People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in South Africa
South Africa: People not using safely managed sanitation facilities was 16.78 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People not using safely managed 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 not using safely managed sanitation facilities in South Africa is 16.78 million people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 32.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in South Africa peaked at 24.81 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 16.78 million people, in 2024.
South Africa ranks 35th of 150 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in South Africa, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 24.81 million people | — |
| 2001 | 24.74 million people | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 24.68 million people | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 24.63 million people | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 24.58 million people | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 24.54 million people | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 24.50 million people | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 24.46 million people | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 24.45 million people | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 24.45 million people | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 24.45 million people | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 24.47 million people | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 24.54 million people | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 24.65 million people | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 24.77 million people | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 24.20 million people | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 23.33 million people | -3.6% |
| 2017 | 22.35 million people | -4.2% |
| 2018 | 21.55 million people | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 20.69 million people | -4.0% |
| 2020 | 19.76 million people | -4.5% |
| 2021 | 18.75 million people | -5.1% |
| 2022 | 17.65 million people | -5.8% |
| 2023 | 16.96 million people | -3.9% |
| 2024 | 16.78 million people | -1.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 16.78 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.56 million people, 3.7× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 16.78 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 16.78 million people, 1.0× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 24.59 million people | 24.45 million people | 24.81 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.50 million people | 20.69 million people | 24.77 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.98 million people | 16.78 million people | 19.76 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 not using safely managed sanitation facilities in South Africa?
- People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in South Africa was 16.78 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 not using safely managed sanitation facilities recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 24.81 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest people not using safely managed sanitation facilities recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.78 million people in 2024.
- How does South Africa rank for people not using safely managed sanitation facilities?
- South Africa ranks 35th out of 150 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using safely managed sanitation facilities rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.3%. 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 not using safely managed 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
People not using safely managed sanitation services might practice open defecation, use unimproved sanitation facilities, or use improved facilities that do not safely manage human waste.