THE country’s population is estimated to reach 44,7-million this year, the Bureau of Market Research at the University of South Africa said in a research report published on Monday. Earlier projections indicated a population figure of about 80-million by 2021, but factors such as declining fertility levels and life expectancies due to Aids put that figure closer to 50-million, the report said. Of the popu 77,4% are be black, 11,7% white, 8,4% coloured and 2,5% Asian.