Cornie Groenewald
Every World Population Day, recognised on July 11, prompts familiar debates about how many people the planet can sustain. For decades, the dominant concern was population growth and the pressure it might place on food, water, housing and the environment. South Africa's challenge today is different.
Our greatest population risk is no longer rapid population growth. It is the possibility that we will fail to convert one of the world's relatively young populations into a driver of economic growth, social stability and sustainable development before that opportunity disappears.
Understanding demography
Population is often reduced to a numbers game. In reality, demography is about much more than counting people. It is about understanding how changes in births, deaths and migration shape economies, societies and governments over time. These shifts determine the size of the future workforce, the demands placed on public services, patterns of urbanisation, and ultimately whether countries prosper or struggle.
