Self-employed, male (% of male employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in South Africa stood at 19.4% in 2025, according to World Bank. The latest value is up 0.02 percentage points from 19.38% in 2024. Ten years earlier, in 2015, the value was 16.58% (up 2.82 percentage points since). The highest value since 1991 was 19.89% in 2022, the lowest 15.54% in 2000. South Africa ranked 134th highest of the 182 countries in this dataset in 2025; Chad ranked first.
Data source: World Bank · Unit: % · Category: Labor and Employment · Explore more indicators on EconDash
Self-employed, male (% of male employment) (modeled ILO estimate), measured in %, reflects labor market conditions in South Africa, indicating the balance between available workers and job openings. It serves as a crucial signal of economic health, consumer spending capacity, and social stability. Labor market data typically includes multiple dimensions: unemployment rates, employment-to-population ratios, labor force participation, and wage growth. Each metric captures different aspects of job market dynamics — for example, the unemployment rate counts only those actively seeking work, while the participation rate reveals how many working-age people are engaged in the labor market. In South Africa, labor statistics are gathered through household surveys, employer reports, and administrative records like unemployment benefit claims. Changes in Self-employed, male (% of male employment) (modeled ILO estimate) often precede broader economic shifts: rising unemployment typically signals slowing economic activity, while tightening labor markets may foreshadow wage pressures and inflation.
Self-employed, male (% of male employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in South Africa stood at 19.4% in 2025, according to World Bank.
The latest value is up 0.02 percentage points from 19.38% in 2024. Ten years earlier, in 2015, the value was 16.58% (up 2.82 percentage points since).
South Africa ranked 134th highest of the 182 countries in this dataset in 2025; Chad ranked first.
The highest value since 1991 was 19.89% in 2022, the lowest 15.54% in 2000.
| Indicator | Self-employed, male (% of male employment) (modeled ILO estimate) |
|---|---|
| Country | South Africa |
| Category | Labor and Employment |
| Unit | % |
| Source | World Bank |
| Interactive chart | View on EconDash |
| API access | EconDash API documentation |
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World Bank. (2026). Self-employed, male (% of male employment) (modeled ILO estimate) — South Africa [Data set]. Retrieved November 13, 2026, from EconDash: https://econdash.org/chart/wdi-sl-emp-self-ma-zs/ZAF. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.EMP.SELF.MA.ZS
World Bank. "Self-employed, male (% of male employment) (modeled ILO estimate) — South Africa." EconDash, 2026, https://econdash.org/chart/wdi-sl-emp-self-ma-zs/ZAF. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.EMP.SELF.MA.ZS.
World Bank. 2026. "Self-employed, male (% of male employment) (modeled ILO estimate) — South Africa." EconDash. Accessed November 13, 2026. https://econdash.org/chart/wdi-sl-emp-self-ma-zs/ZAF. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.EMP.SELF.MA.ZS.
@misc{econdash_wdi_sl_emp_self_ma_zs_zaf,
author = {{World Bank}},
title = {{Self-employed, male (\% of male employment) (modeled ILO estimate) --- South Africa}},
howpublished = {EconDash},
year = {2026},
url = {https://econdash.org/chart/wdi-sl-emp-self-ma-zs/ZAF},
note = {Accessed: 2026-11-13. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.EMP.SELF.MA.ZS}
}Browse indicators available for South Africa. Click any indicator to view its interactive chart, compare with other countries, and download historical data.
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