New Data Reveals Surge In eThekwini Household Numbers As Municipality Updates Strategic Growth Planning

eThekwini Municipality updates planning and budgets after Stats SA data reveals a surge to over 1.3 million households in the region.

By: AXL Media

Published: May 2, 2026, 4:38 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from IOL

Statistical Revision Triggers Municipal Planning Overhaul

The eThekwini Municipality is set to restructure its primary governance instruments following a significant upward revision in its household count. According to the Statistics South Africa General Household Survey for 2024, the region has seen an addition of approximately 98,452 houses, bringing the total count to 1,339,259. This data was formally approved during a council meeting on Thursday for incorporation into the Integrated Development Plan and the Service Delivery and Budget Implementation Plan for the upcoming 2025/26 financial year.

Addressing The Proliferation Of Informal Settlements

While the overall household numbers have grown, local leaders have raised concerns regarding the composition of these new dwellings. IFP Councillor Selvan Govender emphasized that the municipality currently oversees approximately 605 informal settlements, suggesting that statistical efforts must place greater weight on these vulnerable areas. The city maintains that it uses a formalized census and land monitors to perform ring fencing, a process where house numbers are allocated to shacks and residents are added to a periodically updated database to track urban densification.

National Trends Reflect Improving Housing Formalization

The broader national data provided by Stats SA spokesperson Felicia Sithole indicates a positive trend in housing quality over the last two decades. The percentage of South African households living in formal dwellings has risen from 73.5 percent in 2002 to 84.1 percent in 2024. Furthermore, the survey revealed that 60.1 percent of households nationally own their homes, while roughly a quarter of the population resides in rental properties. These metrics provide a benchmark for eThekwini as it attempts to align its local development with national standards.