Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person in South Africa

South Africa: Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person was 41.07 in 2027. ▼ Falling

Latest (2027)
41.07
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
71st
of 188 countries
All-time high
45.61
in 2005
All-time low
39.8
in 2020
Years of data
23
2005–2027

Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person in South Africa, 2005–2027

010203040502005201620272005: 45.62006: 45.52007: 45.52008: 43.92009: 43.22010: 432011: 43.32012: 42.82013: 42.52014: 42.42015: 42.62016: 42.62017: 42.32018: 42.12019: 42.42020: 39.82021: 41.42022: 422023: 41.92024: 41.82025: 41.12026: 41.12027: 41.1

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

The most recent figure for average weekly hours actually worked per employed person in South Africa is 41.07, measured in 2027.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, average weekly hours actually worked per employed person in South Africa peaked at 45.61 in 2005 and was at its lowest, 39.8, in 2020.

That places South Africa 71st out of 188 countries with data for 2027, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.

Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person (ILO modelled estimates) in South Africa, 2005 to 2027.
Year Value Change
2005 45.61
2006 45.48 -0.3%
2007 45.52 +0.1%
2008 43.9 -3.6%
2009 43.23 -1.5%
2010 42.95 -0.6%
2011 43.31 +0.8%
2012 42.76 -1.3%
2013 42.5 -0.6%
2014 42.44 -0.1%
2015 42.64 +0.5%
2016 42.6 -0.1%
2017 42.28 -0.8%
2018 42.11 -0.4%
2019 42.4 +0.7%
2020 39.8 -6.1%
2021 41.38 +4.0%
2022 41.96 +1.4%
2023 41.9 -0.1%
2024 41.81 -0.2%
2025 41.06 -1.8%
2026 41.06 +0.0%
2027 41.07 +0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 44.75 43.23 45.61 5
2010s 42.6 42.11 43.31 10
2020s 41.26 39.8 41.96 8

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 68 Eswatini 41.2 compare
  2. 69 Nepal 41.11 compare
  3. 70 Mexico 41.09 compare
  4. 72 Tajikistan 40.99 compare
  5. 73 Burundi 40.96 compare
  6. 74 Uzbekistan 40.94 compare

See the full ranking of 276 places →

More work & labour data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is average weekly hours actually worked per employed person in South Africa?
Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person in South Africa was 41.07 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest average weekly hours actually worked per employed person recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 45.61 in 2005.
What is the lowest average weekly hours actually worked per employed person recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 39.8 in 2020.
How does South Africa rank for average weekly hours actually worked per employed person?
South Africa ranks 71st out of 188 countries with data for 2027.
Is average weekly hours actually worked per employed person rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/average-weekly-hours-actually-worked-per-employed-person-ilo-modelled-estimates/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person (ILO modelled estimates)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
276 places, 6,324 data points, 2005–2027
Last refreshed

Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. This indicator refers to mean weekly hours actually worked per employed person in their main job. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.