Macro Review

These monthly reports provide in-depth assessments of the trends shaping specific current social, economic, and political risks in South Africa. The Macro Review is supplemented by a monthly lunchtime seminar at the CRA’s headquarters in Johannesburg.

South Africa’s Quality of Life

This edition of the Macro Review updates the Quality of Life Index (QOLI) first developed by the CRA in 2017. The Index is designed to enable users to gauge South Africa’s progress in improving the quality of life of its residents, and to draw comparisons between South Africa’s nine provinces and the four race groups.

Key takeaways:

The Quality of Life Index (QOLI) benchmarks South Africa’s progress in improving the quality of life.
The QOLI draws comparisons between South Africa’s nine provinces and the different race groups.
Indicators used in the index are: the matric pass rate, expanded unemployment, monthly expenditure of R10 000+, tenure status, access to piped water, use of electricity for cooking, access to a basic sanitation facility, irregular or no waste removal, medical aid coverage and the murder rate.
The best quality of life is in Gauteng and the Western Cape — each province has a QOLI score of 6.4.
White South Africans continue to have the highest standard of living, followed by Indian/Asian, Coloured and Black people respectively.

2019