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

South Africa: Public sector employment, as a share of paid employment by location was 0.2242 in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
0.2242
Change on year
up 6.6%
World rank
49th
of 69 countries
All-time high
0.2615
in 2000
All-time low
0.1736
in 2017
Years of data
15
2000–2020

Public sector employment, as a share of paid employment by location in South Africa, 2000–2020

00.10.20.32000201020202000: 0.2622001: 0.2552003: 0.2472008: 0.1792009: 0.1912010: 0.1942012: 0.2142013: 0.2112014: 0.1812015: 0.212016: 0.2072017: 0.1742018: 0.2112019: 0.212020: 0.224

Source: World Bank.

Analysis

The most recent figure for public sector employment, as a share of paid employment by location in South Africa is 0.2242, measured in 2020.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.6% on the previous year and up 15.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, public sector employment, as a share of paid employment by location in South Africa peaked at 0.2615 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.1736, in 2017.

South Africa ranks 49th of 69 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.

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

Annual values for Public sector employment, as a share of paid employment by location: Urban in South Africa, 2000 to 2020.
Year Value Change
2000 0.2615
2001 0.2552 -2.4%
2003 0.2472 -3.1%
2008 0.1786 -27.8%
2009 0.1914 +7.1%
2010 0.1939 +1.3%
2012 0.2136 +10.1%
2013 0.2111 -1.2%
2014 0.1812 -14.2%
2015 0.2096 +15.7%
2016 0.2069 -1.3%
2017 0.1736 -16.1%
2018 0.211 +21.6%
2019 0.2104 -0.3%
2020 0.2242 +6.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 0.2268 0.1786 0.2615 5
2010s 0.2012 0.1736 0.2136 9
2020s 0.2242 0.2242 0.2242 1

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 46 Croatia 0.2368 compare
  2. 47 Australia 0.236 compare
  3. 48 Latvia 0.2356 compare
  4. 50 Chile 0.2181 compare
  5. 51 Pakistan 0.2152 compare
  6. 52 Sri Lanka 0.2118 compare

See the full ranking of 69 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 location in South Africa?
Public sector employment, as a share of paid employment by location in South Africa was 0.2242 in 2020, according to the World Bank.
What is the highest public sector employment, as a share of paid employment by location recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 0.2615 in 2000.
What is the lowest public sector employment, as a share of paid employment by location recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 0.1736 in 2017.
How does South Africa rank for public sector employment, as a share of paid employment by location?
South Africa ranks 49th out of 69 countries with data for 2020.
Is public sector employment, as a share of paid employment by location rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 15.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
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 location: Urban. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Public sector employment, as a share of paid employment by location in South Africa. Statizoid. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/public-sector-employment-as-a-share-of-paid-employment-by-location-urban/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Public sector employment, as a share of paid employment by location: Urban
Source
World Bank
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
69 places, 855 data points, 2000–2022
Last refreshed