Employee compensation as share of government spending in South Africa
South Africa: Employee compensation as share of government spending was 14.2% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Employee compensation as share of government spending in South Africa, 1972–2022
Source: International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of expense.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 14.2% for employee compensation as share of government spending in 2022.
The figure is up 4.0% on the previous year and down 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employee compensation as share of government spending in South Africa peaked at 45.3% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 13.2%, in 2020.
South Africa ranks 126th of 155 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 49 years of available data.
Employee compensation as share of government spending in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of expense | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 24.8% | — |
| 1973 | 24.2% | -2.7% |
| 1974 | 24.4% | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 23.5% | -3.5% |
| 1976 | 23.1% | -1.9% |
| 1977 | 23.2% | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 23.4% | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 23.3% | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 24.8% | +6.1% |
| 1981 | 25.0% | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 26.2% | +4.9% |
| 1983 | 24.3% | -7.5% |
| 1984 | 27.1% | +11.8% |
| 1985 | 24.8% | -8.5% |
| 1988 | 26.3% | +6.0% |
| 1989 | 27.4% | +4.1% |
| 1990 | 28.5% | +3.9% |
| 1991 | 30.4% | +6.8% |
| 1992 | 45.3% | +48.9% |
| 1993 | 43.0% | -5.0% |
| 1994 | 30.3% | -29.6% |
| 1995 | 15.6% | -48.4% |
| 1996 | 16.4% | +5.2% |
| 1997 | 16.8% | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 16.7% | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 16.2% | -3.3% |
| 2000 | 15.6% | -3.9% |
| 2001 | 15.7% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 15.0% | -4.2% |
| 2003 | 14.6% | -2.8% |
| 2004 | 14.2% | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 14.3% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 13.8% | -3.5% |
| 2007 | 13.8% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 13.4% | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 13.3% | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 14.2% | +7.0% |
| 2011 | 13.4% | -5.7% |
| 2012 | 14.2% | +6.1% |
| 2013 | 14.2% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 14.1% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 14.1% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 14.9% | +5.9% |
| 2017 | 14.7% | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 14.3% | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 14.2% | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 13.2% | -6.8% |
| 2021 | 13.6% | +3.1% |
| 2022 | 14.2% | +4.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 23.7% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 8 |
| 1980s | 25.7% | 24.3% | 27.4% | 8 |
| 1990s | 25.9% | 15.6% | 45.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.4% | 13.3% | 15.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.2% | 13.4% | 14.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.7% | 13.2% | 14.2% | 3 |
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 employee compensation as share of government spending in South Africa?
- Employee compensation as share of government spending in South Africa was 14.2% in 2022, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employee compensation as share of government spending recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 45.3% in 1992.
- What is the lowest employee compensation as share of government spending recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.2% in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for employee compensation as share of government spending?
- South Africa ranks 126th out of 155 countries with data for 2022.
- Is employee compensation as share of government spending rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employee compensation as share of government spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employee compensation includes wages, in-kind payments, and government contributions to social insurance schemes such as social security and pensions.