South Africans relocate within the pursuit of paid work (22.9%) and to be nearer to household or their partner (15.5%), in accordance with new analysis.
A brand new Migration Report by Smart Transfer, a know-how platform that has been described because the “Uber of transferring”, used knowledge on about 15 000 “digitally facilitated” strikes in 2024 to compile the report.
Intriguingly, causes like crime (0.6%), divorce (0.5%) and political instability (0.1%) have been among the many least cited causes for relocating, “difficult frequent assumptions”.
Co-founded by CEO Chante Venter, Smart Transfer is a tech platform that join customers to vetted and verified movers nationwide. The platform makes use of AI-powered quoting, algorithmic mover-matching and route optimisation to handle family strikes.
“On the subject of why South Africans relocate, the information tells a transparent story: it’s all about alternative and connection,” mentioned Venter. “The highest motive for transferring – the pursuit of paid work – highlights the financial drivers behind many relocation choices.”
Key findings of the report embody:
- About 70% of all strikes are throughout the identical province;
- Most migration is happening between Gauteng and the Western Cape (see charts under). The Japanese Cape additionally skilled a web achieve, although a lot smaller than the Western Cape’s;
- Most South Africans favor to maneuver throughout college holidays;
- Younger professionals dominate the transferring panorama (at the very least via Smart Transfer’s platform), with the 25-34 age group making up the biggest share (31.2%), adopted intently by the 35-44 age group (24.4%), suggesting that strikes are “pushed largely by profession adjustments, life-style upgrades and household development”.
‘Placing development’
On the migration from Gauteng to the Western Cape, Smart Transfer mentioned Gauteng “naturally attracts younger professionals beginning their careers”. Nevertheless, the information within the report has revealed a “hanging development”: whereas Gauteng noticed a excessive quantity of inner migration, it confronted the biggest web lack of residents for 2024”.
“Evidently whereas many South Africans head to Johannesburg to launch their careers, most ultimately transfer on,” the report mentioned.
“In distinction, the Western Cape emerged as the largest winner in interprovincial migration. With 32.4% of all interprovincial strikes headed to the Cape, it has additionally retained its expertise – contributing solely 15.1% to out-migration to a special province.
“This shift hints at altering financial dynamics – with life-style preferences, distant work alternatives and rising financial hubs drawing expertise from Gauteng to the coast.”
Smart Transfer’s analysis exhibits 71% of strikes to the Western Cape are to the Metropolis of Cape City and the fast surrounding areas, with smaller cities benefiting far much less.
“Whereas larger ‘metropolis cities’ like Paarl and George nonetheless attracted a few of the Joburg site visitors, the numbers pale compared [to Cape Town]. Total, solely round 9% of in-migration to the Western Cape went to the Backyard Route, whereas 5% headed to the West Coast. This implies that even with the flexibleness of distant work, city centres stay king – and that is possible because of higher job alternatives, the number of instructional establishments, nice healthcare and present household help networks.” — © 2025 NewsCentral Media
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