Informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) in South Africa

South Africa: Informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) was 37.1% in 2018. ▬ Flat

Latest (2018)
37.1%
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
21st
of 27 countries
All-time high
39.3%
in 2008
All-time low
34.5%
in 2012
Years of data
11
2008–2018

Informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) in South Africa, 2008–2018

0102030402008201320182008: 39.32009: 37.62010: 37.32011: 35.62012: 34.52013: 35.62014: 35.52015: 36.92016: 36.22017: 372018: 37.1

Source: UN Open Data Hub. Available at: https://unstats-undesa.opendata.arcgis.com/.

Analysis

In 2018, informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) in South Africa stood at 37.1%.

The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and down 5.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) in South Africa peaked at 39.3% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 34.5%, in 2012.

That places South Africa 21st out of 27 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) - Non-agriculture - Female in South Africa, 2008 to 2018.
Year Value Change
2008 39.3%
2009 37.6% -4.4%
2010 37.3% -0.8%
2011 35.6% -4.5%
2012 34.5% -3.1%
2013 35.6% +3.1%
2014 35.5% -0.2%
2015 36.9% +4.0%
2016 36.2% -2.1%
2017 37.0% +2.3%
2018 37.1% +0.4%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 37.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 51.5%, 72% of the median. (18 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 38.5% 37.6% 39.3% 2
2010s 36.2% 34.5% 37.3% 9

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 18 Costa Rica 42.7% compare
  2. 19 Egypt 41.0% compare
  3. 20 Palestine, State of 40.4% compare
  4. 22 Brazil 36.9% compare
  5. 23 Mongolia 26.4% compare
  6. 24 Uruguay 22.4% compare

See the full ranking of 27 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) in South Africa?
Informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) in South Africa was 37.1% in 2018, according to UN Open Data Hub. Available at: https://unstats-undesa.opendata.arcgis.com/.
What is the highest informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 39.3% in 2008.
What is the lowest informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 34.5% in 2012.
How does South Africa rank for informal employment by sector and gender (% of total)?
South Africa ranks 21st out of 27 countries with data for 2018.
Is informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 5.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UN Open Data Hub. Available at: https://unstats-undesa.opendata.arcgis.com/, published as part of Informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) - Non-agriculture - Female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UN Open Data Hub. Available at: https://unstats-undesa.opendata.arcgis.com/. Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/informal-employment-by-sector-and-gender-percent-of-total-non-agriculture-female/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Informal employment by sector and gender (% of total) - Non-agriculture - Female
Source
UN Open Data Hub. Available at: https://unstats-undesa.opendata.arcgis.com/
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
27 places, 272 data points, 2000–2019
Last refreshed

This indicator presents the share of non-agriculture (female) employment which is classified as informal employment in the total economy. Data is taken from the United Nations Sustainable Goals, representing Indicator 8.3.1: Proportion of informal employment in total employment, by sector and sex.