Here’s how long you can expect to live in SA if you’re born TODAY

If you were born in South Africa today, you could expect to live for around 68 years, according to the latest estimates from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA).

The country’s estimated life expectancy at birth in 2026 is 68.3 years.

However, the figure differs significantly between males and females.

Women expected to live longer

Stats SA estimates life expectancy at birth at 65.5 years for males and 71 years for females.

That means a baby girl born in South Africa today has a statistical life expectancy of around 5.5 years longer than a baby boy.

These figures form part of Stats SA’s latest 2026 Mid-Year Population Estimates, which put South Africa’s population at approximately 63.52 million people.

Life expectancy at birth is a population-level statistical measure. It does not mean that someone born today will necessarily die at exactly 68.3 years.

Instead, it reflects the average number of years a newborn would be expected to live based on the mortality conditions reflected in the relevant estimates.

South Africa’s population continues to grow

The latest estimates show that approximately 50.9% of South Africa’s population is female, equivalent to about 32.3 million people.

Around 25.6% of the population is younger than 15, while approximately 10.7% is aged 60 or older.

The age structure varies considerably between provinces.

Limpopo has the highest proportion of children under 15, at 31%, followed by the Eastern Cape at 29.6%.

Gauteng remains South Africa’s most populous province, with an estimated 16.30 million people, or 25.7% of the national population.

KwaZulu-Natal follows with approximately 12.28 million people, while the Northern Cape has the smallest population at around 1.38 million.

Life expectancy has changed significantly

South Africa’s life expectancy has been affected by major changes in mortality patterns over the past decade.

The Covid-19 pandemic, for example, caused a sharp decline in life expectancy during 2021.

Stats SA previously cautioned that life expectancy during a period of exceptional mortality should not be interpreted as a direct prediction of an individual’s lifespan.

The latest 2026 figures therefore provide a snapshot of expected longevity under current demographic and mortality conditions.

For someone born in South Africa today, the headline number is 68.3 years – although individual lifespans can be considerably shorter or longer depending on a wide range of factors.