In 2020, the number of people employed in the informal sector in South Africa amounted to close to 4.8 million. Of those, the majority were men, with around 2.6 million individuals. In the period under review, the number of people with jobs outside formal institutions peaked in 2018 for both genders - approximately 3.1 million men and and 2.7 million women.
Number of people employed in the informal sector in South Africa from 2010 to 2020, by gender
(in 1,000s)
Characteristic
Females
Males
2020
2,156.5
2,641.8
2019
2,652
3,095.8
2018
2,692.9
3,099.9
2017
2,623.1
2,984.8
2016
2,487.7
2,925.7
2015
2,544.2
2,929
2014
2,362.5
2,558.7
2013
2,335.7
2,513.3
2012
2,171.2
2,458.9
2011
2,202.7
2,451.8
2010
2,251.8
2,497.7
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Number of employees in thousandsFemalesMales20102011201220132014201520162017201820192020
2,0002,2002,4002,6002,8003,0003,200
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ILO. (March 13, 2022). Number of people employed in the informal sector in South Africa from 2010 to 2020, by gender (in 1,000s) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved February 23, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1296031/number-of-informal-sector-employees-in-south-africa-by-gender/
ILO. "Number of people employed in the informal sector in South Africa from 2010 to 2020, by gender (in 1,000s)." Chart. March 13, 2022. Statista. Accessed February 23, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1296031/number-of-informal-sector-employees-in-south-africa-by-gender/
ILO. (2022). Number of people employed in the informal sector in South Africa from 2010 to 2020, by gender (in 1,000s). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: February 23, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1296031/number-of-informal-sector-employees-in-south-africa-by-gender/
ILO. "Number of People Employed in The Informal Sector in South Africa from 2010 to 2020, by Gender (in 1,000s)." Statista, Statista Inc., 13 Mar 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1296031/number-of-informal-sector-employees-in-south-africa-by-gender/
ILO, Number of people employed in the informal sector in South Africa from 2010 to 2020, by gender (in 1,000s) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1296031/number-of-informal-sector-employees-in-south-africa-by-gender/ (last visited February 23, 2025)
Number of people employed in the informal sector in South Africa from 2010 to 2020, by gender (in 1,000s) [Graph], ILO, March 13, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1296031/number-of-informal-sector-employees-in-south-africa-by-gender/
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