Annual population and employment, national concept — Total employment in South Africa
South Africa: Annual population and employment, national concept — Total employment was 16,937 Persons in 2025. ▲ Rising
Annual population and employment, national concept — Total employment in South Africa, 2008–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 16,937 Persons for annual population and employment, national concept — total employment in 2025. That is the highest value across all 18 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual population and employment, national concept — total employment in South Africa peaked at 16,937 Persons in 2025 and was at its lowest, 13,788 Persons, in 2010.
That places South Africa 11th out of 36 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 18 years of available data.
Annual population and employment, national concept — Total employment in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Persons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 14,585 Persons | — |
| 2009 | 14,194 Persons | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 13,788 Persons | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 14,070 Persons | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 14,425 Persons | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 14,866 Persons | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 15,146 Persons | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 15,741 Persons | +3.9% |
| 2016 | 15,780 Persons | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 16,169 Persons | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 16,394 Persons | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 16,350 Persons | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 15,061 Persons | -7.9% |
| 2021 | 14,691 Persons | -2.5% |
| 2022 | 15,544 Persons | +5.8% |
| 2023 | 16,502 Persons | +6.2% |
| 2024 | 16,855 Persons | +2.1% |
| 2025 | 16,937 Persons | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 14,389 Persons | 14,194 Persons | 14,585 Persons | 2 |
| 2010s | 15,273 Persons | 13,788 Persons | 16,394 Persons | 10 |
| 2020s | 15,932 Persons | 14,691 Persons | 16,937 Persons | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More work & labour data for South Africa
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.2264 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.242 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.2122 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.8748 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 58,057 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 14,698 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 49,126 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 45,189 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 94,314 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual population and employment, national concept — total employment in South Africa?
- Annual population and employment, national concept — total employment in South Africa was 16,937 Persons in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest annual population and employment, national concept — total employment recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 16,937 Persons in 2025.
- What is the lowest annual population and employment, national concept — total employment recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 13,788 Persons in 2010.
- How does South Africa rank for annual population and employment, national concept — total employment?
- South Africa ranks 11th out of 36 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual population and employment, national concept — total employment rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Annual population and employment, national concept — Total employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This table presents population and employment data according to the national concept. The national concept is defined by the residence of the person: employees are residents employed by either resident or non-resident producer units; and the self-employed are resident self-employed people in either resident or non-resident producer units. Users should note that population data corresponds to mid-year estimates (or the average of the reference year). These indicators were presented in the previous dissemination system in the SNA_TABLE3 dataset. See ANA Changes for information on changes in methodology: ANA Changes Explore also the GDP and non-financial accounts webpage: GDP and non-financial accounts webpage OECD statistics contact: STAT.Contact@oecd.org