%
Item Yes No
Cellphone 90,7% 9,3%
Computer 15,1% 84,9%
Television 70,7% 29,3%
Satellite Television 21,5% 78,5%
Radio 63,7% 36,3%
Landline / Telephone 9,3% 90,7%
Motor Car 26,6% 73,4%
Refrigerator 58,8% 41,2%
Electric / Gas-Stove 68,4% 31,6%
Energy Source Cooking Heating Lighting
Electricity 75,9% 66,8% 82,8%
Gas 1,8% 1,7% 0,1%
Paraffin 20,4% 12,9% 3,6%
Solar 0,2% 0,2% 0,2%
Candles 0% 0% 12,9%
Wood 1,1% 5,5% 0%
Coal 0,2% 1,3% 0%
Animal Dung 0,1% 0,1% 0%
Other 0,2% 0% 0%
None 0,2% 11,6% 0,3%
Access Percentage
From Home 5,7%
From Cellphone 14,6%
From Work 3,1%
From Elsewhere 5,3%
No Access 71,2%
Tenure Status Percentage
Rented 48,5%
Owned and fully paid off 23,9%
Owned but not yet paid off 5,8%
Occupied rent free 18,9%
Other 2,9%
Source of water Percentage
Regional/Local water scheme (operated by municipality or other water services provider) 93,1%
Borehole 2,1%
Spring 0,1%
Rain water tank 0,4%
Dam/Pool/Stagnant water 0,1%
River/Stream 0%
Water vendor 0,2%
Water tanker 2,3%
Other 1,7%
Toilet Facility Percentage
None 1%
Flush toilet (connected to sewerage system) 81%
Flush toilet (with septic tank) 2,1%
Chemical toilet 0,6%
Pit toilet with ventilation 2,3%
Pit toilet without ventilation 11,6%
Bucket toilet 0,4%
Other 1%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 74,9%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 4,8%
Communal refuse dump 6,2%
Own refuse dump 9,3%
No rubbish disposal 4,5%
Other 0,3%
Refuse Disposal Percentage
Removed by local authority/private company at least once a week 74,9%
Removed by local authority/private company less often 4,8%
Communal refuse dump 6,2%
Own refuse dump 9,3%
No rubbish disposal 4,5%
Other 0,3%
Quick Fact

37,8% youth unemployment rate

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91 521 people are economically active (employed or unemployed but looking for work), and of these, 27,7% are unemployed. Of the 45 142 of the economically active youth (15–35years) in the area

Employment Status Number
Employed 66635
Unemployed 24886
Discouraged Work Seeker 4968
Not Economically Active 46789
Income Percentage
None income 15,3%
R1 - R4,800 4%
R4,801 - R9,600 5,9%
R9,601 - R19,600 11,1%
R19,601 - R38,200 14,7%
R38,201 - R76,4000 26,6%
R76,401 - R153,800 11,3%
R153,801 - R307,600 6,8%
R307,601 - R614,400 3,1%
R614,001 - R1,228,800 0,8%
R1,228,801 - R2,457,600 0,2%
R2,457,601+ 0,1%
Agricultural households
Type of specific activity Number
Livestock production 1,563
Poultry production 2,050
Vegetable production 2,730
Production of other crops 1,838
Other 2,302

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

Agricultural households
Type of activity Number
Crops only 2,476
Animals only 1,453
Mixed farming 1,173
Other 571

**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 1,399
R1-R4 800 300
R4 801-R38 400 2,159
R38 401-R307 200 1,538
R307 201+ 89
Unspecified 189

Place names

Places in Merafong City Municipality

Key Statistics 2011

Total population197,520
Young (0-14)24,1%
Working Age (15-64)72,5%
Elderly (65+)3,4%
Dependency ratio37,9
Sex ratio118,6
Growth rate-0,64% (2001-2011)
Population density121 persons/km2
Unemployment rate27,2%
Youth unemployment rate37,8%
No schooling aged 20+6,5%
Higher education aged 20+7,1%
Matric aged 20+26,3%
Number of households66,624
Number of Agricultural households5,673
Average household size2,7
Female headed households29,4%
Formal dwellings74,7%
Housing owned/paying off29,8%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage81%
Weekly refuse removal74,9%
Piped water inside dwelling52,9%
Electricity for lighting82,8%

Key Statistics 2001

Total population210,481
Young (0-14)22,4%
Working Age (15-64)72,5%
Elderly (65+)2,4%
Dependency ratio33%
Sex ratio135,1
Growth rate0,07% (2001-2011)
Unemployment rate28,1%
Youth unemployment rate39,9%
No schooling aged 20+12,9%
Higher education aged 20+4,4%
Matric aged 20+16,7%
Number of households56,336
Average household size2,1
Female headed households24,6%
Formal dwellings67,7%
Housing owned/paying off36,7%
Flush toilet connected to sewerage83%
Weekly refuse removal68,2%
Piped water inside dwelling29,7%
Electricity for lighting80,1%