About half of SA’s top earners and university graduates are considering emigration as citizens lose faith in the country’s future, the Social Research Foundation (SRF) said, citing a survey it conducted.
Out of 3,204 registered voters the Johannesburg-based research group surveyed in July, 53% of university graduates and 43% of those who earned more than R20,000 a month said they may leave the country, according to the findings. Overall, 23% of those surveyed said they may look at living in another country.
Confidence in SA’s future has fallen after more than a decade when average economic growth failed to match the increase in population, meaning citizens have been growing poorer. The country has been wracked by corruption scandals in recent years and regular power outages since 2014. More than 350 people died in looting and rioting in July 2021.
The number of those considering emigration “rises with social and economic status”, the SRF said in a statement accompanying the survey results on Thursday.
“People between the ages of 25 and 40 are the most likely age groups to be considering emigration,” according to the foundation.
“The data is consistent with the foundation’s past findings on confidence in SA’s future.”
If an increasing number of the richest people leave the country, the number of those paying tax, which supports welfare payments to almost a third of South Africans and other government services, will plunge, the SRF said.
“SA is vulnerable to surrendering near half its top skills base and income earners, and by extension much of its remaining tax base,” the SRF said.
The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 1.7%.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
SA may lose 53% of graduates to emigration, survey shows
Image: Bloomberg
About half of SA’s top earners and university graduates are considering emigration as citizens lose faith in the country’s future, the Social Research Foundation (SRF) said, citing a survey it conducted.
Out of 3,204 registered voters the Johannesburg-based research group surveyed in July, 53% of university graduates and 43% of those who earned more than R20,000 a month said they may leave the country, according to the findings. Overall, 23% of those surveyed said they may look at living in another country.
Confidence in SA’s future has fallen after more than a decade when average economic growth failed to match the increase in population, meaning citizens have been growing poorer. The country has been wracked by corruption scandals in recent years and regular power outages since 2014. More than 350 people died in looting and rioting in July 2021.
The number of those considering emigration “rises with social and economic status”, the SRF said in a statement accompanying the survey results on Thursday.
“People between the ages of 25 and 40 are the most likely age groups to be considering emigration,” according to the foundation.
“The data is consistent with the foundation’s past findings on confidence in SA’s future.”
If an increasing number of the richest people leave the country, the number of those paying tax, which supports welfare payments to almost a third of South Africans and other government services, will plunge, the SRF said.
“SA is vulnerable to surrendering near half its top skills base and income earners, and by extension much of its remaining tax base,” the SRF said.
The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 1.7%.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
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