People using at least basic sanitation services, rural (% of rural) in South Africa

South Africa: People using at least basic sanitation services, rural (% of rural) was 63.1% in 2017. ▲ Rising

Latest (2017)
63.1%
Change on year
up 3.5%
World rank
32nd
of 97 countries
All-time high
63.1%
in 2017
All-time low
29.4%
in 2000
Years of data
18
2000–2017

People using at least basic sanitation services, rural (% of rural) in South Africa, 2000–2017

02040602000200820172000: 29.4 lowest2001: 29.4 lowest2002: 31.5 lowest2003: 33.6 lowest2004: 35.7 lowest2005: 37.8 lowest2006: 39.9 lowest2007: 42 lowest2008: 44.1 lowest2009: 46.2 lowest2010: 48.3 lowest2011: 50.4 lowest2012: 52.5 lowest2013: 54.6 lowest2014: 56.8 lowest2015: 58.9 lowest2016: 61 lowest2017: 63.1 lowest

Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (washdata.org). Measured in lowest.

Analysis

The most recent figure for people using at least basic sanitation services, rural (% of rural) in South Africa is 63.1%, measured in 2017. That is the highest value across all 18 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.5% on the previous year and up 50.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people using at least basic sanitation services, rural (% of rural) in South Africa peaked at 63.1% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 29.4%, in 2000.

South Africa ranks 32nd of 97 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 18 years of available data.

People using at least basic sanitation services, rural (% of rural) in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for People using at least basic sanitation services, rural (% of rural population): Q1 (lowest) in South Africa, 2000 to 2017.
Year lowest Change
2000 29.4%
2001 29.4% +0.0%
2002 31.5% +7.2%
2003 33.6% +6.7%
2004 35.7% +6.3%
2005 37.8% +5.9%
2006 39.9% +5.6%
2007 42.0% +5.3%
2008 44.1% +5.0%
2009 46.2% +4.8%
2010 48.3% +4.6%
2011 50.4% +4.4%
2012 52.5% +4.2%
2013 54.6% +4.0%
2014 56.8% +3.9%
2015 58.9% +3.7%
2016 61.0% +3.6%
2017 63.1% +3.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 37.0% 29.4% 46.2% 10
2010s 55.7% 48.3% 63.1% 8

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 29 Guyana 65.0% compare
  2. 30 Georgia 64.8% compare
  3. 31 Algeria 63.3% compare
  4. 33 North Macedonia 61.6% compare
  5. 34 El Salvador 57.4% compare
  6. 35 Republic of Moldova 56.6% compare

See the full ranking of 97 places →

More health data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is people using at least basic sanitation services, rural (% of rural) in South Africa?
People using at least basic sanitation services, rural (% of rural) in South Africa was 63.1% in 2017, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (washdata.org).
What is the highest people using at least basic sanitation services, rural (% of rural) recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 63.1% in 2017.
What is the lowest people using at least basic sanitation services, rural (% of rural) recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 29.4% in 2000.
How does South Africa rank for people using at least basic sanitation services, rural (% of rural)?
South Africa ranks 32nd out of 97 countries with data for 2017.
Is people using at least basic sanitation services, rural (% of rural) rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 50.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (washdata.org), published as part of People using at least basic sanitation services, rural (% of rural population): Q1 (lowest). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 18 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

People using at least basic sanitation services, rural (% of rural) in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (washdata.org). Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/people-using-at-least-basic-sanitation-services-rural-percent-of-rural-population-q1/south-africa/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://health.statizoid.com/stat/people-using-at-least-basic-sanitation-services-rural-percent-of-rural-population-q1/south-africa/">People using at least basic sanitation services, rural (% of rural) in South Africa</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
People using at least basic sanitation services, rural (% of rural population): Q1 (lowest)
Unit
lowest
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (washdata.org)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
97 places, 1,663 data points, 2000–2017
Last refreshed