What is press freedom in South Africa?

Press freedom in South Africa was 1 in 2016, according to Freedom House (2017) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest press freedom recorded in South Africa?

The highest recorded value was 2 in 1994.

What is the lowest press freedom recorded in South Africa?

The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1979.

How does South Africa rank for press freedom?

South Africa ranks 61st out of 194 countries with data for 2016.

Is press freedom rising or falling in South Africa?

Over the last ten years it is down 50.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this South Africa data come from?

The figures come from Freedom House (2017) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Press freedom. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Press freedom in South Africa

Name: Press freedom in South Africa
Creator: Freedom House (2017) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

South Africa: Press freedom was 1 in 2016. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2016)

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

61st

of 194 countries

All-time high

in 1994

All-time low

in 1979

Years of data

1979–2016

Press freedom in South Africa, 1979–2016

Source: Freedom House (2017) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for press freedom in South Africa is 1, measured in 2016.

The figure is down 50.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, press freedom in South Africa peaked at 2 in 1994 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1979.

South Africa ranks 61st of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1970s	0	0	0	1
1980s	0	0	0	8
1990s	1.6	1	2	10
2000s	1.9	1	2	10
2010s	1	1	1	7

Countries ranked near South Africa

See the full ranking of 194 places →

More social development data for South Africa

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 55,177 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 1,319 (2025)
Physical Integrity Rights Score -0.5153 (2019)
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin 2,575 (2025)
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum 82,358 (2025)
Forcibly displaced people 137,535 (2025)
Self-reported life satisfaction 5.01 (2025)
Share of people agreeing with the statement "most people can be trusted" 23.3% (2014)

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is press freedom in South Africa?: Press freedom in South Africa was 1 in 2016, according to Freedom House (2017) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest press freedom recorded in South Africa?: The highest recorded value was 2 in 1994.
What is the lowest press freedom recorded in South Africa?: The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1979.
How does South Africa rank for press freedom?: South Africa ranks 61st out of 194 countries with data for 2016.
Is press freedom rising or falling in South Africa?: Over the last ten years it is down 50.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Africa data come from?: The figures come from Freedom House (2017) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Press freedom. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Press freedom
Source: Freedom House (2017) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 194 places, 6,417 data points, 1979–2016
Last refreshed: 06 August 2026

Based on the classification and data by Freedom House. It captures the legal, political, and economic environment of the press.