Adequacy of benefits in 2nd quintile (%) -All Social Protection and in South Africa

South Africa: Adequacy of benefits in 2nd quintile (%) -All Social Protection and was 62.4% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
62.4%
Change on year
up 11.4%
World rank
5th
of 36 countries
All-time high
117.6%
in 2018
All-time low
31.4%
in 2010
Years of data
8
2005–2021

Adequacy of benefits in 2nd quintile (%) -All Social Protection and in South Africa, 2005–2021

4060801001202005201320212005: 38.22010: 31.42014: 38.42016: 412018: 117.62019: 55.42020: 562021: 62.4

Source: ASPIRE.

Analysis

In 2021, adequacy of benefits in 2nd quintile (%) -all social protection and in South Africa stood at 62.4%.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 11.4% on the previous year and up 98.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, adequacy of benefits in 2nd quintile (%) -all social protection and in South Africa peaked at 117.6% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 31.4%, in 2010.

That places South Africa 5th out of 36 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.

Adequacy of benefits in 2nd quintile (%) -All Social Protection and in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Adequacy of benefits in 2nd quintile (%) -All Social Protection and Labor -urban in South Africa, 2005 to 2021.
Year Value Change
2005 38.2%
2010 31.4% -17.7%
2014 38.4% +22.1%
2016 41.0% +6.9%
2018 117.6% +186.8%
2019 55.4% -52.9%
2020 56.0% +1.2%
2021 62.4% +11.4%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 62.4% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 34.1%, 1.8× the median. (24 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 38.2% 38.2% 38.2% 1
2010s 56.8% 31.4% 117.6% 5
2020s 59.2% 56.0% 62.4% 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 2 Serbia 67.4% compare
  2. 3 Thailand 64.7% compare
  3. 4 Belarus 63.7% compare
  4. 6 Moldova 57.9% compare
  5. 7 Romania 57.5% compare
  6. 8 Georgia 56.2% compare

See the full ranking of 36 places →

More work & labour data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is adequacy of benefits in 2nd quintile (%) -all social protection and in South Africa?
Adequacy of benefits in 2nd quintile (%) -all social protection and in South Africa was 62.4% in 2021, according to ASPIRE.
What is the highest adequacy of benefits in 2nd quintile (%) -all social protection and recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 117.6% in 2018.
What is the lowest adequacy of benefits in 2nd quintile (%) -all social protection and recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 31.4% in 2010.
How does South Africa rank for adequacy of benefits in 2nd quintile (%) -all social protection and?
South Africa ranks 5th out of 36 countries with data for 2021.
Is adequacy of benefits in 2nd quintile (%) -all social protection and rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 98.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from ASPIRE, published as part of Adequacy of benefits in 2nd quintile (%) -All Social Protection and Labor -urban. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Adequacy of benefits in 2nd quintile (%) -All Social Protection and in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on ASPIRE. Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/adequacy-of-benefits-in-2nd-quintile-percent-all-social-protection-and-labor-urban/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Adequacy of benefits in 2nd quintile (%) -All Social Protection and Labor -urban
Source
ASPIRE
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
36 places, 367 data points, 2002–2023
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