Quality of Life and well-being: 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 a multidimensional index on Quality of Life in Gauteng.

HEADLINE FINDINGS

• The Quality of Life 7 (2023/24) Survey (QoL 7) reveals a decrease in overall well-being since the last time the survey was run (2020/21). When asked ‘how satisfied are you with your life as a whole these days?’, one in four respondents indicated that they were dissatisfied, a higher proportion than in the pre-COVID-19 pandemic surveys (Figure 1).
• A multidimensional index of well-being, known as the Quality of Life (QoL) Index, decreased for a second time. It decreased from its high point of 64 before the pandemic in 2017/18 to 61 during the pandemic in 2020/21. It has decreased again in 2023/24 to 60 (Figure 4).
• The QoL Index combines 33 questions grouped into seven dimensions. The decrease in overall QoL Index scores was driven by a particularly sharp decline in the government satisfaction dimension, along with decreases in the services, safety and life satisfaction dimensions.
• Five out of the nine municipalities in Gauteng have seen a decrease in their overall QoL Index scores (Figure 6). Notably, all metropolitan municipalities (Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg and Tshwane) have recorded their lowest scores ever, continuing the declining trend since 2017/18.
• On average, Black African respondents continue to have the lowest QoL Index scores of all population groups. Black African respondents are the only group to have seen their scores decline below 2013/14 levels, and Coloured and White respondents’ QoL Index scores have also dropped to just above their 2013/14 value (Figure 9).
• Following the trend in 2017/18, the mean QoL Index score for female and male respondents was equal. The score for female and male respondents is the same as the Gauteng average and is the lowest score yet for both sexes (Figure 10).