Trade union density rate in South Africa

South Africa: Trade union density rate was 29.06 in 2019. ▬ Flat

Latest (2019)
29.06
Change on year
down 0.9%
World rank
21st
of 86 countries
All-time high
29.87
in 2010
All-time low
27.27
in 2015
Years of data
10
2010–2019

Trade union density rate in South Africa, 2010–2019

01020302010201420192010: 29.92011: 29.22012: 29.62013: 28.62014: 28.92015: 27.32016: 282017: 28.72018: 29.32019: 29.1

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

In 2019, trade union density rate in South Africa stood at 29.06.

That represents a change of down 0.9% on the previous year and down 2.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, trade union density rate in South Africa peaked at 29.87 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 27.27, in 2015.

That places South Africa 21st out of 86 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.

Trade union density rate in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Trade union density rate in South Africa, 2010 to 2019.
Year Value Change
2010 29.87
2011 29.2 -2.2%
2012 29.64 +1.5%
2013 28.61 -3.5%
2014 28.87 +0.9%
2015 27.27 -5.6%
2016 27.97 +2.6%
2017 28.74 +2.7%
2018 29.32 +2.0%
2019 29.06 -0.9%

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 18 Uruguay 30.1
  2. 19 Botswana 29.96 compare
  3. 20 Canada 29.39 compare
  4. 22 Luxembourg 28.23 compare
  5. 23 Argentina 27.7 compare
  6. 24 Mauritius 27.68 compare

See the full ranking of 86 places →

More work & labour data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is trade union density rate in South Africa?
Trade union density rate in South Africa was 29.06 in 2019, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest trade union density rate recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 29.87 in 2010.
What is the lowest trade union density rate recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 27.27 in 2015.
How does South Africa rank for trade union density rate?
South Africa ranks 21st out of 86 countries with data for 2019.
Is trade union density rate rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Trade union density rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Trade union density rate in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/trade-union-density-rate/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Trade union density rate
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
86 places, 1,182 data points, 2000–2020
Last refreshed

A trade union is defined as a workers' organization constituted for the purpose of furthering and defending the interests of workers. This trade union density rate conveys the number of union members who are employees as a percentage of the total number of employees. For the purpose of this indicator in particular, trade union membership excludes union members who are not in paid employment (self-employed, unemployed, retired, etc.), unless otherwise stated in the notes. The statistics presented in this table result from an ILO data compilation effort (including an annual questionnaire and numerous special enquiries), with contributions from J. Visser. For more information, refer to the Industrial Relations data (IRdata) database description.