Beneficiary incidence in 5th quintile (richest) (%) -All Social in South Africa

South Africa: Beneficiary incidence in 5th quintile (richest) (%) -All Social was 9.6% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
9.6%
Change on year
up 9.2%
World rank
39th
of 39 countries
All-time high
13.2%
in 2019
All-time low
7.3%
in 2005
Years of data
8
2005–2021

Beneficiary incidence in 5th quintile (richest) (%) -All Social in South Africa, 2005–2021

0510152005201320212005: 7.32010: 10.32014: 12.32016: 8.82018: 9.82019: 13.22020: 8.82021: 9.6

Source: ASPIRE.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 9.6% for beneficiary incidence in 5th quintile (richest) (%) -all social in 2021.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 9.2% on the previous year and down 7.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, beneficiary incidence in 5th quintile (richest) (%) -all social in South Africa peaked at 13.2% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 7.3%, in 2005.

That places South Africa 39th out of 39 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Beneficiary incidence in 5th quintile (richest) (%) -All Social in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Beneficiary incidence in 5th quintile (richest) (%) -All Social Protection and Labor -urban in South Africa, 2005 to 2021.
Year Value Change
2005 7.3%
2010 10.3% +41.6%
2014 12.3% +18.9%
2016 8.8% -28.7%
2018 9.8% +12.0%
2019 13.2% +34.4%
2020 8.8% -33.6%
2021 9.6% +9.2%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 9.6% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 16.9%, 57% of the median. (25 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 7.3% 7.3% 7.3% 1
2010s 10.9% 8.8% 13.2% 5
2020s 9.2% 8.8% 9.6% 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 36 Dominican Republic 12.9% compare
  2. 37 Malawi 12.5% compare
  3. 38 Paraguay 12.2% compare

See the full ranking of 39 places →

More work & labour data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is beneficiary incidence in 5th quintile (richest) (%) -all social in South Africa?
Beneficiary incidence in 5th quintile (richest) (%) -all social in South Africa was 9.6% in 2021, according to ASPIRE.
What is the highest beneficiary incidence in 5th quintile (richest) (%) -all social recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 13.2% in 2019.
What is the lowest beneficiary incidence in 5th quintile (richest) (%) -all social recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 7.3% in 2005.
How does South Africa rank for beneficiary incidence in 5th quintile (richest) (%) -all social?
South Africa ranks 39th out of 39 countries with data for 2021.
Is beneficiary incidence in 5th quintile (richest) (%) -all social rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 7.4%. 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 Beneficiary incidence in 5th quintile (richest) (%) -All Social Protection and Labor -urban. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Beneficiary incidence in 5th quintile (richest) (%) -All Social in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on ASPIRE. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/beneficiary-incidence-in-5th-quintile-richest-percent-all-social-protection-and-labor-5/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Beneficiary incidence in 5th quintile (richest) (%) -All Social Protection and Labor -urban
Source
ASPIRE
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
39 places, 390 data points, 2002–2023
Last refreshed

Percentage of program beneficiaries in a quintile relative to the total number of beneficiaries in the population