People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in South Africa
South Africa: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities was 3.31 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in South Africa is 3.31 million people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 6.8% on the previous year and down 41.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in South Africa peaked at 9.21 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 3.31 million people, in 2024.
South Africa ranks 40th of 175 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in South Africa, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 9.21 million people | — |
| 2001 | 8.94 million people | -2.9% |
| 2002 | 8.68 million people | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 8.41 million people | -3.1% |
| 2004 | 8.15 million people | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 7.88 million people | -3.2% |
| 2006 | 7.62 million people | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 7.36 million people | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 7.11 million people | -3.4% |
| 2009 | 6.86 million people | -3.5% |
| 2010 | 6.61 million people | -3.6% |
| 2011 | 6.37 million people | -3.7% |
| 2012 | 6.14 million people | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 5.92 million people | -3.6% |
| 2014 | 5.69 million people | -3.8% |
| 2015 | 5.49 million people | -3.6% |
| 2016 | 5.23 million people | -4.8% |
| 2017 | 4.95 million people | -5.3% |
| 2018 | 4.72 million people | -4.5% |
| 2019 | 4.50 million people | -4.8% |
| 2020 | 4.27 million people | -5.1% |
| 2021 | 4.03 million people | -5.5% |
| 2022 | 3.80 million people | -5.9% |
| 2023 | 3.55 million people | -6.4% |
| 2024 | 3.31 million people | -6.8% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 3.31 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 36,902 people, 89.7× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 3.31 million people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.04 million people, 66% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 8.02 million people | 6.86 million people | 9.21 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.56 million people | 4.50 million people | 6.61 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.79 million people | 3.31 million people | 4.27 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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 in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in South Africa?
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in South Africa was 3.31 million people in 2024, 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 in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 9.21 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.31 million people in 2024.
- How does South Africa rank for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities?
- South Africa ranks 40th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 41.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.