Population using at least basic sanitation services in South Africa
South Africa: Population using at least basic sanitation services was 79.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Population using at least basic sanitation services in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
In 2024, population using at least basic sanitation services in South Africa stood at 79.3%. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.0% on the previous year and up 23.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population using at least basic sanitation services in South Africa peaked at 79.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 45.3%, in 2000.
That places South Africa 105th out of 174 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.
Population using at least basic sanitation services in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 45.3% | — |
| 2001 | 46.6% | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 47.9% | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 49.2% | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 50.5% | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 51.8% | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 53.2% | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 54.5% | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 55.9% | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 57.2% | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 58.6% | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 60.0% | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 61.4% | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 62.8% | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 64.3% | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 65.7% | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 67.2% | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 68.6% | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 70.1% | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 71.6% | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 73.1% | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 74.6% | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 76.2% | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 77.7% | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 79.3% | +2.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 79.3% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 91.2%, 87% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 79.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 24.6%, 3.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 51.2% | 45.3% | 57.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 65.0% | 58.6% | 71.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 76.2% | 73.1% | 79.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More environment data for South Africa
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 5.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 8.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.275 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.05 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 0.2953 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population using at least basic sanitation services in South Africa?
- Population using at least basic sanitation services in South Africa was 79.3% in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest population using at least basic sanitation services recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 79.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest population using at least basic sanitation services recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.3% in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for population using at least basic sanitation services?
- South Africa ranks 105th out of 174 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population using at least basic sanitation services rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Population using at least basic sanitation services (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).