Voice and Accountability in South Africa
South Africa: Voice and Accountability was 0.5694 in 2011. ▼ Falling
Voice and Accountability in South Africa, 1996–2011
Source: World Bank Institute.
Analysis
In 2011, voice and accountability in South Africa stood at 0.5694.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 20.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, voice and accountability in South Africa peaked at 0.873 in 1998 and was at its lowest, 0.5422, in 2009.
That places South Africa 3rd out of 53 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.8633 | 0.8535 | 0.873 | 2 |
| 2000s | 0.6344 | 0.5422 | 0.7275 | 9 |
| 2010s | 0.573 | 0.5694 | 0.5766 | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More reference data data for South Africa
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.191 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.36 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.6318 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 1.18 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.2153 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 209.92 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is voice and accountability in South Africa?
- Voice and accountability in South Africa was 0.5694 in 2011, according to World Bank Institute.
- What is the highest voice and accountability recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.873 in 1998.
- What is the lowest voice and accountability recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5422 in 2009.
- How does South Africa rank for voice and accountability?
- South Africa ranks 3rd out of 53 countries with data for 2011.
- Is voice and accountability rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Institute, published as part of Voice and Accountability (estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Voice and accountability measures the extent to which a country’s citizens are able to participate in selecting their government and to enjoy freedom of expression, freedom of association, and a free media. Further documentation and research using the World Governance Indicators (WGI) is available at www.worldbank.org/wbi/governance.