Municipality profile, EC123
Great Kei
Great Kei is a local municipality in Eastern Cape. Census 2022 counted 35 990 people in 12 095 households, about 3.0 people per household. That is up 16.7% from 30 832 people in Census 2011. 85.4% of households lived in a formal dwelling and 50.4% had a flush toilet. It has the 33rd largest population of the 33 municipalities in Eastern Cape.
Eastern Cape. Category B3 in the Municipal Infrastructure Investment Framework.
People counted in Census 2022
35 990
Up 16.7% from 30 832 people in Census 2011.
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Eastern Cape, page 10. Originally released , revised edition. Downloaded . Checked on SA Data Hub . Original data: Stats SA. Any calculation shown is SA Data Hub's own processing.
Census 2011 and Census 2022
| Measure | 2011 | 2022 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30 832 | 35 990 | +16.7% |
| Households | 8 073 | 12 095 | +49.8% |
| People per household | 3.8 | 3.0 | -0.8 |
| Males per 100 females | 92.3 | 94.6 | +2.3 |
| Aged 0 to 14 | 28.4% | 24.9% | -3.5 pts |
| Aged 15 to 34 | 32.0% | 27.1% | -4.9 pts |
| Aged 60 and over | 12.7% | 18.0% | +5.3 pts |
| Households in a formal dwelling | 68.5% | 85.4% | +16.9 pts |
| Households in an informal dwelling | 14.1% | 9.1% | -5.0 pts |
| Households with water from a regional or local scheme | 66.4% | 54.7% | -11.7 pts |
| Households with a flush toilet | 44.3% | 50.4% | +6.1 pts |
| Households with no toilet | 24.6% | 2.5% | -22.1 pts |
| Households cooking with electricity | 63.3% | 56.9% | -6.4 pts |
| Households cooking with gas | 6.0% | 35.1% | +29.1 pts |
| Attending school (ages 5 to 24) | 7 517 | 7 933 | +5.5% |
Change is SA Data Hub's calculation from the two figures: a percentage change for counts, and the difference in percentage points (pts) for shares. Cooking shares are of households that named a cooking fuel; Stats SA leaves out “none”.
The 2011 and 2022 figures cover the same area. Stats SA, Census 2022 Municipal fact sheet (Report no. 03-01-82, revised), page 1: “Census 2011 indicators were generated based on aligned census data to current municipal boundaries (2021)”.
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Eastern Cape, page 10; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Eastern Cape, page 12; General housing information per municipality (1), Eastern Cape, page 13; General housing information per municipality (2), Eastern Cape, page 15. Originally released , revised edition. Downloaded . Checked on SA Data Hub . Original data: Stats SA. Any calculation shown is SA Data Hub's own processing.
See how all municipalities changed between Census 2011 and Census 2022
Questions people ask: Which province is a municipality in? · Which municipalities grew fastest between Census 2011 and Census 2022? · How many municipalities are there in South Africa?
People
- Males
- 17 491
- Females
- 18 499
- Males per 100 females
- 94.6
- Attending school (ages 5 to 24)
- 7 933
- Aged 0 to 1424.9%
28.4% in 2011
- Aged 15 to 3427.1%
32.0% in 2011
- Aged 35 to 5930.0%
26.9% in 2011
- Aged 60 and over18.0%
12.7% in 2011
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Eastern Cape, page 10; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Eastern Cape, page 12. Originally released , revised edition. Downloaded . Checked on SA Data Hub . Original data: Stats SA. Any calculation shown is SA Data Hub's own processing.
Housing
Census 2022 counted 12 095 households, with about 3.0 people in each. In 2011 there were 8 073, with about 3.8 people in each.
- Formal dwelling85.4%
10 335 households
- Informal dwelling9.1%
1 099 households
- Traditional dwelling5.0%
599 households
- Other0.5%
62 households
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), General housing information per municipality (1), Eastern Cape, page 13. Originally released , revised edition. Downloaded . Checked on SA Data Hub . Original data: Stats SA. Any calculation shown is SA Data Hub's own processing.
Water, toilets and cooking
- Water from a regional or local scheme54.7%
6 616 households. 66.4% in 2011.
- Flush toilet50.4%
6 091 households. 44.3% in 2011.
- No toilet2.5%
305 households. 24.6% in 2011.
- Electricity for cooking56.9%
6 874 households. 63.3% in 2011.
- Gas for cooking35.1%
4 237 households. 6.0% in 2011.
Shares of households. Cooking shares are of households that named a cooking fuel. Water from another source includes boreholes, tankers, rivers and springs.
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), General housing information per municipality (2), Eastern Cape, page 15. Originally released , revised edition. Downloaded . Checked on SA Data Hub . Original data: Stats SA. Any calculation shown is SA Data Hub's own processing.
How it compares
- Population, 2022
- Great Kei35 990
- Average per municipality in Eastern Cape219 097Great Kei has 83.6% fewer people
- Average per municipality in South Africa291 209Great Kei has 87.6% fewer people
- People per household
- Great Kei3.0
- Average per municipality in Eastern Cape3.9Great Kei has 0.9 fewer people per household
- Average per municipality in South Africa3.9Great Kei has 0.9 fewer people per household
- Households in a formal dwelling
- Great Kei85.4%
- Average per municipality in Eastern Cape82.3%Great Kei is 3.1 pts higher
- Average per municipality in South Africa87.0%Great Kei is 1.6 pts lower
- Water from a regional or local scheme
- Great Kei54.7%
- Average per municipality in Eastern Cape60.8%Great Kei is 6.1 pts lower
- Average per municipality in South Africa74.3%Great Kei is 19.6 pts lower
- Households with a flush toilet
- Great Kei50.4%
- Average per municipality in Eastern Cape52.8%Great Kei is 2.4 pts lower
- Average per municipality in South Africa62.0%Great Kei is 11.6 pts lower
- Electricity for cooking
- Great Kei56.9%
- Average per municipality in Eastern Cape63.5%Great Kei is 6.6 pts lower
- Average per municipality in South Africa66.0%Great Kei is 9.1 pts lower
Each average is the simple mean of the municipal figures, so a small municipality counts as much as a large one. Gaps between shares are in percentage points (pts).
- 85.4% of households lived in a formal dwelling, 3.1 pts above the average per municipality in Eastern Cape.
Source: Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43), Person indicators per municipality, Eastern Cape, page 10; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Eastern Cape, page 12; General housing information per municipality (1), Eastern Cape, page 13; General housing information per municipality (2), Eastern Cape, page 15. Originally released , revised edition. Downloaded . Checked on SA Data Hub . Original data: Stats SA. Any calculation shown is SA Data Hub's own processing.
Similar municipalities
The 4 other municipalities in Eastern Cape whose Census 2022 population is closest to Great Kei's (35 990). Where two are equally close, the lower municipal code comes first.
Sources
Every 2011 and 2022 figure on this page is from Stats SA, Census 2022 Provinces at a glance (Report no. 03-01-43, revised edition, originally released 10 October 2023), which gives Census 2011 figures alongside Census 2022 ones. Tables for Great Kei: Person indicators per municipality, Eastern Cape, page 10; Distribution of population by broad age groups, Eastern Cape, page 12; General housing information per municipality (1), Eastern Cape, page 13; General housing information per municipality (2), Eastern Cape, page 15. SA Data Hub checked them against the publication on 28 October 2026.
Changes, shares of the total, averages and similar municipalities are SA Data Hub's own calculations from those figures. Corrections are listed on the updates page.