South Africa Industry Employment
Employment in industry SL.IND.EMPL.ZS
Overview
South Africa's industry employment stood at 20.76% in 2025, a decline of +0.05% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 20.76% by 2026. South Africa ranked 110th globally.
Data & projection
| Year | Industry Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 20.75% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 20.76% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 20.76% | - | - |
| 2025 | 20.76% | −0.05% | #110 |
| 2024 | 20.81% | +0.23% | #108 |
| 2023 | 20.58% | −0.52% | #111 |
| 2022 | 21.10% | +0.46% | #113 |
| 2021 | 20.64% | −0.56% | #112 |
| 2020 | 21.20% | −1.11% | #118 |
| 2019 | 22.30% | −0.86% | #122 |
| 2018 | 23.16% | −0.19% | #131 |
| 2017 | 23.35% | −0.01% | #130 |
| 2016 | 23.36% | −0.49% | #126 |
| 2015 | 23.85% | +0.39% | #132 |
| 2014 | 23.46% | −0.08% | #125 |
| 2013 | 23.55% | +0.03% | #130 |
| 2012 | 23.51% | −0.71% | #130 |
| 2011 | 24.23% | −0.54% | #136 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
South Africa matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 1994. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw industry employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
South Africa's industry employment was 20.76% in 2025. Ranked 110th globally. This represents a 0.2% decrease from the previous year.
South Africa's industry employment peaked at 26.28% in 2004.
The lowest industry employment in South Africa was 20.58% in 2023.
South Africa ranks 110th globally in industry employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.IND.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
South Africa's industry employment is projected to reach 20.76% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The industry employment of South Africa in 2025 was 20.76%. This ranks 110th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_south-africa_industry-employment,
title = {South Africa Industry Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/south-africa/industry-employment},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}