KwaZulu-Natal has the largest child population in the country.
Image: Manu Mangalassery/pexels
KwaZulu-Natal is home to the largest population of children in South Africa, with more than 4.3 million under the age of 18 living in the province in 2024.
This is according to the latest Marginalised Groups Indicator Report released by Statistics South Africa, which shows that children make up 35.9% of KwaZulu-Natal’s population, a proportion higher than the national average.
KwaZulu-Natal’s large child population, combined with its significant rural footprint, underscores the scale of service delivery and social support required in the province.
Nationally, there are 21,009,000 children aged 17 years and younger, accounting for 33.3% of South Africa’s total population of just over 63 million. The report, compiled under the leadership of Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke, warns that children and other marginalised groups remain at heightened risk of poverty and social exclusion.
In KwaZulu-Natal, 3.0% of children are maternal orphans, 8.5% are paternal orphans, and 1.8% are double orphans. Just over 85% are not orphaned.
Across South Africa:
The data shows that while the majority of children live with at least one parent, a significant minority face the loss of one or both, often placing additional pressure on extended family structures.
The report also highlights a geographic divide. Of the 21 million children nationally, more than 13.5 million live in non-metro areas, compared to 7.4 million in metropolitan areas.
Delivering his State of the Province address on Friday, KZN Premier Thami Ntuli addressed the issue of social welfare in the province and the focus on children.
He said the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Social Development has tabled a budget of about R3.613 billion for the 2025/26 financial year, aimed at supporting vulnerable populations, enhancing child protection services, youth empowerment and strengthening community development programmes.
“A substantial portion of the provincial budget goes to children’s welfare and family support programmes, especially those aligned with national early childhood development and child protection goals. Skills development, training placements, and youth support initiatives are key parts of the provincial social development strategy, aimed at reducing youth dependency on social assistance over time.”
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