Public sector employment as a share of total employment in South Africa
South Africa: Public sector employment as a share of total employment was 19.5% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Public sector employment as a share of total employment in South Africa, 2000–2020
Source: World Bank (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for public sector employment as a share of total employment in South Africa is 19.5%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 19 years on record.
The figure is up 5.2% on the previous year and up 17.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, public sector employment as a share of total employment in South Africa peaked at 19.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 15.2%, in 2006.
South Africa ranks 40th of 79 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 19 years of available data.
Public sector employment as a share of total employment in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 16.6% | — |
| 2001 | 18.0% | +8.3% |
| 2003 | 18.2% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 16.6% | -8.5% |
| 2005 | 16.7% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 15.2% | -9.0% |
| 2007 | 16.6% | +9.1% |
| 2008 | 15.4% | -7.1% |
| 2009 | 16.3% | +5.6% |
| 2010 | 16.6% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 18.3% | +10.1% |
| 2013 | 18.5% | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 16.7% | -9.6% |
| 2015 | 18.7% | +12.1% |
| 2016 | 18.4% | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 15.8% | -14.3% |
| 2018 | 18.7% | +18.4% |
| 2019 | 18.5% | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 19.5% | +5.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 16.6% | 15.2% | 18.2% | 9 |
| 2010s | 17.8% | 15.8% | 18.7% | 9 |
| 2020s | 19.5% | 19.5% | 19.5% | 1 |
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 employment as a share of total employment in South Africa?
- Public sector employment as a share of total employment in South Africa was 19.5% in 2020, according to World Bank (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest public sector employment as a share of total employment recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 19.5% in 2020.
- What is the lowest public sector employment as a share of total employment recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.2% in 2006.
- How does South Africa rank for public sector employment as a share of total employment?
- South Africa ranks 40th out of 79 countries with data for 2020.
- Is public sector employment as a share of total employment rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Public sector employment as a share of total employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of all employed people who are paid employees of the public sector, including government, the armed forces, public services, and state-owned enterprises.