Adequacy of benefits in 1st quintile (poorest) (%) - International in South Africa

South Africa: Adequacy of benefits in 1st quintile (poorest) (%) - International was 57.8% in 2021. ▼ Falling

Latest (2021)
57.8%
Change on year
up 2.5%
World rank
8th
of 27 countries
All-time high
129.0%
in 2018
All-time low
48.5%
in 2016
Years of data
5
2016–2021

Adequacy of benefits in 1st quintile (poorest) (%) - International in South Africa, 2016–2021

0501001502016201820212016: 48.52018: 1292019: 59.12020: 56.42021: 57.8

Source: ASPIRE.

Analysis

The most recent figure for adequacy of benefits in 1st quintile (poorest) (%) - international in South Africa is 57.8%, measured in 2021.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 19.3% over ten years.

South Africa ranks 8th of 27 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Adequacy of benefits in 1st quintile (poorest) (%) - International in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Adequacy of benefits in 1st quintile (poorest) (%) - International Private Transfers in South Africa, 2016 to 2021.
Year Value Change
2016 48.5%
2018 129.0% +166.0%
2019 59.1% -54.1%
2020 56.4% -4.6%
2021 57.8% +2.5%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 57.8% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 39.1%, 1.5× the median. (17 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 78.9% 48.5% 129.0% 3
2020s 57.1% 56.4% 57.8% 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 5 Serbia 76.2% compare
  2. 6 Republic of Moldova 62.6%
  3. 7 Georgia 62.0% compare
  4. 9 Pakistan 55.1%
  5. 10 Kosovo 53.5%
  6. 10 Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) 53.5%

See the full ranking of 27 places →

More work & labour data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is adequacy of benefits in 1st quintile (poorest) (%) - international in South Africa?
Adequacy of benefits in 1st quintile (poorest) (%) - international in South Africa was 57.8% in 2021, according to ASPIRE.
What is the highest adequacy of benefits in 1st quintile (poorest) (%) - international recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 129.0% in 2018.
What is the lowest adequacy of benefits in 1st quintile (poorest) (%) - international recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 48.5% in 2016.
How does South Africa rank for adequacy of benefits in 1st quintile (poorest) (%) - international?
South Africa ranks 8th out of 27 countries with data for 2021.
Is adequacy of benefits in 1st quintile (poorest) (%) - international rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 19.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from ASPIRE, published as part of Adequacy of benefits in 1st quintile (poorest) (%) - International Private Transfers. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Adequacy of benefits in 1st quintile (poorest) (%) - International in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on ASPIRE. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/adequacy-of-benefits-in-1st-quintile-poorest-percent-international-private-transfers/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Adequacy of benefits in 1st quintile (poorest) (%) - International Private Transfers
Source
ASPIRE
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
27 places, 266 data points, 2003–2022
Last refreshed

Total transfer amount received by all beneficiaries in a population group as a share of the total welfare of beneficiaries in that group