OUR IMPACT ON THE
KWAZULU-NATAL

The garden province of South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal is a subtropical region that contributes 16% towards the country’s GDP. As the second largest economy in the country with more than a third of the population living below US$2 a day. In the 2016 South African Multidimensional Poverty Index, KwaZulu-Natal has a 7.7% poverty headcount.

Its 42.5% intensity of poverty is a reflection of the socio-economic challenges it has to overcome.
In an effort to ensure that Operation Hunger continues to sustainably support the most vulnerable populations in KwaZulu Natal, the data below was developed to provide an updated review of the province’s drivers and determinants.

Nutrition equity is caused by the way that people’s everyday social, psychological/behavioural and material circumstances interact with their wider environments.

These environments include: access to adequate and quality food; provision for infant care; healthcare environments; and wider living environments (including sanitation and opportunities for physical activity).

Operation Hunger has put together the latest data using the conceptual framework consistent with the determinants of undernutrition and prevalence of malnutrition to comprehensively elucidate barriers and opportunities leading to unhealthy nutrition outcomes.

Regional/Provincial Data

Economic Data

  • Private Sector 33.2% 33.2%
  • General Government Services 15.33% 15.33%
  • Agriculture Forestry and Fishing 5.42% 5.42%
  • Manufacturing 15.82% 15.82%
  • Construction 3.34% 3.34%

Top Imports Market

24.86%

CHINA

6.12%

INDIA

5.99%

AUSTRALIA

Top Export Market

R14 437 050 299

NETHERLANDS

R13 874 831 166

USA

R8 194 020 343

UK

Employment in KwaZulu-Natal

The total working age population is at estimated

2.45 MILLION

Employed

Unemployed

Formal and informal Sector employment

The formal sector is accounting for 51% of all employment. 
The informal accounts for 25.5% of all employment.

Youth labour market trends

The youth unemployment rate (aged 15 – 34 years) reached to 53.5%, while those aged between 25 and 34 reported an unemployment rate of 31.5 %.

Older working-age groups trends

KZN’s unemployment rate among 35 and 44 years was estimated at 19.5%, 45 to 54 and 55 to 64 years at 12.6% and 5.8%, respectively.

Spatial Considerations

Rural areas have been more affected than urban areas and urban areas have been more prone to recover jobs than rural Areas.

Employment in KwaZulu-Natal

%

Male

%

Female

Population Dynamics

Total population 11.3Million

Plus – 58 506 net migration

Inequality and human Development

0.60

Gini Coefficient

0.66

Human Index

Education

%

Learner Enrolment

%

Completed Matric

%

NSC Results

Life expectancy in KwaZulu-Natal

58.2 years

Male

64.6 years

Female

Health

74 Hospitals
22 Health Care Community Centre
589 Clinics

Leading Natural Causes

Diabetes (6.8%), Heart Disease (6.8%)
TB (7.4%)
HIV/AIDS (6.5%)

Percentage of households that lived in formal, informal and traditional dwellings

%

Formal

%

Informal

%

Traditional

%

Other

Types of Sanitation

Access to sanitation

%

Basic Sanitation

%

Limited Sanitation

%

Unimproved Sanitation

Source of drinking water

85% of households have access to piped water as their main source of water
15% Other

Food Systems/ Environment Determinants



Grains

Grains & Food Crops (57.6%),
Industrial Crops (0.1%)

ï…¹

Fruit & Veg

Fruit & Vegetable crops
(24.06%)



AnimalProduction

Livestock production (68.8%)
Poultry production (4.3%)

Percentage of households experiencing food
adequacy or inadequacy

%

Food Access Severely inadequate

%

Food Access Inadequate

%

Food access adequate

Percentage of households involved in
agricultural activities:

%

Household Consumption of Foods
from Different Food Groups

Consistency of Food Access by Food
Security Status

Food Affordability

The financial position of households around the globe has been and still is affected negatively by the pandemic. Facing food budget constraints, many consumers could be purchasing affordable fruit, offering good value-for-money and a long shelf life such as citrus, apples and bananas.

Consistency of Food Access by Food Security Status

Monthly Household Expenditures

Percentage distribution of sources of household income 2019

59%

SALARIES

50.8%

GRANTS

16.3%

REMITTANCE

16.7%

BUSINESS INCOME

3.3%

PENSIONS

Affordability of the food baskets in 2021:

Maize meal Only basket vs double income 9%
Maize meal only basket vs single income 17%