Number of registered workplaces that could be selected for labour in South Africa

South Africa: Number of registered workplaces that could be selected for labour was 310,798 in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
310,798
Change on year
up 4.3%
World rank
24th
of 54 countries
All-time high
310,798
in 2024
All-time low
87,795
in 2013
Years of data
12
2009–2024

Number of registered workplaces that could be selected for labour in South Africa, 2009–2024

100.0k150.0k200.0k250.0k300.0k2009201620242009: 158.9k2010: 192.1k2011: 172.3k2012: 101.8k2013: 87.8k2014: 165.1k2015: 149.2k2016: 175.5k2017: 217.0k2018: 218.7k2022: 298.1k2024: 310.8k

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 310,798 for number of registered workplaces that could be selected for labour in 2024. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.3% on the previous year and up 88.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, number of registered workplaces that could be selected for labour in South Africa peaked at 310,798 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 87,795, in 2013.

That places South Africa 24th out of 54 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.

Number of registered workplaces that could be selected for labour in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Number of registered workplaces that could be selected for labour inspection in South Africa, 2009 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2009 158,932
2010 192,129 +20.9%
2011 172,300 -10.3%
2012 101,792 -40.9%
2013 87,795 -13.8%
2014 165,120 +88.1%
2015 149,154 -9.7%
2016 175,478 +17.6%
2017 217,008 +23.7%
2018 218,732 +0.8%
2022 298,104 +36.3%
2024 310,798 +4.3%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 310,798 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 292,336, 1.1× the median. (18 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 158,932 158,932 158,932 1
2010s 164,390 87,795 218,732 9
2020s 304,451 298,104 310,798 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 21 Lithuania 413,700 compare
  2. 22 Switzerland 340,130 compare
  3. 23 Portugal 332,683 compare
  4. 25 Croatia 281,260 compare
  5. 26 Peru 273,873 compare
  6. 27 Austria 267,021 compare

See the full ranking of 54 places →

More work & labour data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is number of registered workplaces that could be selected for labour in South Africa?
Number of registered workplaces that could be selected for labour in South Africa was 310,798 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest number of registered workplaces that could be selected for labour recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 310,798 in 2024.
What is the lowest number of registered workplaces that could be selected for labour recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 87,795 in 2013.
How does South Africa rank for number of registered workplaces that could be selected for labour?
South Africa ranks 24th out of 54 countries with data for 2024.
Is number of registered workplaces that could be selected for labour rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 88.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Number of registered workplaces that could be selected for labour inspection. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Number of registered workplaces that could be selected for labour in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/number-of-registered-workplaces-that-could-be-selected-for-labour-inspection/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Number of registered workplaces that could be selected for labour inspection
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
54 places, 567 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

A workplace can be defined as any physical space, whether a physical construction (such as a building or set of buildings) or not, in which at least one employed person carries out their work activities. Only those workplaces that are registered and could potentially be selected for labour inspection are included in the total number. For more information, refer to the Occupational Safety and Health Statistics (OSH) database description.