South African National Census of 1996

1996 National Census
General information
Country	Republic of South Africa
Date taken	9 October 1996
Total population	40,583,573
Percent change
Most populous region	KwaZulu-Natal
Least populous region	Northern Cape

The National Census of 1996 was the 1st comprehensive national census of the Republic of South Africa, after the fall of apartheid. It undertook to enumerate every person present in South Africa on the census night at a cost of R419 million.^[1]

Pre-enumeration

Personal questionnaire

Institution questionnaire

Results

Demographics

Population change in the South Africa by race ^[2]

Rank	Race	1991 Census	1996 Census	Difference	Percent difference
1	Black African		31,127,631		%
2	White		4,434,697		%
3	Coloured		3,600,446		%
4	Asian or Indian		1,045,596		%
Total population			40,583,573		%

Population change in the South Africa by language ^[3]

Rank	First language	1991 Census	1996 Census	Difference	Percent Difference
1	IsiZulu		9,200,144		%
2	IsiXhosa		7,196,118		%
3	Afrikaans		5,811,547		%
4	Sepedi		3,695,846		%
5	Setswana		3,301,774		%
6	English		3,457,467		%
7	Sesotho		3,104,197		%
8	Xitsonga		1,756,105		%
9	SiSwati		1,013,193		%
10	Tshivenda		876,409		%
11	IsiNdebele		586,961		%
12	Other		228,275		%

Population change in the South Africa by gender ^[4]

Rank	Gender	1991 Census	1996 Census	Difference	Percent difference
1	Female		21,062,685		%
2	Male		19,520,887		%

Population change in the South Africa by province ^[5]

Rank	Province	1991 Census	1996 Census	Difference	Percent difference
1	KwaZulu-Natal		8,417,021		%
2	Gauteng		7,348,423		%
3	Eastern Cape		6,302,525		%
4	Limpopo		4,929,368		%
5	Western Cape		3,956,875		%
6	North West		3,354,825		%
7	Mpumalanga		2,800,711		%
8	Free State		2,633,504		%
9	Northern Cape		840,321		%
Total population			40,583,573		%

See also

• Official 1996 Census Website
• Census in South Africa
• South African National Census of 2001
• Demographics of South Africa

References

1. Using the 2001 Census: Approaches to analysing data (PDF). Statistics South Africa and the Human Sciences Research Council. 2007. ISBN 978-0-621-37259-5. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
2. Primary tables South Africa: Census ’96 and 2001 compared (PDF). Statistics South Africa. 2004. pp. 4–5. ISBN 0-621-34320-X. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
3. Primary tables South Africa: Census ’96 and 2001 compared (PDF). Statistics South Africa. 2004. pp. 9–12. ISBN 0-621-34320-X. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
4. Primary tables South Africa: Census ’96 and 2001 compared (PDF). Statistics South Africa. 2004. pp. 20–23. ISBN 0-621-34320-X. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
5. Primary tables South Africa: Census ’96 and 2001 compared (PDF). Statistics South Africa. 2004. pp. 4–5. ISBN 0-621-34320-X. Retrieved 24 November 2015.