Newsletter 140 - Life expectancy on a recovery path
In all provinces, men have realised gains in life expectancy of about ten months to just over two years. Women in five provinces picked up by between two months and two years. Women in Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and the North West, however, now have a slightly reduced life expectancy. There has been no change for women in the Free State, the province which also has the lowest life expectancy for both sexes.
A comparison between the periods 2001-06 and 2006-11 reveals that average life expectancy in South Africa is improving, despite a slight setback for women in some provinces. This is shown in the Mid-Year Population Estimates published by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) this July.
During the period 2001-06, women in Mpumalanga had a life expectancy of 53.1 years at birth. In 2006-11, this dropped to 52.8. Males on the other hand, showed an increase from 49.4 to 50.2.
During the initial period, Limpopo’s women were expected to live for up to 61.5 years, though this later dropped slightly to 61.4. The life expectancy of men in the province went up from 54.5 to 55.8.
In the North West, women saw their life expectancy drop from 53.3 to 53.2 while that of men rose from 49.0 to 50.4.
The life expectancy of women in the Free State remained unchanged at 47.9. Males recorded a better outlook from 43.7 up to 44.6.
Five other provinces saw an overall increase in life expectancy for both sexes.
In the Western Cape, the life expectancy of women rose from 63.9 to 65.8 years, while that of men went up from 57.6 to 59.9.
KwaZulu-Natal saw female life expectancy increase from 51.6 to 52.8. As for males, life expectancy increased from 47.4 to 48.4.
In the Northern Cape, females were expected to live to 56.7 years in 2001-06 but were anticipated to live to 57.4 years in 2006-11. Males fared better, with an increase from 52.9 to 54.1.
Women in the Eastern Cape had their life expectancy go up from 54.2 to 54.4 while that of their male counterparts rose from 49.1 to 50.2.
Gauteng’s initial female life expectancy of 58.9 advanced to 59.1, while that of males picked up from 54.3 to 55.4.
Females in South Africa were previously expected to live for up to 55.5 years but are now expected to reach 56.2. Males have also improved, from 50.6 to 52.1.
- Thuthukani Ndebele
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