Days not worked due to strikes and lockouts in South Africa

South Africa: Days not worked due to strikes and lockouts was 832,490 in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
832,490
Change on year
down 75.1%
World rank
9th
of 90 countries
All-time high
20.67 million
in 2010
All-time low
3,485
in 1971
Years of data
49
1969–2024

Days not worked due to strikes and lockouts in South Africa, 1969–2024

05.0M10.0M15.0M20.0M196919962024

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

In 2024, days not worked due to strikes and lockouts in South Africa stood at 832,490.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 75.1% on the previous year and down 91.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, days not worked due to strikes and lockouts in South Africa peaked at 20.67 million in 2010 and was at its lowest, 3,485, in 1971.

South Africa ranks 9th of 90 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Days not worked due to strikes and lockouts in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Days not worked due to strikes and lockouts in South Africa, 1969 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1969 4,596
1970 5,158 +12.2%
1971 3,485 -32.4%
1972 14,959 +329.2%
1973 246,071 +1545.0%
1974 102,119 -58.5%
1975 19,209 -81.2%
1976 73,585 +283.1%
1977 16,153 -78.0%
1978 10,700 -33.8%
1979 70,542 +559.3%
1980 168,996 +139.6%
1981 232,912 +37.8%
1982 419,768 +80.2%
1983 139,041 -66.9%
1984 431,305 +210.2%
1989 12.34 million +2760.8%
1990 2.97 million -75.9%
1991 1.24 million -58.4%
1992 1.89 million +52.6%
1993 1.11 million -41.1%
1994 2.23 million +101.0%
1995 1.60 million -28.3%
1996 1.70 million +6.2%
1997 656,556 -61.4%
1998 3.83 million +483.8%
1999 2.63 million -31.5%
2000 1.67 million -36.4%
2001 953,610 -42.9%
2002 615,723 -35.4%
2003 919,780 +49.4%
2004 1.29 million +39.8%
2005 2.63 million +104.4%
2006 4.15 million +58.0%
2007 9.53 million +129.5%
2008 497,436 -94.8%
2009 1.53 million +206.9%
2010 20.67 million +1254.1%
2011 2.81 million -86.4%
2012 3.31 million +17.9%
2013 1.85 million -44.2%
2014 10.26 million +455.8%
2015 903,921 -91.2%
2016 946,323 +4.7%
2017 960,489 +1.5%
2018 1.16 million +20.7%
2020 783,945 -32.4%
2022 3.34 million +326.5%
2024 832,490 -75.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 4,596 4,596 4,596 1
1970s 56,198 3,485 246,071 10
1980s 2.29 million 139,041 12.34 million 6
1990s 1.99 million 656,556 3.83 million 10
2000s 2.38 million 497,436 9.53 million 10
2010s 4.76 million 903,921 20.67 million 9
2020s 1.65 million 783,945 3.34 million 3

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 6 France 1.90 million compare
  2. 7 India 1.27 million compare
  3. 8 Indonesia 1.25 million compare
  4. 10 Israel 761,792 compare
  5. 11 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 733,000 compare
  6. 12 Italy 722,714 compare

See the full ranking of 90 places →

More work & labour data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is days not worked due to strikes and lockouts in South Africa?
Days not worked due to strikes and lockouts in South Africa was 832,490 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest days not worked due to strikes and lockouts recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 20.67 million in 2010.
What is the lowest days not worked due to strikes and lockouts recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 3,485 in 1971.
How does South Africa rank for days not worked due to strikes and lockouts?
South Africa ranks 9th out of 90 countries with data for 2024.
Is days not worked due to strikes and lockouts rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 91.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Days not worked due to strikes and lockouts. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Days not worked due to strikes and lockouts in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/days-not-worked-due-to-strikes-and-lockouts/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Days not worked due to strikes and lockouts
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
90 places, 2,247 data points, 1969–2024
Last refreshed

Days not worked as a result of strikes and lockouts represent the total number of working days not worked as a result of strikes and lockouts in progress during the year. It is measured in terms of the sum of the actual working days during which work would normally have been carried out by each worker involved had there been no stoppage. Data disaggregated by economic activity are provided according to the latest version of the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) available for that year. Data may have been regrouped from national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISIC. For more information, refer to the Industrial Relations data (IRdata) database description.