People without basic handwashing facilities in South Africa
South Africa: People without basic handwashing facilities was 33.69 million people in 2020. ▲ Rising
People without basic handwashing facilities in South Africa, 2012–2020
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 33.69 million people for people without basic handwashing facilities in 2020. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 10.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people without basic handwashing facilities in South Africa peaked at 33.69 million people in 2020 and was at its lowest, 30.47 million people, in 2012.
That places South Africa 12th out of 120 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
People without basic handwashing facilities in South Africa, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 30.47 million people | — |
| 2013 | 30.91 million people | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 31.35 million people | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 31.91 million people | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 32.14 million people | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 32.28 million people | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 32.75 million people | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 33.22 million people | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 33.69 million people | +1.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 33.69 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 472,598 people, 71.3× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 33.69 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.17 million people, 2.6× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 31.88 million people | 30.47 million people | 33.22 million people | 8 |
| 2020s | 33.69 million people | 33.69 million people | 33.69 million people | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 9 China 39.43 million people
- 10 Pakistan 38.28 million people compare
- 11 Uganda 37.73 million people compare
- 13 Mozambique 29.16 million people compare
- 14 Cote d'Ivoire 24.90 million people compare
- 15 Madagascar 24.44 million people compare
More reference data data for South Africa
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7468 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 63.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.07 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people without basic handwashing facilities in South Africa?
- People without basic handwashing facilities in South Africa was 33.69 million people in 2020, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest people without basic handwashing facilities recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 33.69 million people in 2020.
- What is the lowest people without basic handwashing facilities recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.47 million people in 2012.
- How does South Africa rank for people without basic handwashing facilities?
- South Africa ranks 12th out of 120 countries with data for 2020.
- Is people without basic handwashing facilities rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of People without basic handwashing facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People without access to a handwashing facility with soap and water available at home.