Public sector employees in South Africa
South Africa: Public sector employees was 2,776 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Public sector employees in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
The most recent figure for public sector employees in South Africa is 2,776, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 5.9% on the previous year and up 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, public sector employees in South Africa peaked at 2,949 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1,835, in 2002.
That places South Africa 15th out of 64 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Public sector employees in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2,000 | — |
| 2001 | 1,915 | -4.3% |
| 2002 | 1,835 | -4.1% |
| 2003 | 1,852 | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 1,849 | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 1,912 | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 1,854 | -3.0% |
| 2007 | 2,023 | +9.1% |
| 2008 | 2,149 | +6.2% |
| 2009 | 2,199 | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 2,192 | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 2,289 | +4.4% |
| 2012 | 2,506 | +9.5% |
| 2013 | 2,596 | +3.6% |
| 2014 | 2,684 | +3.4% |
| 2015 | 2,800 | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 2,733 | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 2,847 | +4.2% |
| 2018 | 2,909 | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 2,850 | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 2,775 | -2.6% |
| 2021 | 2,669 | -3.8% |
| 2022 | 2,796 | +4.8% |
| 2023 | 2,949 | +5.5% |
| 2024 | 2,776 | -5.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1,959 | 1,835 | 2,199 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,641 | 2,192 | 2,909 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,793 | 2,669 | 2,949 | 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 public sector employees in South Africa?
- Public sector employees in South Africa was 2,776 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest public sector employees recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 2,949 in 2023.
- What is the lowest public sector employees recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,835 in 2002.
- How does South Africa rank for public sector employees?
- South Africa ranks 15th out of 64 countries with data for 2024.
- Is public sector employees rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.4%. 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 Public sector employees. 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. Employees are all those workers who hold paid employment jobs, which are those where the incumbents hold employment contracts which give them a basic remuneration not directly dependent upon the revenue of the unit for which they work. Type of job contract refers to permanent versus temporary (i.e. short-term or casual) contracts. For more information, refer to the Worker and Sector Profiles (PROF) database description.