Distribution of white South Africans

White South Africans as a proportion of the total population.

0–20%   20–40%   40–60%

60–80%   80–100%

Density of the White South African population.

<1 /km²   1–3 /km²   3–10 /km²   10–30 /km²   30–100 /km²

100–300 /km²   300–1000 /km²   1000–3000 /km²   >3000 /km²

The distribution of white South Africans is fairly evenly spread. They currently make up between 8 and 9% of the total population and number around 4.5–5 million. They are found in large numbers in practically every province in South Africa, although always as a minority, and are high in concentration in large cities.

Historically in the pre-1994 provinces, the Transvaal and Orange Free State were predominantly Afrikaans-speaking, Natal was mostly English-speaking, while the Cape Province was largely mixed.

By province

Afrikaners are located in all parts of the nation, apart from the homelands such as Transkei and KwaZulu, where they are very small in number. English-speaking whites are generally concentrated in Natal, Johannesburg and major settlements in the Cape. Other white groups (such as Portuguese and Germans) live mostly in Johannesburg or Cape Town. In the homelands, the white populations are so tiny, that even the slightest population can affect how Afrikaans or English speaking they are. Of the largest cities in the country, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, East London and Pietermaritzburg are largely English speaking in the core, while Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Polokwane, Nelspruit, Witbank and Rustenburg are predominantly Afrikaans speaking. Port Elizabeth is largely mixed.

Distribution of Afrikaans versus English as home language of white South Africans.

  87.5–100% Afrikaans

  75–87.5% Afrikaans

  62.5–75% Afrikaans

  50–62.5% Afrikaans

  50–62.5% English

  62.5–75% English

  75–87.5% English

  87.5–100% English

Eastern Cape

The Eastern cape has one of the lowest percentages of whites in South Africa, which is currently around 4.7%. They number just above 300,000. Similarly to the Limpopo province, whites as a percent of the population varies around the Eastern Cape. The East, where the former black designated homelands of Transkei and Ciskei are found, have both a high density of black people, and only a small number of whites. For example, in the OR Tambo District Municipality, located in the former Transkei, only 0.1% of the 1.6 million inhabitants are white. On the other hand, in the west, Local Municipalities such as in the Cacadu District Municipality, contain white percentages exceeding 10%, with the highest being the Kouga Local Municipality, which stands at 25.4%. The largest white population centre is Port Elizabeth, which houses over half (170,000) of the Eastern Cape's white population. Other major white populations exist in East London, Grahamstown, Graaff-Reinet, and a number of smaller towns. The Eastern Cape houses the most equal mix of both English and Afrikaans speaking whites. The geographic background of the province shows a mix of English and Afrikaans place names, with no clear distinction between where Afrikaans or English speakers live.

Free State

The Afrikaners far outnumber English-speaking white people in the Free State (formerly called the Orange Free State), because British immigration to the region was very limited. They are predominant in practically all cities, and in many farms. The Afrikaner population is largest around Bloemfontein, which currently holds an estimated 100,000 white people (or a third of the total in the province). The white percentage has recently rebounded after prolonged decline. In 1880 the white percentage was 45.7% and 24 years later, this declined to 36.8% in 1904.^[2] Despite a long and steady decline all through the 20th century, the 2007 Community Survey showed the white percentage of the Free State increased from 8.8% to 9.6%. There could be issues with this figure as overall the population of some municipalities decreased in population by up to 50%, which meant that the "missing" black people counted resulted in an increased white percentage. Major white populations are also found in cities such as Welkom, Kroonstad and Sasolburg.

Gauteng

Gauteng has both the highest percentage (18.4%) and number (just under 2 million) of white people compared to any of the other provinces. Afrikaner whites tend to be gathered in and around Pretoria (with around 450,000 Afrikaners), the East and West Rand, and in many other cities and towns in Gauteng. English-speaking white South Africans are mostly found in central Gauteng, namely Johannesburg and the East Rand. Also, the Midvaal Local Municipality, located in Gauteng, contains one of the highest percentage of whites in the country, which in 2007 stood at 35%.

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is the only province where the vast majority of white people are English-speaking.^[3] However, there do remain some towns in the north with large Afrikaner populations such as in the town of Vryheid. Before 1994 the province was just called Natal, and in the 1960 republic referendum, it was the only province to vote against severing links to the British Crown. KwaZulu-Natal, like most provinces, has experienced a both numerical and proportional decline in the white population. Over half of KwaZulu-Natal's white population lives in Durban and its surrounding suburbs.

Limpopo

The Limpopo province has the smallest percentage of white people of any province in the country, which in 2007 stood at 2.2%. They are almost entirely Afrikaners. The white population is very unevenly spread. Some municipalities, especially in the more lightly populated west, have white percentages reaching far beyond 10% such as the Thabazimbi (23%), Bela-Bela (13%) and Mookgopong Local Municipality (21%). Conversely, in the much more densely populated East (where the former homelands of Gazankulu, Lebowa and Venda lie), the white percentage drops significantly due to the high black population density. Some municipalities, including the Thumamela and Mutale Local Municipality, have white populations of no more than 500, and therefore percentages reaching as low as 0.05%. The capital city, Polokwane (formerly Pietersburg), holds around 27,000 whites, making up just under a fourth of the province's white population. Other major white concentrations are in Tzaneen, Phalaborwa, Thabazimbi, Louis Trichardt and practically every settlement along the N1 national road.

Mpumalanga

In 2007 roughly 6.7% of Mpumalanga was white. The majority of whites in Mpumalanga are Afrikaans speaking. Approximately 250,000 whites live in Mpumalanga, with major population centres being the capital, Nelspruit and other large cities such as Witbank, Middelburg, Ermelo and Lydenburg.

Northwest Province

The Northwest Province has an almost identical situation to that of Mpumalanga. There is a very strong and patriotic Afrikaner community, and the province is also the birthplace of the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB), which was created in Ventersdorp. There is an especially strong Afrikaner influence in the city of Potchefstroom. In 2007 there were 235,580 whites, making up roughly 7.2% (up from 6.7% in 2001) of the province's total population. The vast majority are Afrikaans speaking.

Northern Cape

The Northern Cape's small white population is also dominated by Afrikaners, with some English whites in cities such as Kimberley. Although the white population only number no more than 100,000, because the province is very sparsely populated, it means the white population has remained very much above 10%, even since 1994.^[4] Roughly 25% of whites live in the Sol Plaatje Local Municipality, which contains the Diamond-mining city of Kimberley. Although only having about 12,000 white inhabitants, the Namakwa District Municipality, in the very sparse western Northern Cape, they still manage to make up over 11% of the District Municipality's population. Afrikaans is the lingua franca in the Northern Cape, because the majority of the province (mostly Coloureds) speak it as a first language. Only in the north-eastern areas are there more blacks than Coloureds, and as well as far fewer white people. Besides Kimberley, other important white concentrations are found in Upington, Britstown, Springbok, De Aar, Jan Kempdorp and Barkly West. Orania, a purpose-built town for only-Afrikaans-speaking whites, is also located in the east of the Northern Cape, bordering the Free State. It houses just over 1400 inhabitants and is a special case as it is the only "main-place"^[5] where virtually all inhabitants are white.

Western Cape

Helen Zille, the Premier of the Western Cape, is a White South African of German-Jewish descent.

The Western Cape has the second highest percentage of white people (18.4%) in South Africa, at 850 000 and the only one with a White premier (governor). The lingua franca is Afrikaans, although some urban areas, especially Cape Town, have a large English speaking population. Many Cape Town suburbs and neighborhoods have white majorities, including some with a white population of 95% or greater including: Llandudno, Fish Hoek, Constantia and Noordhoek. The Western Cape has some of the highest white percentage municipalities in South Africa, such as the Overstrand (33%), Cape Agulhas (23%), Mossel Bay (28%), Knysna (23%) and Hessequa (38%) to name a few.

Largest population centres

This is an incomplete list of the "main places" (localities) in South Africa with a white population of more than 10,000. The data is taken from the 2011 census^[6]

Largest populations by province

Here is a list of some of the largest white populations by province.

Eastern Cape

The results of the 2011 census showed an Eastern Cape white population of 310,450. This is a slight increase on the 304,342 recorded in 2007 and the 305,839 in 2001, but it is a decrease on the 330,300 counted in 1996. The top twenty-five Main Places, with more than 650 white persons in 2011, are shown below:

Main Place	2011	2001	2001 / 11 change %	current municipality	languages which predominate within each particular Main Place
Port Elizabeth	118,220	123,722	4	Nelson Mandela Bay	Afrikaans 40%; English 33%; Xhosa 22%; foreign languages 2%
East London	42,722	40,180	6	Buffalo City	Xhosa 62%; English 21%; Afrikaans 13%
Uitenhage	19,114	19,180	0	Nelson Mandela Bay	Afrikaans 69%; Xhosa 18%; English 10%
Despatch	17,717	14,683	21	Nelson Mandela Bay	Afrikaans 60%; Xhosa 33%; English 5%
Jeffreys Bay	10,544	6,564	61	Kouga	Afrikaans 54%; Xhosa 29%; English 12%
Gonubie	7,864	6,323	24	Buffalo City	English 57%; Afrikaans 21%; Xhosa 20%
Grahamstown	5,636	6,232	10	Makana	Xhosa 67%; Afrikaans 17%; English 13%
Queenstown	4,487	4,984	10	Lukhanji	Xhosa 64%; Afrikaans 21%; English 10%; foreign languages 2%
Cradock	4,331	2,937	47	Inxuba Yethemba	Xhosa 56%; Afrikaans 38%; English 4%
Port Alfred	4,295	3,468	24	Ndlambe	English 35%; Xhosa 32%; Afrikaans 30%
Graaff Reinet	3,113	3,511	11	Camdeboo	Afrikaans 92%; English 4%; Xhosa 3%
Aliwal North	1,989	2,390	17	Maletswai	Xhosa 50%; Afrikaans 32%; Sotho 13%; English 3%
Humansdorp	1,947	2,409	17	Kouga	Afrikaans 90%; Xhosa 5%; English 3%
King Williams Town	1,892	2,881	34	Buffalo City	Xhosa 55%; Afrikaans 27%; English 14%
Clarendon Marine (Beachview and Seaview)	1,698	1,160	46	Nelson Mandela Bay	Afrikaans 41%; English 36%; Xhosa 19%; Sotho 2%
Burgersdorp	1,503	947	63	Gariep	Afrikaans 63%; Xhosa 30%; English 3%; Sotho 2%
Somerset East	1,338	1,469	9	Blue Crane Route	Afrikaans 57%; Xhosa 38%; English 4%
St Francis Bay	1,286	610	111	Kouga	Xhosa 39%; Afrikaans 33%; English 22%; foreign languages 2%
Middelburg	1,167	2,026	42	Inxuba Yethemba	Afrikaans 52%; Xhosa 44%; English 2%
Stutterheim	1,101	1,133	3	Amahlathi	Xhosa 87%; Afrikaans 6%; English 5%
Mthatha (Umtata)	998	1,007	1	King Sabata Dalindyebo	Xhosa 85%; English 9%
Kirkwood	984	846	16	Sundays River Valley	Afrikaans 83%; Xhosa 13%; English 2%
Kenton-on-Sea	895	1,291	31	Ndlambe	Xhosa 71%; English 20%; Afrikaans 6%
Colchester	744	299	149	Nelson Mandela Bay	Afrikaans 49%; Xhosa 33%; English 15%
Fort Beaufort	676	696	3	Nkonkobe	Xhosa 77%; Afrikaans 15%; English 5%

Free State

The results of the 2011 census showed a white population of 239,026 in the Free State. This is a decrease from the 266,555 recorded in 2007. There were 238,789 in 2001 and 316,459 in 1996. The top twenty-five Main Places, with more than nine hundred white persons in 2011, are shown below:

Place	2011	2001	2001 / 11 change %	Current municipality	Languages which predominate within each particular Main Place
Bloemfontein	76,325	72,619	5	Mangaung	Afrikaans 43%; Sotho 33%; English 8%; Xhosa 7%; Tswana 6%
Sasolburg	20,282	17,306	17	Metsimaholo	Afrikaans 64%; Sotho 16%; English 9%
Welkom	17,226	17,448	1	Matjhabeng	Afrikaans 39%; Sotho 33%; English 11%; Xhosa 9%
Kroonstad	9,655	12,858	25	Moqhaka	Afrikaans 62%; Sotho 25%; English 5%
Bethlehem	9,099	7,833	16	Dihlabeng	Afrikaans 67%; Sotho 19%; English 7%
Parys	6,808	7,387	8	Ngwathe	Afrikaans 85%; English 7%; Sotho 5%
Virginia	6,499	8,820	24	Matjhabeng	Sotho 42%; Afrikaans 32%; Xhosa 10%; English 6%
Riebeeckstad	5,452	5,526	1	Matjhabeng	Afrikaans 48%; Sotho 33%; English 9%; Xhosa 4%
Odendaalsrus	3,875	5,082	24	Matjhabeng	Afrikaans 47%; Sotho 32%; Xhosa 8%; English 6%
Harrismith	2,988	3,370	11	Maluti-a-Phofung	Zulu 50%; Sotho 33%; Afrikaans 10%; English 4%
Hennenman	2,820	2,100	34	Matjhabeng	Afrikaans 82%; Sotho 8%; English 4%
Ficksburg	2,287	2,535	10	Setsoto	Afrikaans 51%; English 22%; Sotho 18%; foreign languages 5%
Bothaville	2,275	2,371	4	Nala	Afrikaans 59%; Sotho 30%; Xhosa 4%
Frankfort	2,136	1,642	30	Mafube	Sotho 44%; Afrikaans 38%; Zulu 12%
Reitz	1,818	1,370	33	Nketoana	Afrikaans 55%; Sotho 32%; Zulu 6%
Ladybrand	1,740	1,827	5	Mantsopa	Afrikaans 41%; Sotho 31%; English 20%; foreign languages 4%
Heilbron	1,526	1,443	6	Ngwathe	Sotho 60%; Afrikaans 29%; Zulu 6%
Senekal	1,485	1,313	13	Setsoto	Sotho 47%; Afrikaans 46%
Viljoenskroon	1,420	1,702	17	Moqhaka	Afrikaans 67%; Sotho 19%; English 6%
Brandfort	1,412	1,231	15	Masilonyana	Afrikaans 49%; Sotho 33%; Xhosa 7%; Tswana 4%
Bultfontein	1,269	857	48	Tswelopele	Afrikaans 58%; Sotho 24%; Xhosa 6%; Tswana 4%
Wesselsbron	1,092	981	11	Nala	Afrikaans 79%; Sotho 11%; English 5%
Deneysville	1,072	847	27	Metsimaholo	Afrikaans 52%; English 20%; Sotho 17%; Zulu 4%
Allanridge	1,019	1,379	26	Matjhabeng	Afrikaans 44%; Sotho 31%; Xhosa 8%; English 6%
Vrede	977	1,181	27	Phumelela	Afrikaans 52%; Zulu 20%; Sotho 19%; English 4%

Gauteng

The results of the 2011 census showed a Gauteng white population of 1,913,884. This is a slight decrease on the 1,923,829 recorded in 2007 but is an increase on 1,735,094 in 2001 and 1,702,343 in 1996. The top thirty-five Main Places, with more than seven hundred white persons in 2011, are shown below:

Place	2011	2001	2001 / 11 change %	Current municipality	Languages which predominate within each particular Main Place
Pretoria	389,022	355,631	9	City of Tshwane	Afrikaans 48%; English 16%; Pedi 8%; Tswana 6%; foreign languages 5%; Zulu 4%; Sotho 4%; Tsonga 3%; Venda 3%; Xhosa 2%; Ndebele 2%
Randburg	153,882	89,310	72	City of Johannesburg	English 52%; Afrikaans 18%; Zulu 7%; foreign languages 5%; Tswana 4%; Xhosa 3%; Pedi 3%; Sotho 3%; Ndebele 2%; Tsonga 2%; Venda 2%
Centurion	139,501	90,997	53	City of Tshwane	Afrikaans 49%; English 26%; Pedi 5%; Tswana 4%; Zulu 3%; Sotho 3%; Xhosa 3%; foreign languages 2%
Johannesburg	133,379	231,263	42	City of Johannesburg	English 31%; Zulu 20%; Afrikaans 12%; foreign languages 8%; Xhosa 5%; Ndebele 5%; Sotho 5%; Pedi 5%; Tswana 4%; Tsonga 3%; Venda 2%
Roodepoort	115,541	98,995	17	City of Johannesburg	English 30%; Afrikaans 24%; Zulu 9%; Tswana 9%; Pedi 5%; Xhosa 5%; Sotho 5%; foreign languages 4%; Venda 4%; Tsonga 3%; Ndebele 3%
Sandton	110,723	76,062	46	City of Johannesburg	English 64%; Afrikaans 7%; Zulu 6%; foreign languages 6%; Pedi 3%; Tswana 3%; Xhosa 3%; Sotho 2%; Tsonga 2%; Ndebele 2%
Kempton Park	80,388	82,830	3	Ekurheleni	Afrikaans 35%; English 26%; Zulu 9%; Pedi 8%; foreign languages 5%; Sotho 4%; Tswana 3%; Xhosa 3%; Tsonga 2%; Venda 2%; Ndebele 2%
Germiston	80,034	69,526	15	Ekurheleni	English 24%; Afrikaans 17%; Zulu 17%; Xhosa 10%; Pedi 8%; Sotho 7%; foreign languages 6%; Tsonga 4%; Venda 3%; Tswana 3%; Ndebele 2%
Boksburg	73,887	69,987	6	Ekurheleni	Afrikaans 29%; English 19%; Zulu 15%; Pedi 9%; Xhosa 8%; Sotho 7%; Tsonga 4%; foreign languages 3%; Tswana 2%; Ndebele 2%
Krugersdorp	70,636	52,203	35	Mogale City	Afrikaans 42%; English 20%; Tswana 15%; Zulu 5%; Xhosa 4%; Sotho 4%; foreign languages 3%; Pedi 3%; Tsonga 2%; Venda 2%; Ndebele 2%
Alberton	64,675	61,018	6	Ekurheleni	Afrikaans 43%; English 35%; Zulu 7%; Sotho 5%; Xhosa 3%; foreign languages 2%; Pedi 2%; Tswana 2%
Benoni	60,421	56,076	8	Ekurheleni	English 41%; Afrikaans 19%; Zulu 17%; Pedi 5%; Sotho 3%; Tsonga 3%; foreign languages 3%; Xhosa 3%; Ndebele 2%; Tswana 2%
Vanderbijlpark	52,174	56,103	7	Emfuleni	Afrikaans 51%; Sotho 20%; English 10%; Zulu 5%; foreign languages 3%; Xhosa 3%; Tswana 2%; Pedi 2%
Springs	44,075	43,427	1	Ekurheleni	Afrikaans 30%; Zulu 21%; English 16%; Pedi 8%; Xhosa 7%; Sotho 6%; Tsonga 3%; foreign languages 3%; Tswana 2%; Ndebele 2%
Brakpan	38,956	33,879	15	Ekurheleni	Afrikaans 47%; English 17%; Zulu 14%; Sotho 5%; Pedi 4%; foreign languages 3%; Tsonga 3%; Xhosa 3%; Tswana 2%; Ndebele2%
Vereeniging	33,018	34,933	5	Emfuleni	Afrikaans 35%; Sotho 26%; English 16%; Zulu 8%; Xhosa 4%; Tswana 3%; foreign languages 3%; Pedi 2%
Edenvale	32,570	31,622	3	Ekurheleni	English 72%; Afrikaans 12%; foreign languages 4%; Zulu 4%; Pedi 2%; Xhosa 2%
Randfontein	29,074	25,991	12	Randfontein	Afrikaans 52%; Tswana 18%; English 8%; Sotho 5%; Xhosa 5%; Zulu 4%; Pedi 3%; Tsonga 2%; foreign languages 2%
Meyerton	26,852	11,457	134	Midvaal	Afrikaans 42%; Sotho 23%; English 12%; Zulu 9%; Xhosa 5%; Pedi 2%; Tsonga 2%; foreign languages 2%
Midrand	21,168	16,378	29	City of Johannesburg	English 50%; Zulu 10%; Afrikaans 7%; foreign languages 6%; Xhosa 5%; Tswana 5%; Pedi 5%; Sotho 5%; Tsonga 2%; Venda 2%; Ndebele 2%
Akasia	14,220	14,726	3	City of Tshwane	Tswana 24%; Afrikaans 23%; Pedi 12%; English 10%; Sotho 8%; Zulu 7%; Tsonga 5%; Venda 3%; Xhosa 3%; foreign languages 3%; Ndebele 2%
Heidelberg	13,251	8,139	63	Lesedi	Afrikaans 38%; Zulu 25%; Sotho 18%; English 9%; Xhosa 3%; foreign languages 2%
Nigel	12,799	13,043	2	Ekurheleni	Afrikaans 44%; Zulu 23%; English 16%; Sotho 5%; Xhosa 3%; Tswana 2%; foreign languages 2%; Pedi 2%
Fochville	6,813	8,545	20	Merafong City	Afrikaans 71%; English 7%; Sotho 6%; Tswana 6%; Xhosa 4%; Zulu 2%
Carletonville	6,300	9,921	36	Merafong City	Afrikaans 25%; Xhosa 20%; Tswana 13%; Sotho 13%; English 9%; Zulu 8%; Tsonga 4%; Pedi 2%; foreign languages 2%; Swazi 2%
Bronkhorstspruit	5,580	5,095	10	City of Tshwane	Afrikaans 47%; Ndebele 11%; English 10%; Pedi 9%; Zulu 8%; Sotho 4%; Tswana 4%; foreign languages 3%; Swazi 2%; Tsonga 2%
Rayton	4,959	2,754	80	City of Tshwane	Afrikaans 59%; Pedi 11%; English 8%; Ndebele 4%; Tsonga 4%; Zulu 4%; foreign languages 4%; Tswana 2%; Sotho 2%; Venda 2%
Dainfern	4,026	1,652	144	City of Johannesburg	English 65%; foreign languages 16%; Afrikaans 5%; Zulu 4%; Pedi 2%; Tswana 2%; Xhosa 2%; Sotho 2%
Walkerville	3,610	3,619	0	Midvaal	English 35%; Afrikaans 18%; Zulu 15%; Sotho 13%; Xhosa 5%; foreign languages 5%; Tswana 3%; Ndebele 2%; Pedi 2%
Oberholzer	3,330	3,975	16	Merafong City	Afrikaans 55%; Tswana 12%; English 11%; Sotho 9%; Xhosa 5%; Zulu 3%; foreign languages 2%
Westonaria	3,273	4,631	29	Westonaria	Afrikaans 29%; Xhosa 17%; Sotho 14%; Tswana 13%; English 8%; Zulu 7%; Tsonga 4%; foreign languages 2%; Pedi 2%; Venda 2%
Cullinan	2,759	2,125	30	City of Tshwane	Afrikaans 49%; Pedi 16%; English 9%; Sotho 6%; Tswana 5%; Zulu 5%; Ndebele 3%; Xhosa 3%; Tsonga 2%
Soweto	1,421	325	337	City of Johannesburg	Zulu 37%; Sotho 16%; Tswana 13%; Tsonga 9%; Xhosa 9%; Pedi 5%; Venda 5%; English 2%
Chartwell	864	796	9	City of Johannesburg	English 51%; Afrikaans 11%; Zulu 10%; foreign languages 8%; Ndebele 7%; Pedi 4%; Xhosa 3%; Tswana 3%; Sotho 2%
Venterspost	809	536	51	Westonaria	Afrikaans 53%; English 13%; Tswana 11%; Xhosa 6%; Sotho 6%; Zulu 5%; Tsonga 2%; Pedi 2%

References