Public sector employment, as a share of paid employment, by industry in South Africa

South Africa: Public sector employment, as a share of paid employment, by industry was 0.045 in 2020. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2020)
0.045
Change on year
up 126.7%
World rank
29th
of 29 countries
All-time high
0.504
in 2014
All-time low
0.0065
in 2012
Years of data
12
2008–2020

Public sector employment, as a share of paid employment, by industry in South Africa, 2008–2020

00.10.20.30.40.52008201420202008: 0.0612009: 0.0252010: 0.0462012: 0.0072013: 0.0212014: 0.5042015: 0.0342016: 0.0372017: 0.4632018: 0.0342019: 0.022020: 0.045

Source: World Bank.

Analysis

In 2020, public sector employment, as a share of paid employment, by industry in South Africa stood at 0.045.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 126.7% on the previous year and down 2.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, public sector employment, as a share of paid employment, by industry in South Africa peaked at 0.504 in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0.0065, in 2012.

That places South Africa 29th out of 29 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Public sector employment, as a share of paid employment, by industry in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Public sector employment, as a share of paid employment, by industry: Health in South Africa, 2008 to 2020.
Year Value Change
2008 0.0612
2009 0.0246 -59.7%
2010 0.0462 +87.3%
2012 0.0065 -85.8%
2013 0.0208 +217.1%
2014 0.504 +2328.1%
2015 0.0343 -93.2%
2016 0.0369 +7.7%
2017 0.4625 +1152.1%
2018 0.0337 -92.7%
2019 0.0199 -41.1%
2020 0.045 +126.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 0.0429 0.0246 0.0612 2
2010s 0.1294 0.0065 0.504 9
2020s 0.045 0.045 0.045 1

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 26 Uruguay 0.261 compare
  2. 27 Russian Federation 0.0934
  3. 28 Colombia 0.0854 compare

See the full ranking of 29 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is public sector employment, as a share of paid employment, by industry in South Africa?
Public sector employment, as a share of paid employment, by industry in South Africa was 0.045 in 2020, according to the World Bank.
What is the highest public sector employment, as a share of paid employment, by industry recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 0.504 in 2014.
What is the lowest public sector employment, as a share of paid employment, by industry recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 0.0065 in 2012.
How does South Africa rank for public sector employment, as a share of paid employment, by industry?
South Africa ranks 29th out of 29 countries with data for 2020.
Is public sector employment, as a share of paid employment, by industry rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from the World Bank, published as part of Public sector employment, as a share of paid employment, by industry: Health. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Public sector employment, as a share of paid employment, by industry in South Africa. Statizoid. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/public-sector-employment-as-a-share-of-paid-employment-by-industry-health/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Public sector employment, as a share of paid employment, by industry: Health
Source
World Bank
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
29 places, 320 data points, 2000–2021
Last refreshed