Employers, female (% of female employment) in South Africa
South Africa: Employers, female (% of female employment) was 3.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employers, female (% of female employment) in South Africa, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
South Africa recorded 3.3% for employers, female (% of female employment) in 2025.
That represents a change of up 1.0% on the previous year and up 44.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employers, female (% of female employment) in South Africa peaked at 3.4% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 2.3%, in 2015.
That places South Africa 29th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employers, female (% of female employment) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3.1% | — |
| 1992 | 3.1% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 3.1% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 3.1% | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 3.2% | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 3.3% | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 3.3% | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 3.4% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 3.4% | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 3.4% | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 3.1% | -10.0% |
| 2002 | 3.1% | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 3.1% | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 3.0% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 3.0% | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 3.3% | +11.3% |
| 2007 | 3.1% | -7.5% |
| 2008 | 3.1% | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 2.7% | -15.3% |
| 2010 | 2.9% | +7.7% |
| 2011 | 2.9% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 2.5% | -14.5% |
| 2013 | 2.6% | +5.8% |
| 2014 | 2.5% | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 2.3% | -9.9% |
| 2016 | 2.7% | +17.0% |
| 2017 | 2.8% | +4.5% |
| 2018 | 2.3% | -16.8% |
| 2019 | 2.7% | +18.2% |
| 2020 | 3.1% | +13.9% |
| 2021 | 3.0% | -3.1% |
| 2022 | 2.9% | -4.7% |
| 2023 | 3.0% | +4.9% |
| 2024 | 3.3% | +8.0% |
| 2025 | 3.3% | +1.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 3.3% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2.2%, 1.5× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 3.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.4%, 2.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.2% | 3.1% | 3.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.1% | 2.7% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.6% | 2.3% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.1% | 2.9% | 3.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 26 Sierra Leone 3.4% compare
- 27 Central African Republic 3.3% compare
- 28 Morocco 3.3% compare
- 30 El Salvador 3.2% compare
- 31 Guinea 3.2% compare
- 32 Tunisia 3.2% compare
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 employers, female (% of female employment) in South Africa?
- Employers, female (% of female employment) in South Africa was 3.3% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employers, female (% of female employment) recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 3.4% in 2000.
- What is the lowest employers, female (% of female employment) recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.3% in 2015.
- How does South Africa rank for employers, female (% of female employment)?
- South Africa ranks 29th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employers, female (% of female employment) rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 44.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employers, female (% of female employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employers are those workers who, working on their own account or with one or a few partners, hold the type of jobs defined as a "self-employment jobs" i.e. jobs where the remuneration is directly dependent upon the profits derived from the goods and services produced), and, in this capacity, have engaged, on a continuous basis, one or more persons to work for them as employee(s).