Social contributions (current LCU) in South Africa
South Africa: Social contributions (current LCU) was 38.77 billion current LCU in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
38.77 billion current LCU
Change on year
up 5.2%
World rank
51st
of 112 countries
All-time high
38.77 billion current LCU
in 2024
All-time low
39.00 million current LCU
in 1972
Years of data
53
1972–2024
Social contributions in South Africa, 1972–2024
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 38.77 billion current LCU for social contributions in 2024. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
That represents a change of up 5.2% on the previous year and up 60.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, social contributions in South Africa peaked at 38.77 billion current LCU in 2024 and was at its lowest, 39.00 million current LCU, in 1972.
That places South Africa 51st out of 112 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Social contributions (current LCU) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 39.00 million current LCU | — |
| 1973 | 49.00 million current LCU | +25.6% |
| 1974 | 68.00 million current LCU | +38.8% |
| 1975 | 72.00 million current LCU | +5.9% |
| 1976 | 80.00 million current LCU | +11.1% |
| 1977 | 86.00 million current LCU | +7.5% |
| 1978 | 120.00 million current LCU | +39.5% |
| 1979 | 132.00 million current LCU | +10.0% |
| 1980 | 160.00 million current LCU | +21.2% |
| 1981 | 185.00 million current LCU | +15.6% |
| 1982 | 240.00 million current LCU | +29.7% |
| 1983 | 271.00 million current LCU | +12.9% |
| 1984 | 313.00 million current LCU | +15.5% |
| 1985 | 387.00 million current LCU | +23.6% |
| 1986 | 571.00 million current LCU | +47.5% |
| 1987 | 850.00 million current LCU | +48.9% |
| 1988 | 956.00 million current LCU | +12.5% |
| 1989 | 1.34 billion current LCU | +40.1% |
| 1990 | 1.34 billion current LCU | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 1.46 billion current LCU | +9.1% |
| 1992 | 1.68 billion current LCU | +14.5% |
| 1993 | 1.88 billion current LCU | +12.0% |
| 1994 | 2.03 billion current LCU | +8.3% |
| 1995 | 2.80 billion current LCU | +37.6% |
| 1996 | 3.32 billion current LCU | +18.8% |
| 1997 | 3.92 billion current LCU | +17.8% |
| 1998 | 4.12 billion current LCU | +5.2% |
| 1999 | 4.27 billion current LCU | +3.7% |
| 2000 | 5.04 billion current LCU | +18.0% |
| 2001 | 5.25 billion current LCU | +4.0% |
| 2002 | 6.51 billion current LCU | +24.0% |
| 2003 | 8.04 billion current LCU | +23.6% |
| 2004 | 8.47 billion current LCU | +5.4% |
| 2005 | 9.63 billion current LCU | +13.7% |
| 2006 | 11.13 billion current LCU | +15.5% |
| 2007 | 12.72 billion current LCU | +14.3% |
| 2008 | 14.38 billion current LCU | +13.0% |
| 2009 | 15.27 billion current LCU | +6.2% |
| 2010 | 16.27 billion current LCU | +6.6% |
| 2011 | 17.26 billion current LCU | +6.1% |
| 2012 | 20.87 billion current LCU | +20.9% |
| 2013 | 22.10 billion current LCU | +5.9% |
| 2014 | 24.19 billion current LCU | +9.5% |
| 2015 | 24.27 billion current LCU | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 27.11 billion current LCU | +11.7% |
| 2017 | 26.36 billion current LCU | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 28.97 billion current LCU | +9.9% |
| 2019 | 32.52 billion current LCU | +12.2% |
| 2020 | 28.61 billion current LCU | -12.0% |
| 2021 | 32.75 billion current LCU | +14.5% |
| 2022 | 33.87 billion current LCU | +3.4% |
| 2023 | 36.86 billion current LCU | +8.8% |
| 2024 | 38.77 billion current LCU | +5.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 38.77 billion current LCU is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 36.26 billion current LCU, 1.1× the median. (37 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 38.77 billion current LCU is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.63 billion current LCU, 5.1× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 80.75 million current LCU | 39.00 million current LCU | 132.00 million current LCU | 8 |
| 1980s | 527.20 million current LCU | 160.00 million current LCU | 1.34 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.68 billion current LCU | 1.34 billion current LCU | 4.27 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.64 billion current LCU | 5.04 billion current LCU | 15.27 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.99 billion current LCU | 16.27 billion current LCU | 32.52 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.17 billion current LCU | 28.61 billion current LCU | 38.77 billion current LCU | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More public sector data for South Africa
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.4746 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0001 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is social contributions in South Africa?
- Social contributions in South Africa was 38.77 billion current LCU in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest social contributions recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 38.77 billion current LCU in 2024.
- What is the lowest social contributions recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 39.00 million current LCU in 1972.
- How does South Africa rank for social contributions?
- South Africa ranks 51st out of 112 countries with data for 2024.
- Is social contributions rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 60.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Social contributions (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 53 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Social contributions are actual or imputed contributions payable to social insurance schemes to make provisions for social benefits to be paid. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.