Death rate from cancer in South Africa
South Africa: Death rate from cancer was 92.38 deaths per 100,000 people in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
92.38 deaths per 100,000 people
Change on year
down 12.3%
World rank
63rd
of 111 countries
All-time high
116.17 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2000
All-time low
92.38 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2020
Years of data
25
1996–2020
Death rate from cancer in South Africa, 1996–2020
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 92.38 deaths per 100,000 people for death rate from cancer in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 12.3% on the previous year and down 16.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, death rate from cancer in South Africa peaked at 116.17 deaths per 100,000 people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 92.38 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2020.
That places South Africa 63rd out of 111 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Death rate from cancer in South Africa, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 110.77 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 1997 | 109.46 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1998 | 112.68 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.9% |
| 1999 | 116.15 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 116.17 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 113.08 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2002 | 112.61 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 113.69 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 114.31 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 115.53 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 111.59 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.4% |
| 2007 | 110.93 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 105.75 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.7% |
| 2009 | 109.49 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.5% |
| 2010 | 110.13 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 109.26 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 106.93 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 103.24 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.5% |
| 2014 | 103.49 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 109.09 deaths per 100,000 people | +5.4% |
| 2016 | 110.29 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 106.86 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.1% |
| 2018 | 105.68 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 105.36 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 92.38 deaths per 100,000 people | -12.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 112.26 deaths per 100,000 people | 109.46 deaths per 100,000 people | 116.15 deaths per 100,000 people | 4 |
| 2000s | 112.31 deaths per 100,000 people | 105.75 deaths per 100,000 people | 116.17 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 107.03 deaths per 100,000 people | 103.24 deaths per 100,000 people | 110.29 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 92.38 deaths per 100,000 people | 92.38 deaths per 100,000 people | 92.38 deaths per 100,000 people | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 60 Australia 95.09 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 61 Malta 93.44 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 62 Brazil 93.29 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 64 Finland 91.52 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 65 Suriname 90.74 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 66 Japan 89.01 deaths per 100,000 people compare
More health data for South Africa
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1386 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,152 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 3,333 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita 0.0081 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 2.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0035 units per person (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 5,666 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, per capita 0.0001 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is death rate from cancer in South Africa?
- Death rate from cancer in South Africa was 92.38 deaths per 100,000 people in 2020, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest death rate from cancer recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 116.17 deaths per 100,000 people in 2000.
- What is the lowest death rate from cancer recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 92.38 deaths per 100,000 people in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for death rate from cancer?
- South Africa ranks 63rd out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is death rate from cancer rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Death rate from cancer. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Reported deaths from malignant neoplasms in both sexes in those aged all ages per 100,000 people.