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Rule of Law - Governance estimate in South Africa

South Africa: Rule of Law - Governance estimate was 0.0177 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
0.0177 approx. -2.5 to +2.5
Change on year
down 55.2%
World rank
99th
of 208 countries
All-time high
0.3066 approx. -2.5 to +2.5
in 2006
All-time low
-0.0749 approx. -2.5 to +2.5
in 2019
Years of data
26
1996–2024

Rule of Law - Governance estimate in South Africa, 1996–2024

-0.100.10.20.31996201020241996: -0.012 approx. -2.5 to +2.51998: -0.008 approx. -2.5 to +2.52000: -0.012 approx. -2.5 to +2.52002: 0.073 approx. -2.5 to +2.52003: 0.094 approx. -2.5 to +2.52004: 0.133 approx. -2.5 to +2.52005: 0.178 approx. -2.5 to +2.52006: 0.307 approx. -2.5 to +2.52007: 0.159 approx. -2.5 to +2.52008: 0.077 approx. -2.5 to +2.52009: 0.033 approx. -2.5 to +2.52010: 0.065 approx. -2.5 to +2.52011: 0.011 approx. -2.5 to +2.52012: 0.01 approx. -2.5 to +2.52013: 0.025 approx. -2.5 to +2.52014: 0.07 approx. -2.5 to +2.52015: 0.044 approx. -2.5 to +2.52016: 0.07 approx. -2.5 to +2.52017: 0.014 approx. -2.5 to +2.52018: -0.068 approx. -2.5 to +2.52019: -0.075 approx. -2.5 to +2.52020: -0.061 approx. -2.5 to +2.52021: 0.121 approx. -2.5 to +2.52022: 0.034 approx. -2.5 to +2.52023: 0.04 approx. -2.5 to +2.52024: 0.018 approx. -2.5 to +2.5

Source: World Bank. Measured in approx. -2.5 to +2.5.

Analysis

In 2024, rule of law - governance estimate in South Africa stood at 0.0177 approx. -2.5 to +2.5.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 55.2% on the previous year and down 74.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, rule of law - governance estimate in South Africa peaked at 0.3066 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2006 and was at its lowest, -0.0749 approx. -2.5 to +2.5, in 2019.

That places South Africa 99th out of 208 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

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

Rule of Law - Governance estimate in South Africa, year by year

Year approx. -2.5 to +2.5 Change
1996 -0.0116 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 —
1998 -0.0082 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -29.5%
2000 -0.0124 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +51.2%
2002 0.0732 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -691.4%
2003 0.0937 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +28.0%
2004 0.1326 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +41.6%
2005 0.1783 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +34.4%
2006 0.3066 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +71.9%
2007 0.1587 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -48.2%
2008 0.0772 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -51.4%
2009 0.0335 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -56.6%
2010 0.065 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +94.2%
2011 0.0108 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -83.5%
2012 0.0103 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -4.0%
2013 0.0247 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +139.0%
2014 0.0705 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +185.4%
2015 0.0441 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -37.5%
2016 0.0701 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +59.2%
2017 0.0143 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -79.5%
2018 -0.0683 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -576.6%
2019 -0.0749 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +9.6%
2020 -0.0614 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -18.1%
2021 0.1211 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -297.3%
2022 0.0341 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -71.8%
2023 0.0395 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 +15.9%
2024 0.0177 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -55.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s -0.0099 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -0.0116 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -0.0082 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 2
2000s 0.1157 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -0.0124 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 0.3066 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 9
2010s 0.0167 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -0.0749 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 0.0705 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 10
2020s 0.0302 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 -0.0614 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 0.1211 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 5

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 96 Kosovo 0.0521 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
  2. 96 Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) 0.0521 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
  3. 98 Maldives 0.0443 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
  4. 100 Bulgaria -0.0333 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
  5. 101 India -0.0392 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
  6. 102 Jamaica -0.0777 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare

See the full ranking of 208 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is rule of law - governance estimate in South Africa?
Rule of law - governance estimate in South Africa was 0.0177 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2024, according to the World Bank.
What is the highest rule of law - governance estimate recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 0.3066 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2006.
What is the lowest rule of law - governance estimate recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was -0.0749 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2019.
How does South Africa rank for rule of law - governance estimate?
South Africa ranks 99th out of 208 countries with data for 2024.
Is rule of law - governance estimate rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 74.9%. 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 Rule of Law - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Rule of Law - Governance estimate in South Africa. Statizoid. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/rule-of-law-governance-estimate-approx-2-5-to-2-5-2/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Rule of Law - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5)
Unit
approx. -2.5 to +2.5
Source
World Bank
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
208 places, 5,320 data points, 1996–2024
Last refreshed