Proportion of total government spending on essential services in South Africa
South Africa: Proportion of total government spending on essential services was 44.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Proportion of total government spending on essential services in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
In 2024, proportion of total government spending on essential services in South Africa stood at 44.2%.
That represents a change of down 1.6% on the previous year and up 19.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of total government spending on essential services in South Africa peaked at 48.1% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 12.9%, in 2007.
That places South Africa 62nd out of 114 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
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 | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 38.2% | — |
| 2001 | 39.8% | +4.0% |
| 2002 | 39.9% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 41.7% | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 41.1% | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 42.5% | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 44.0% | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 12.9% | -70.6% |
| 2008 | 42.5% | +228.4% |
| 2009 | 40.2% | -5.5% |
| 2010 | 40.9% | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 41.3% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 42.4% | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 37.7% | -10.9% |
| 2014 | 37.1% | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 41.2% | +11.1% |
| 2016 | 37.1% | -9.8% |
| 2017 | 44.0% | +18.4% |
| 2018 | 47.0% | +6.8% |
| 2019 | 43.2% | -8.0% |
| 2020 | 47.1% | +9.1% |
| 2021 | 48.1% | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 46.4% | -3.7% |
| 2023 | 45.0% | -3.0% |
| 2024 | 44.2% | -1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 38.3% | 12.9% | 44.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.2% | 37.1% | 47.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 46.2% | 44.2% | 48.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 59 Trinidad and Tobago 45.3% compare
- 60 Georgia 45.2% compare
- 61 Marshall Islands 44.9% compare
- 63 Sri Lanka 44.2% compare
- 64 El Salvador 44.0% compare
- 65 Hungary 44.0% compare
More infrastructure data for South Africa
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 114.79 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 179.34 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 1.01 million (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 1.58 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.0158 units per person (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -25.13 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 1.01 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.79 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
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 44.2% 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 48.1% in 2021.
- What is the lowest proportion of total government spending on essential services recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.9% in 2007.
- How does South Africa rank for proportion of total government spending on essential services?
- South Africa ranks 62nd out of 114 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 19.2%. 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 (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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