Proportion of total government spending on essential services in South Africa
South Africa: Proportion of total government spending on essential services was 20.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Proportion of total government spending on essential services in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for proportion of total government spending on essential services in South Africa is 20.5%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 1.8% on the previous year and up 25.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of total government spending on essential services in South Africa peaked at 21.5% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 2.9%, in 2007.
South Africa ranks 8th of 129 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Proportion of total government spending on essential services in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 18.4% | — |
| 2001 | 17.8% | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 16.6% | -6.9% |
| 2003 | 18.0% | +8.4% |
| 2004 | 17.3% | -4.0% |
| 2005 | 18.1% | +4.7% |
| 2006 | 19.0% | +5.2% |
| 2007 | 2.9% | -84.6% |
| 2008 | 18.5% | +534.4% |
| 2009 | 17.2% | -7.1% |
| 2010 | 17.2% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 18.5% | +7.1% |
| 2012 | 19.2% | +4.0% |
| 2013 | 16.8% | -12.8% |
| 2014 | 16.4% | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 18.9% | +15.5% |
| 2016 | 16.1% | -14.6% |
| 2017 | 18.9% | +17.1% |
| 2018 | 20.3% | +7.5% |
| 2019 | 18.7% | -7.9% |
| 2020 | 18.6% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 21.5% | +15.1% |
| 2022 | 21.5% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 20.9% | -2.9% |
| 2024 | 20.5% | -1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 16.4% | 2.9% | 19.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.1% | 16.1% | 20.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.6% | 18.6% | 21.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 5 Bhutan 21.4% compare
- 6 Tajikistan 20.7% compare
- 7 State of Palestine 20.7% compare
- 9 Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 20.4% compare
- 10 Botswana 20.0% compare
- 11 Kazakhstan 19.9% compare
More education data for South Africa
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 181,739 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 339,638 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 410,708 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 407,696 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.50 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.52 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.119 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of total government spending on essential services in South Africa?
- Proportion of total government spending on essential services in South Africa was 20.5% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of total government spending on essential services recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 21.5% in 2022.
- What is the lowest proportion of total government spending on essential services recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.9% in 2007.
- How does South Africa rank for proportion of total government spending on essential services?
- South Africa ranks 8th out of 129 countries with data for 2024.
- Is proportion of total government spending on essential services rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of total government spending on essential services, education (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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