Freight volume, by mode of transport in South Africa

South Africa: Freight volume, by mode of transport was 24.38 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
24.38 million
Change on year
down 59.1%
World rank
77th
of 141 countries
All-time high
833.35 million
in 2017
All-time low
15.13 million
in 2021
Years of data
7
2017–2024

Freight volume, by mode of transport in South Africa, 2017–2024

0200.0M400.0M600.0M800.0M2017202020242017: 833.3M2018: 721.0M2019: 565.2M2020: 102.4M2021: 15.1M2022: 59.7M2024: 24.4M

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

In 2024, freight volume, by mode of transport in South Africa stood at 24.38 million.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 59.1% on the previous year and down 97.1% over ten years.

South Africa ranks 77th of 141 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Freight volume, by mode of transport in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Freight volume, by mode of transport (tonne kilometres) in South Africa, 2017 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2017 833.35 million
2018 720.95 million -13.5%
2019 565.21 million -21.6%
2020 102.39 million -81.9%
2021 15.13 million -85.2%
2022 59.67 million +294.3%
2024 24.38 million -59.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 706.50 million 565.21 million 833.35 million 3
2020s 50.39 million 15.13 million 102.39 million 4

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 74 Togo 33.49 million compare
  2. 75 El Salvador 27.79 million compare
  3. 76 Maldives 25.68 million compare
  4. 78 Serbia 24.20 million compare
  5. 79 Myanmar 23.68 million compare
  6. 80 Greece 17.79 million compare

See the full ranking of 196 places →

More infrastructure data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is freight volume, by mode of transport in South Africa?
Freight volume, by mode of transport in South Africa was 24.38 million in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest freight volume, by mode of transport recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 833.35 million in 2017.
What is the lowest freight volume, by mode of transport recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 15.13 million in 2021.
How does South Africa rank for freight volume, by mode of transport?
South Africa ranks 77th out of 141 countries with data for 2024.
Is freight volume, by mode of transport rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 97.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Freight volume, by mode of transport (tonne kilometres). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Freight volume, by mode of transport in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/freight-volume-by-mode-of-transport-tonne-kilometres/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Freight volume, by mode of transport (tonne kilometres)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
196 places, 1,329 data points, 2017–2024
Last refreshed