Data Briefs

Quality of Life and well-being: Findings from the GCRO's Quality of Life survey 7 (2023/24)

The GCRO recently released the results from the Quality of Life Survey 7 (2023/24). In addition to an Overview Report, 13 other thematic Data Briefs (numbers 13-25) were also published at the launch of the QoL 7 survey (2023/24) - highlighting key trends and findings from the survey that are not covered in the launch presentation and overview. This Data Brief presents results from the QoL 7 survey (2023/24) on a multidimensional index of Quality of Life in Gauteng.

Migration and moving home: Findings from the GCRO's Quality of Life survey 7 (2023/24)

This Data Brief presents results from the GCRO's Quality of Life 7 survey (2023/24) on variables that relate to migration and moving home in Gauteng.

Hunger and food security: Findings from the GCRO's Quality of Life survey 7 (2023/24)

This Data Brief presents results from the GCRO's Quality of Life 7 survey (2023/24) on variables that relate to hunger and food security in Gauteng.

Environment, extreme events and disasters: Findings from the GCRO's Quality of Life survey 7 (2023/24)

This Data Brief presents results from the GCRO's Quality of Life 7 survey (2023/24) on variables that relate to environment, extreme events and disasters in Gauteng.

Commuting and transport: Findings from the GCRO's Quality of Life survey 7 (2023/24)

This Data Brief presents results from the GCRO's Quality of Life 7 survey (2023/24) on variables that relate to transport and commuting in Gauteng.

Inclusive economies: Findings from the GCRO's Quality of Life survey 7 (2023/24)

This Data Brief presents results from the GCRO's Quality of Life 7 survey (2023/24) on variables that relate to economic inclusion in Gauteng.

Community and social attitudes: Findings from the GCRO’s Quality of Life survey 7 (2023/24)

This Data Brief presents results from the GCRO's Quality of Life 7 survey (2023/24) on variables that relate to community and social attitudes in Gauteng.

Experiences of violence, crime and safety: Findings from the GCRO’s Quality of Life survey 7 (2023/24)

This Data Brief presents results from the GCRO's Quality of Life 7 survey (2023/24) on variables that relate to violence, crime and safety in Gauteng.

COVID and vaccine hesitancy: Findings from the GCRO's Quality of Life survey 7 (2023/24)

This Data Brief presents results from the GCRO's Quality of Life 7 survey (2023/24) on variables that relate to COVID-19 and vaccine hesitancy in Gauteng.

Heathcare access, satisfaction and depression risk: Findings from the GCRO's Quality of Life Survey 7 (2023/24)

This Data Brief presents results from the GCRO's Quality of Life 7 survey (2023/24) on variables that relate to accessing healthcare, satisfaction with healthcare and depression risk in Gauteng.

Government performance and satisfaction with government: Findings from the GCRO's Quality of Life survey 7 (2023/24)

This Data Brief presents results from the GCRO's Quality of Life 7 survey (2023/24) that relate to government performance and satisfaction with government in Gauteng.

Basic services: Findings from the GCRO's Quality of Life survey 7 (2023/24)

This Data Brief presents results from the GCRO's Quality of Life 7 survey (2023/24) on variables that relate to basic services in Gauteng.

Poverty and Inequality: Findings from the GCRO’s Quality of Life survey 7 (2023/24)

This Data Brief presents results from the GCRO's Quality of Life 7 survey (2023/24) that relate to poverty and inequality in Gauteng.

Overview: Findings from the GCRO's Quality of Life survey 7 (2023/24)

This Data Brief provides an overview of findings from 13 thematic Data Briefs (numbers 13-25) published at the launch of the Quality of Life 7 survey 2023/24. From the end of August 2023 to mid-April 2024, the Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO) collected data for the seventh iteration of its Quality of Life (QoL) survey series. The final dataset is based on 13 795 respondents who were randomly sampled to be representative of both the province as a whole, and of the residents of each of Gauteng’s 529 wards. It argues that households are experiencing the effects of the polycrisis, a term coined to refer to complex and interconnected crises and challenges in many different domains of life particularly following the pandemic.

Quality of Life Survey 6 (2020/21): Overview Report

The Quality of Life Survey 6 (2020/21) records the lived experiences of 13 616 of Gauteng’s residents, collected by a team of dedicated fieldworkers during the profoundly challenging period of late 2020 and early 2021. This report provides key findings across 12 thematic sections as well as a brief overview of survey context and methodology.

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Gauteng City-Region

Results from QoL 2020/21 survey highlight the substantial and profound impact that COVID-19 has had on overall quality of life, health and well-being of residents in the GCR (de Kadt et al., 2021). Using QoL 2020/21 data, this Data Brief examines in more detail the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on households, society, the economy and governance. The fieldwork was conducted between October 2020 and May 2021, covering the second wave of COVID-19 infections but excluding the third wave. The data brief provides insight into the effects of the pandemic from March 2020 to May 2021.

Quality of Life Survey V (2017/18): The quality of life of students in Gauteng

The GCRO’s biennial Quality of Life (QoL) survey has proven to provide valuable insights into the overall quality of life of residents in Gauteng. The survey data can be applied in many different ways, like understanding the spatial dimensions of certain measures or delving into details about conditions in specific areas or sub-groups. This Data Brief provides an overview of the quality of life of one such sub-group, namely students in Gauteng.

Why do we need to focus on students in Gauteng? One reason is that educational attainment is critically important to enabling social mobility and reducing inequality in our society but that accessing tertiary education is not easy. Personal circumstances also influence how successful students are. The QoL survey data for 2017/18, allowed us to explore the relative privilege and disadvantage within, and between, student and non-student residents in Gauteng.

This Data Brief considers various dimensions of students’ lives, starting with the demographic profile of the student sample. It also considers their living conditions and socio-economic status, access to selected resources and assets, transport choices, satisfaction, sense of well-being and overall quality of life. The analysis represents the lives of students before the COVID-19 pandemic and it is very likely that many of the disparities and challenges that students face (like being a household head or accessing the internet) would be exacerbated during the various phases of lockdown, making it even harder to manage tertiary education demands

The results showed that various dimensions of racial inequality exist within the student sample. On average, African students were from households with lower monthly incomes than white students. However, it is also important to note that the average household income of African students was almost twice as much as that of African non-students. African students were also less likely to report that they have access to various assets that likely assist learning (like laptops or internet at home) than other population groups. It was also clear that the majority of all students in the sample would have qualified for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding (69%) based on their household income. Only about 26% of students were considered part of the ‘missing middle’, and only about 5% of students could be categorised as upper class. In terms of satisfaction, students were, on average, 6% more likely to be satisfied with a range of services, facilities and spheres of government than non-students. Although the differences remain relatively small, students were more likely to respond positively on various measures of physical well-being and of mental well-being such as physical health and emotional support respectively, than non-students. The quality of life of students was higher than that of non-students.

There were both positive and negative findings, but the analysis highlights that the need for financial support remains significant, especially for students and non-students from poorer households. Students also experience a variety of challenges to completing tertiary education (like access to assets and transport opportunities) which should be considered for interventions. There were also significant social class differences between part-time and full-time students, suggesting that there is value in creating part-time tertiary learning opportunities. Ultimately, our goal should be to provide disadvantaged youth with greater access to tertiary education and opportunities to complete tertiary qualifications.

Quality of Life Survey IV (2015/16): Health

The GCRO’s Quality of Life IV (2015/16) Health Data Brief provides an overview of key findings from a set of questions in the survey specifically designed to gather insights about respondents’ personal health, access to and use of healthcare facilities, and their sense of wellness. Overall, the data reveals a strong relationship between respondents’ levels of income and their health and wellness. As affluence increased, respondents were more likely to have medical aid, use private healthcare, report high satisfaction with the healthcare facilities they usually use, and report better personal health. There were also strong relationships with level of education and population group.

The data shows that the majority of respondents usually made use of public healthcare facilities. However, satisfaction with public healthcare facilities was substantially lower than satisfaction with private healthcare facilities. While most respondents reported that household members were able to obtain healthcare when they needed it, a few were unable to get the care they required and cited financial constraints and inadequate facilities or staff as the main reasons for this.

While some respondents avoided public healthcare facilities due to concerns about the quality of care received, there were also respondents who sought out public healthcare facilities specifically for its good quality of care. Although only one in ten respondents were visited at their home by a healthcare worker, the data suggests that outreach efforts are effectively being directed towards less affluent areas and individuals.

This Data Brief also presents important insights into self-reported health and well-being across the province. Nine out of ten respondents in Gauteng described their health status as good or excellent; very few indicated that their health status interferes with their daily work or social activities; and the majority reported positive subjective well-being.

Across a number of variables this Data Brief provides information for each of Gauteng’s health districts, illustrating both areas of strength and where there is room for improvement. Information on the use of various healthcare services, and how respondents experience the services they receive, can help with health service planning, and understanding how to increase satisfaction.

Quality of Life Survey IV (2015/16): Social Cohesion

GCRO’s Data Brief No. 8, part of a series to be released on the QoL IV (2015/16) survey results, reports on data related to social cohesion in Gauteng. Social cohesion is not something which can be quantified as a whole, but the QoL IV survey does provide several important indications of societal attitudes and behaviours which threaten social cohesion. This is in addition to the variety of perceptions of Gauteng residents gathered in QoL IV, including perceived quality of life, socio-economic circumstances, satisfaction with service delivery, values, psycho-social and political attitudes, etc.

Key findings include the following. First, respondents have quite divergent views for each measure. Some respondents believe there is social tolerance and trust, while others believe there is not. Some provide responses which indicate intolerant attitudes, while others are accepting of difference. Second, there are different trends over time for the various questions that we analyse. There are some notable positive trends regarding improved tolerance between different race groups and towards cross border migrants. Nevertheless there are concerning patterns, such as a percentage of people who endorse violence against foreigners and violence towards gay and lesbian people. Third, those who are intolerant are not distributed evenly across the geography of the province. Finally, different forms of intolerance do not always overlap spatially with one another. For example, some wards have higher proportions of respondents who believe that homophobic violence is acceptable but the same wards do not necessarily endorse xenophobic violence to the same extent.

Quality of Life Survey IV (2015/16): Crime and perceptions of safety in Gauteng

The Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO) launched its fourth and largest Quality of Life (QoL) survey in 2016. The QoL IV survey gathered perceptions of Gauteng residents on a wide range of issues: perceived quality of life, socio-economic circumstances, satisfaction with service delivery, values, psycho-social and political attitudes, etc. Some questions asked respondents to comment directly on issues of crime and safety.

Other questions did not ask specifically about crime and safety, but these issues came up in the answers provided. This Data Brief, the first of a series to be released on the QoL IV survey results, reports on data related to crime and perceptions of safety. Key findings include the following. One in every five respondents had experienced crime in the 12 months prior to being interviewed, much in line with previous QoL surveys.

Various factors influenced whether or not people felt secure, such as the time of day, sex, migration status, dwelling type and the presence or absence of street lights. As with previous QoL surveys, crime was the most common response to the question, ‘What is the biggest problem facing your community?’ However, unlike previous surveys, drugs now featured prominently amongst communities’ concerns. Both formal and informal business owners identified crime as the main constraint facing their businesses.

Informal sector enterprise and employment in Gauteng

This data brief on ‘Informal sector enterprise and employment in Gauteng’, is relevant to the attacks on informal entrepreneurs in Johannesburg. It provides data on informal entrepreneurship which, where relevant, is also analysed by municipality and migrant status. It also provides information on the use of and attitudes to the informal sector and informal sector employment

Gauteng: a province of migrants

Gauteng is a province of migrants and has been the focus of internal and cross border migration within and to South Africa for over a century (Peberdy, 1998, 2009; Crush et al. 1991). It is the province with the highest proportion of migrants in its population (44%) (StatsSA, 2012a: 39). In Census 2011 only 6,678,316 of the 12,272,263 residents counted in the province had been born in Gauteng (StatsSA, 2012).1 It is also the province which experienced the highest rate of growth in population between 2001 and 2011 (30%) of which 52% was a result of in-migration (StatsSA, 2013: 12).

This data brief provides an overview of internal migrants (people who have come to Gauteng from other provinces in South Africa) and cross border migrants (people from other countries) in Gauteng. It encompasses demographics, housing, education, employment and income. It concludes with a brief examination of the attitudes of respondents in the Gauteng City-Region Observatory Quality of Life Survey of 2011 to cross border migrants and migration policy

Transformation of higher education in the GCR

The central focus of this Data Brief is on the developmental potential of HEIs in the GCR to collaborate effectively with each other and other stakeholders.

Prices & earnings in the GCR in comparison to major world cities

This Data Brief draws on data published by UBS in September 2012 for 72 cities in different parts of the world. UBS has been collecting city data on the prevailing earnings (wages) for different professions as well as prices for major categories of goods and services since 1970.

Summary analysis for Gauteng from the National Census 2011

The census results, released on 30 October 2012, are summarized in this GCRO Data Brief. In many respects, what is surprising about the results ... is how unsurprising they are. The recent GCRO Quality of Life survey findings are close to identical to the Census in virtually all areas (we were down on informal dwellings, but not much more).

That in no way detracts from the critical importance for government an the academy of accurate census data, which confirm our massive population size and growth, our challenges over managing future densities in a sustainable manner, and the need to develop sustainable human settlements.

Summary of Gauteng results from the 2010 GHS

The General Household Survey (GHS) is conducted annually by Statistics South Africa (StatsSA). It is based on a sample of 25 653 households across the country, with 3 899 households surveyed in Gauteng. The survey covers a wide range of issues, from access to and satisfaction with health services, to food security, educational attainment, perceptions of safety, access to municipal services, and so on.

This Data Brief summarises the results of the 2010 GHS for Gauteng, organising the data by the eight outcome areas of the Gauteng Provincial Government. Where relevant, results are compared with 2009, giving some indication of development progress in the region

Anatomy of the crisis

This data was generated by the Gauteng City-Region Observatory and DBSA for the Gauteng Department of Economic Development, as part of the background analysis for the report Benchmarking City and City-Region Responses to the Economic Crisis.

It provides a four year time-series, from mid-2006 to mid-2009, for a wide range of indicators showing the dramatic change in economic health of the country and Gauteng through the recession