NEET rate: Share of youth not in employment, education or training in South Africa
South Africa: NEET rate: Share of youth not in employment, education or training was 41.63 in 2024. ▬ Flat
NEET rate: Share of youth not in employment, education or training in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 41.63 for neet rate: share of youth not in employment, education or training in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 13.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, neet rate: share of youth not in employment, education or training in South Africa peaked at 42.44 in 2003 and was at its lowest, 35.95, in 2015.
That places South Africa 1st out of 113 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
NEET rate: Share of youth not in employment, education or training in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 38.02 | — |
| 2001 | 40.63 | +6.9% |
| 2002 | 42.1 | +3.6% |
| 2003 | 42.44 | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 41.85 | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 40.85 | -2.4% |
| 2006 | 39.68 | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 38.4 | -3.2% |
| 2011 | 40.34 | +5.1% |
| 2013 | 37.17 | -7.9% |
| 2014 | 36.65 | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 35.95 | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 36.89 | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 37.43 | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 37.95 | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 39.08 | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 40.87 | +4.6% |
| 2021 | 42.29 | +3.5% |
| 2022 | 42.3 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 41.13 | -2.8% |
| 2024 | 41.63 | +1.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 41.63 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 20.57, 2.0× the median. (35 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 41.63 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 24.18, 1.7× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 40.5 | 38.02 | 42.44 | 8 |
| 2010s | 37.68 | 35.95 | 40.34 | 8 |
| 2020s | 41.64 | 40.87 | 42.3 | 5 |
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 neet rate: share of youth not in employment, education or training in South Africa?
- Neet rate: share of youth not in employment, education or training in South Africa was 41.63 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest neet rate: share of youth not in employment, education or training recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 42.44 in 2003.
- What is the lowest neet rate: share of youth not in employment, education or training recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.95 in 2015.
- How does South Africa rank for neet rate: share of youth not in employment, education or training?
- South Africa ranks 1st out of 113 countries with data for 2024.
- Is neet rate: share of youth not in employment, education or training rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of NEET rate: Share of youth not in employment, education or training (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15-29). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. For time series comparability, it includes countries that have implemented the 19th ICLS standards, for which data are also available in the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database. This indicator refers to the proportion of youth who are not in employment and not in education or training. Youth not in education are those who were neither enrolled in school nor in a formal training program (e.g. vocational training). For statistical purposes, youth are defined as persons between the ages of 15 and 24 years. For more information, refer to the Labour Force Statistics (LFS and STLFS) database description.