About half a million white South Africans have left the country in the past three decades, and Stats SA estimates that a further 112 740 will emigrate in the next five years.
The white population is also ageing as younger people are mostly the ones who go, leaving their parents behind.
Population growth estimates show that the white population declined by 22 250 people, from 4.52 million in 2016 to 4.49 million in 2017. Over the same period, the total population increased by 900 000 to 56.62 million.
Frans Cronjé of the Institute of Race Relations said the white population structure resembled an hourglass after 1994, when many between the ages of 20 and 40 emigrated. Since then, the bottom and top parts of the hourglass have shrunk, because the white people who remained had fewer children.
Though Stats SA couldn’t say why whites were leaving, emigration agencies believe political instability, crime and uncertainty are reasons cited for leaving. Emma Wald
