People using improved sanitation facilities in South Africa
South Africa: People using improved sanitation facilities was 59.02 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People using improved 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 using improved sanitation facilities in South Africa is 59.02 million people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.9% on the previous year and up 23.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people using improved sanitation facilities in South Africa peaked at 59.02 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 35.40 million people, in 2000.
South Africa ranks 22nd of 232 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 38.83 million people | 35.40 million people | 42.51 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.19 million people | 43.41 million people | 53.11 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 56.73 million people | 54.36 million people | 59.02 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More population data for South Africa
- World population growth 0.2% (2100)
- Population density 77.75 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 5.55 million people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.2% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 2.21 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 2.21 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 71,171 people (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 2.21 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious 2.22 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate accounting for survival until childbearing age 2.07 children per women (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people using improved sanitation facilities in South Africa?
- People using improved sanitation facilities in South Africa was 59.02 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 using improved sanitation facilities recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 59.02 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people using improved sanitation facilities recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.40 million people in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for people using improved sanitation facilities?
- South Africa ranks 22nd out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 using improved sanitation facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people using improved sanitation facilities, regardless of whether they are shared with other households.