Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th ICLS in South Africa
South Africa: Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th ICLS was 34.8% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th ICLS in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls in South Africa is 34.8%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 2.4% on the previous year and up 8.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls in South Africa peaked at 54.1% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 31.4%, in 2020.
That places South Africa 47th out of 92 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th ICLS in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 54.1% | — |
| 2001 | 52.1% | -3.6% |
| 2002 | 47.3% | -9.4% |
| 2003 | 46.6% | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 46.2% | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 48.2% | +4.3% |
| 2006 | 49.1% | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 48.9% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 35.4% | -27.6% |
| 2009 | 33.7% | -4.8% |
| 2010 | 34.0% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 32.7% | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 31.8% | -2.8% |
| 2013 | 32.2% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 32.1% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 34.3% | +6.8% |
| 2016 | 33.9% | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 34.2% | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 34.8% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 34.6% | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 31.4% | -9.3% |
| 2021 | 32.4% | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 34.5% | +6.5% |
| 2023 | 34.0% | -1.4% |
| 2024 | 34.8% | +2.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 34.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 54.7%, 64% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 34.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 84.6%, 41% of the median. (12 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th ICLS in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | -27.6% | 48.9% | 35.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 46.2% | 33.7% | 54.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.5% | 31.8% | 34.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.4% | 31.4% | 34.8% | 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 proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls in South Africa?
- Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls in South Africa was 34.8% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 54.1% in 2000.
- What is the lowest proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.4% in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls?
- South Africa ranks 47th out of 92 countries with data for 2024.
- Is proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th icls rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of informal employment, by sector and sex - 13th ICLS (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).