Proportion of total government spending on essential services, social in South Africa
South Africa: Proportion of total government spending on essential services, social was 13.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Proportion of total government spending on essential services, social in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, proportion of total government spending on essential services, social in South Africa stood at 13.0%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 24.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of total government spending on essential services, social in South Africa peaked at 15.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 10.4%, in 2014.
That places South Africa 87th out of 127 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Proportion of total government spending on essential services, social in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 10.5% | — |
| 2001 | 11.3% | +7.1% |
| 2002 | 12.7% | +13.2% |
| 2003 | 13.8% | +8.2% |
| 2004 | 13.7% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 13.9% | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 13.9% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 12.2% | -11.9% |
| 2008 | 12.6% | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 12.4% | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 12.4% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 11.8% | -4.8% |
| 2012 | 11.5% | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 10.5% | -8.3% |
| 2014 | 10.4% | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 11.0% | +5.9% |
| 2016 | 11.2% | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 13.5% | +20.3% |
| 2018 | 15.2% | +12.5% |
| 2019 | 12.6% | -16.7% |
| 2020 | 15.8% | +25.3% |
| 2021 | 14.1% | -10.7% |
| 2022 | 13.2% | -6.8% |
| 2023 | 12.9% | -2.1% |
| 2024 | 13.0% | +0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 12.7% | 10.5% | 13.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.0% | 10.4% | 15.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.8% | 12.9% | 15.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 84 Nepal 14.4% compare
- 85 Philippines 14.1% compare
- 86 Tajikistan 14.0% compare
- 88 Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 12.5% compare
- 89 El Salvador 12.3% compare
- 90 Panama 12.0% compare
More poverty & inequality data for South Africa
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 1 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 2.22 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 4,562 kg per hectare (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate -20.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 28.13 (2022)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 28.1% (2022)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of total government spending on essential services, social in South Africa?
- Proportion of total government spending on essential services, social in South Africa was 13.0% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of total government spending on essential services, social recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 15.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest proportion of total government spending on essential services, social recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.4% in 2014.
- How does South Africa rank for proportion of total government spending on essential services, social?
- South Africa ranks 87th out of 127 countries with data for 2024.
- Is proportion of total government spending on essential services, social rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of total government spending on essential services, social protection (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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