Isabel Bento 

SWAKOPMUND – Households headed by elderly persons aged 60 and above top the Erongo region demographic, accounting for over 10% of all households in the region.

In rural areas, particularly, nearly one in four households, which is 23.8%, is headed by an elderly person, compared to 9.4% in urban areas

This is contained in the regional statistics of the 2023 Population and Housing Census presented by Erongo regional statistician Eino Shaanika at a recent Erongo region rural development forum workshop in Swakopmund.

At the constituency level, Daures recorded the highest proportion of elderly-headed households at 25.9%, while Walvis Bay Rural had the lowest at 4.9%.

“Overall, Erongo recorded 74 795 households in 2023, indicating a growing demand for social support systems, particularly for ageing populations who often rely on limited income sources,” Shaanika said.

In terms of livelihoods, Shaanika said wages and salaries remain the primary source of income for most households, accounting for 68.7%. However, old age pensions constitute the second-largest source at 7.7%, emphasising the importance of social grants in sustaining elderly-headed households.

The regional statistician further indicated that in rural areas, reliance on pensions is significantly higher at 19.4%, highlighting the vulnerability of elderly household heads outside urban centres.

Aside from elderly-headed households, the census also shows that the majority of households in the region are headed by males at 57.3%, while female-headed households account for 42.7%, reflecting a notable increase in female household leadership compared to 2011.

Meanwhile, child-headed households remain minimal, constituting less than one per cent of all households in the region.

Additionally, about 3.9% of households are headed by persons with significant difficulties in performing daily activities, with higher proportions recorded in rural areas, Shaanika concluded. -Nampa