Quality of life continues to slide in South Africa’s key economic province, Gauteng – new survey

Show Voice Options The Gauteng City-Region, South Africa's economic hub contributing 35% of the national output and housing over 15 million people, is facing significant challenges. Long seen as a land of opportunity, the region now contends with deteriorating infrastructure, unreliable service delivery, increasing crime, and governance struggles. New findings from the Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO) highlight a concerning decline in development outcomes. The GCRO, a collaboration between government and universities, produces the Quality of Life Index, combining 33 variables such as health, safety, and socio-economic factors. The 2023/24 index reveals the lowest recorded quality of life since 2009, signaling the severe impact of global and local crises, or "polycrises," compounded by governance failures. The survey, covering nearly 14,000 respondents across Gauteng, illustrates declining satisfaction with public services, rising dissatisfaction with government, and persistent poverty. Safety concerns have also surged, with crime and feelings of insecurity worsening. Despite these issues, the data serves as a critical resource for informing policy and strategic planning. The findings call for urgent collaboration among public, private, and civil society leaders to address these intertwined challenges and improve the wellbeing of Gauteng's residents.