South Africans Moving Back to Gauteng? | Rising Cost of Living Changes Migration Trends 2026

Added: 2026-05-22

[00:00:00]Thank you for staying with us. Now, for years, many South Africans packed up and headed for the Cape, drawn by the promise of a better lifestyle and safer communities. But new data now suggests the trend may be shifting. A report tracking more than 30,000 household moves shows a sharp rise in migration from the Western Cape back to Khak with affordability and economic pressure believed to be driving the change. to unpack the numbers and what they reveal about South Africa's shift in migration patterns. We're joined by Shantae Finta, CEO of Wise Move. Shante, appreciate your time. Thanks so much for making the trip from Cape Town.

[00:00:35]>> Thank you, Hugo. It's a pleasure to be here today.

[00:00:38]>> So, so let's talk about this move. I mean, it's it's pretty surprising.

[00:00:42]>> So, I think there's some interesting trends um forming over the last few years. Yes, we did see and we still see a massive movement from Kha to other areas and the Western Cape is a dominant force. But in recent years, we've slowly started seeing a reverse trend happening where people are now moving back to where this is becoming a bigger pool. Um and specifically we're seeing a sharper rise in the return traffic to rather than the opposite.