Proportion of population using at least basic sanitation services in South Africa

South Africa: Proportion of population using at least basic sanitation services was 77.38 in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
77.38
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
170th
of 231 countries
All-time high
77.38
in 2024
All-time low
60.5
in 2000
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Proportion of population using at least basic sanitation services in South Africa, 2000–2024

0204060802000201220242000: 60.52001: 61.32002: 62.12003: 62.82004: 63.62005: 64.42006: 65.22007: 65.92008: 66.72009: 67.42010: 68.12011: 68.82012: 69.52013: 70.22014: 70.92015: 71.62016: 72.32017: 732018: 73.62019: 74.32020: 74.92021: 75.52022: 76.22023: 76.82024: 77.4

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

In 2024, proportion of population using at least basic sanitation services in South Africa stood at 77.38. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 9.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of population using at least basic sanitation services in South Africa peaked at 77.38 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 60.5, in 2000.

That places South Africa 170th out of 231 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.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 63.98 60.5 67.39 10
2010s 71.25 68.12 74.28 10
2020s 76.16 74.92 77.38 5

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 167 Dominica 80.37 compare
  2. 168 Marshall Islands 78.96 compare
  3. 169 Peru 78.77 compare
  4. 171 Mongolia 74.28 compare
  5. 172 Myanmar 74.18 compare
  6. 173 Timor-Leste 72.94 compare

See the full ranking of 292 places →

More population data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of population using at least basic sanitation services in South Africa?
Proportion of population using at least basic sanitation services in South Africa was 77.38 in 2024, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest proportion of population using at least basic sanitation services recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 77.38 in 2024.
What is the lowest proportion of population using at least basic sanitation services recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 60.5 in 2000.
How does South Africa rank for proportion of population using at least basic sanitation services?
South Africa ranks 170th out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
Is proportion of population using at least basic sanitation services rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Proportion of population using at least basic sanitation services (Sanitation). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of population using at least basic sanitation services in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 21 August 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-population-using-at-least-basic-sanitation-services-sanitation/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of population using at least basic sanitation services (Sanitation)
Source
UNICEF
Licence
UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
292 places, 7,089 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed