South Africa's data, made clear
Explore unemployment, GDP, crime, education, and more — sourced directly from Stats SA and other official bodies, presented without the complexity.
Key indicators
Latest headline statistics from official sources
National Unemployment Rate
0.5pp31.4%
from Q3 2025 (31.9%)
South Africa's official unemployment rate fell to 31.4% in Q4 2025 — the lowest since Q2 2022 — as 44,000 more people found work. The number of employed persons rose to 17.1 million. The expanded unemployment rate (including discouraged work-seekers) stands at 40.7%.
GDP Growth Rate (Quarter-on-Quarter)
0.1pp0.4%
from Q3 2025
South Africa's real GDP grew 0.4% quarter-on-quarter in Q4 2025, seasonally adjusted and annualised, above expectations of 0.3%. This marked the fifth consecutive quarter of expansion. Finance led growth (+1.4%), while manufacturing was the largest drag (-0.6%). For the full year 2025, GDP rose 1.1% — the strongest annual growth since 2022.
Headline Inflation (CPI)
0.9pp4.0%
from March 2026 (3.1%)
South Africa's headline CPI rose to 4.0% year-on-year in April 2026 — the steepest reading since August 2024. The main drivers were a sharp jump in fuel prices (+18% annually), higher electricity tariffs, and insurance costs. Food inflation eased to 2.9%. Core inflation (ex-food, fuel, energy) rose to 3.6%. This moves inflation above the SARB's new 3% target midpoint.
Total Population
1.3%64.0M
from 2023
South Africa's estimated total population for mid-2024, based on Stats SA's mid-year population estimates. The 2022 Census counted 62.0 million. Annual population growth is estimated at approximately 1.4%.
National Matric Pass Rate
4.4pp87.3%
from 2023
The national senior certificate (matric) pass rate for the 2024 academic year, the highest on record. Bachelor's degree passes (qualifying for university entrance) were achieved by 47.8% of candidates. 1,044,415 candidates wrote the examinations.
Murder Cases
4.6%26,232
from 2022/23
Total murder cases reported nationally for the 2023/24 financial year (April 2023 – March 2024). This is the first decline in four years, equating to approximately 72 murders per day. The rate is 41.9 per 100,000 population.
Browse by category
Dive deep into any area of South African public life
Unemployment
Labour force participation, jobless rates and employment trends across provinces.
9 datasets
GDP & Economy
Gross domestic product, economic growth, interest rates and sectoral output data.
6 datasets
Inflation & Prices
Consumer price index, producer prices and purchasing power trends.
4 datasets
Crime
Crime statistics by category, province and reporting period.
3 datasets
Education
Matric pass rates, enrolment figures, literacy rates and tertiary education data.
3 datasets
Population
Demographics, age distribution, migration and household composition.
3 datasets
Housing
Home ownership, informal settlements, housing delivery and access to services.
3 datasets
Census 2022
Results from the South Africa Census 2022 conducted by Stats SA.
3 datasets
Data Stories
Beyond the numbers
Understand what the statistics actually mean. Data-driven narratives on unemployment, inflation, youth employment, provincial inequality, and more.
Why SA Data Hub?
Government data should be accessible to every South African — not just researchers and policymakers.
Official sources only
Every statistic is sourced directly from Stats SA, the Reserve Bank, SAPS, and other authorised government bodies.
Regularly updated
Data is refreshed whenever official publications are released — quarterly for labour and GDP, monthly for inflation.
No spin, no agenda
We present the data as-is. Context is provided, but interpretation is left to you. No advertising, no paywalls.