Poverty Headcount reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions -1st in South Africa

South Africa: Poverty Headcount reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions -1st was 3.4% in 2021. ▬ Flat

Latest (2021)
3.4%
Change on year
up 68.7%
World rank
25th
of 31 countries
All-time high
4.7%
in 2018
All-time low
2.0%
in 2020
Years of data
7
2005–2021

Poverty Headcount reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions -1st in South Africa, 2005–2021

0123452005201320212005: 3.12014: 3.42016: 4.42018: 4.72019: 3.92020: 22021: 3.4

Source: ASPIRE.

Analysis

The most recent figure for poverty headcount reduction (%) - contributory pensions -1st in South Africa is 3.4%, measured in 2021.

The figure is up 68.7% on the previous year and down 1.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, poverty headcount reduction (%) - contributory pensions -1st in South Africa peaked at 4.7% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 2.0%, in 2020.

South Africa ranks 25th of 31 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

Poverty Headcount reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions -1st in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Poverty Headcount reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions -1st quintile (poorest) -rural in South Africa, 2005 to 2021.
Year Value Change
2005 3.1%
2014 3.4% +8.7%
2016 4.4% +28.7%
2018 4.7% +7.8%
2019 3.9% -17.6%
2020 2.0% -48.9%
2021 3.4% +68.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 3.1% 3.1% 3.1% 1
2010s 4.1% 3.4% 4.7% 4
2020s 2.7% 2.0% 3.4% 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 22 Mexico 5.0% compare
  2. 23 Panama 4.1% compare
  3. 24 Ecuador 3.8% compare
  4. 26 Dominican Republic 3.3% compare
  5. 27 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 2.4% compare
  6. 28 Colombia 2.1% compare

See the full ranking of 31 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is poverty headcount reduction (%) - contributory pensions -1st in South Africa?
Poverty headcount reduction (%) - contributory pensions -1st in South Africa was 3.4% in 2021, according to ASPIRE.
What is the highest poverty headcount reduction (%) - contributory pensions -1st recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 4.7% in 2018.
What is the lowest poverty headcount reduction (%) - contributory pensions -1st recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 2.0% in 2020.
How does South Africa rank for poverty headcount reduction (%) - contributory pensions -1st?
South Africa ranks 25th out of 31 countries with data for 2021.
Is poverty headcount reduction (%) - contributory pensions -1st rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from ASPIRE, published as part of Poverty Headcount reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions -1st quintile (poorest) -rural. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Poverty Headcount reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions -1st in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on ASPIRE. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/poverty-headcount-reduction-percent-contributory-pensions-1st-quintile-poorest-rural/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Poverty Headcount reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions -1st quintile (poorest) -rural
Source
ASPIRE
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
31 places, 292 data points, 2002–2023
Last refreshed

Poverty headcount reduction due to Contributory Pensions programs as % of pre-transfer poverty headcount