Share of youth not in education, employment or training, total in South Africa
South Africa: Share of youth not in education, employment or training, total was 34.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of youth not in education, employment or training, total in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of youth population.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 34.6% for share of youth not in education, employment or training, total in 2024.
The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 10.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of youth not in education, employment or training, total in South Africa peaked at 36.6% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 30.5%, in 2015.
That places South Africa 7th out of 124 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.
Share of youth not in education, employment or training, total in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of youth population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 31.8% | — |
| 2001 | 34.7% | +9.0% |
| 2002 | 35.7% | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 36.6% | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 35.4% | -3.2% |
| 2005 | 34.4% | -2.7% |
| 2006 | 33.4% | -3.0% |
| 2007 | 32.6% | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 35.9% | +10.1% |
| 2013 | 32.0% | -11.0% |
| 2014 | 31.3% | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 30.5% | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 31.2% | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 31.0% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 31.6% | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 32.5% | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 32.4% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 32.9% | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 35.2% | +6.8% |
| 2023 | 34.0% | -3.4% |
| 2024 | 34.6% | +1.9% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 34.6% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 19.7%, 1.8× the median. (41 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 34.6% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 23.9%, 1.4× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 34.3% | 31.8% | 36.6% | 8 |
| 2010s | 32.0% | 30.5% | 35.9% | 8 |
| 2020s | 33.8% | 32.4% | 35.2% | 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 share of youth not in education, employment or training, total in South Africa?
- Share of youth not in education, employment or training, total in South Africa was 34.6% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest share of youth not in education, employment or training, total recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 36.6% in 2003.
- What is the lowest share of youth not in education, employment or training, total recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.5% in 2015.
- How does South Africa rank for share of youth not in education, employment or training, total?
- South Africa ranks 7th out of 124 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of youth not in education, employment or training, total rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Share of youth not in education, employment or training, total (% of youth population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The share of youth not in education, employment or training (also known as “the NEET rate”) conveys the number of young persons not in education, employment or training as a percentage of the total youth population. Youth not in education are those who were neither enrolled in school nor in a formal training program (e.g. vocational training). For the purposes of this indicator, youth is defined as all persons between the ages of 15 and 24 (inclusive).