Durban - Statistics showing the different age groups and what percentage make up the South African populations has shown that its government, on average, is led by 61 year olds, including the president and deputy president.
At around 60 million in 2023, South Africa’s population is made up of a majority of Millennials – those born between 1981 and 1996. There are 15.9 million Millennials in South Africa, making up 37% of the population.
The second biggest group of people who make up the population are the Gen-Z’s, at 11.4 million they make up 27% of South Africa.
Gen-X make up a further 21% with 8.7 million, while Baby Boomers make up 10% of the population with 4.3 million people.
Despite making up the largest numbers in the country, Gen-Z’s and Millennials are the most unemployed generations, irrespective of educational status, according to StatsSA.
“The unemployment rate was 63,9% for those aged 15-24 and 42.1% for those aged 25-34 years, while the current official national rate stands at 34.5%.”
Data shows that only one minister in the cabinet is representative of some 15.9 million people – that being Ronald Lamola at 39-years-old.
A majority of those in the cabinet are ‘Baby Boomers’, aged between 59 and 77-years-old.
The oldest ministers in the cabinet are Pravin Gordhan and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma at 74-years-old.
Ironically, at 74, Dlamini-Zuma is the Minister of Youth.
Tourism Minister, Patricia de Lille is 72-years-old, while Minister of Police, Bheki Cele is 71-years-old.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is 70.
34% of South Africans – 14.6 million people, are “Born Frees”, meaning they were born from 1994.
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