EC
Our impact on the Eastern Cape
South Africa's second largest province, the Eastern Cape is also its poorest, with a poverty headcount of 12.7% in the South African Multidimensional Poverty Index.
0
Communities we work in
—
People fed directly
—
Households
64
Indicators tracked here
Known as the birth and resting place of Nelson Mandela, its economy runs on the automotive sector, agriculture and tourism. In spite of that, the intensity of poverty here is 43.3%.
Economy
Contribution to the provincial economy
Operation Hunger provincial review · 2024
See the figures
| Contribution to the provincial economy | Value |
|---|---|
| General government services | 24.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 1.7% |
| Manufacturing | 12.5% |
| Construction | 2.9% |
| Personal services | 7.8% |
| Other | 51% |
Top import markets
Operation Hunger provincial review · 2024
See the figures
| Top import markets | Value |
|---|---|
| Thailand | 14% |
| Poland | 12.2% |
| Eswatini | 11.1% |
Top export markets
Operation Hunger provincial review · 2024
See the figures
| Top export markets | Value |
|---|---|
| Netherlands | 15% |
| United Kingdom | 10% |
| China | 7.6% |
Employment
Operation Hunger provincial review · 2024
4 395 689
Working-age population
1 216 297
Employed
2 081 262
Economically inactive
1 013 280
Unemployed
59%
Formal sector
25%
Informal sector
62.6%
Youth unemployment (15–34)
Who is employed
Operation Hunger provincial review · 2024
See the figures
| Who is employed | Value |
|---|---|
| Male | 45% |
| Female | 49% |
| Youth | 36% |
| Low skilled | 36% |
| Semi-skilled | 44% |
| Skilled | 20% |
People
Population
Operation Hunger provincial review · 2024
6 734 001
Total population
322 957
Net migration
50%
Aged 15–34
32%
Aged 35–64
Inequality and human development
Operation Hunger provincial review · 2024
0.618
Gini coefficient
0.669
Human Development Index
Education
Operation Hunger provincial review · 2024
See the figures
| Education | Value |
|---|---|
| Tertiary | 19% |
| Secondary completed | 29% |
| Secondary incomplete | 39% |
| Primary completed | 5% |
| Less than primary | 7% |
| No schooling | 1% |
| National Senior Certificate pass rate | 73% |
Health
Life expectancy
Operation Hunger provincial review · 2024
59.1 years
Male
67.1 years
Female
Health facilities
Operation Hunger provincial review · 2024
91
Hospitals
28
Community health centres
711
Clinics
Homes & services
Households by dwelling type
Operation Hunger provincial review · 2024
See the figures
| Households by dwelling type | Value |
|---|---|
| Formal | 71% |
| Traditional | 23% |
| Informal | 5% |
| Other | 0.3% |
Access to sanitation
Operation Hunger provincial review · 2024
See the figures
| Access to sanitation | Value |
|---|---|
| Basic | 55% |
| Limited | 34% |
| Unimproved | 11% |
Food & income
What the province produces
Operation Hunger provincial review · 2024
- Grains
- Wheat 12.81%, maize 4.25%, sunflower 23.8%, sorghum 18.8%, ground nuts 42%.
- Fruit & vegetables
- Apples 1.1%, banana 13.0%, pears 1.8%, carrots 26%, onions 41.9%, tomatoes 8.4%.
- Animal production
- Milk 25%, poultry 51%, eggs 6.4%.
Households experiencing food adequacy
Operation Hunger provincial review · 2024
See the figures
| Households experiencing food adequacy | Value |
|---|---|
| Adequate access | 78.1% |
| Inadequate access | 15.4% |
| Severely inadequate access | 6.5% |
Households involved in agriculture
Operation Hunger provincial review · 2024
30.4
Households farming
Reliance on social grants
Operation Hunger provincial review · 2024
43
Individuals receiving a grant
60.6
Households receiving a grant
Sources of household income
Operation Hunger provincial review · 2024
See the figures
| Sources of household income | Value |
|---|---|
| Salaries | 49.7% |
| Grants | 61.1% |
| Remittances | 21.1% |
| Business income | 11% |
| Pensions | 5.6% |
Fund the next phase on the Eastern Cape
From R200 a month you can help to feed one of South Africa's vulnerable families, and your section 18A certificate arrives within seconds.