Key media freedoms in South Africa
South Africa: Key media freedoms was 1.68 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.68
Change on year
up 17.5%
World rank
37th
of 175 countries
All-time high
1.68
in 2025
All-time low
-2.66
in 1977
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Key media freedoms in South Africa, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 1.68 for key media freedoms in 2025. That is the highest value across all 126 years on record.
The figure is up 17.5% on the previous year and up 56.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in South Africa peaked at 1.68 in 2025 and was at its lowest, -2.66, in 1977.
That places South Africa 37th out of 175 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Key media freedoms in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -0.197 | — |
| 1901 | -0.197 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -0.197 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -0.197 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -0.197 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -0.197 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -0.197 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -0.197 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -0.197 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -0.197 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.101 | -151.3% |
| 1911 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 0.101 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | -0.613 | -706.9% |
| 1949 | -0.786 | +28.2% |
| 1950 | -0.786 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -0.786 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -0.786 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -0.786 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -0.786 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -0.786 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -0.786 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -0.786 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -0.786 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -0.786 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -0.786 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -0.978 | +24.4% |
| 1962 | -0.978 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -0.978 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -1.87 | +91.0% |
| 1965 | -1.87 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -1.87 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -1.87 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -1.87 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -1.87 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -1.87 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -1.87 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -1.87 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -1.87 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -2.13 | +14.0% |
| 1975 | -2.13 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -2.13 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -2.66 | +25.1% |
| 1978 | -2.66 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -2.66 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -2.66 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -2.66 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -2.66 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -2.66 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -2.66 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -2.66 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -2.66 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -2.66 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -2.66 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -2.66 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | -0.932 | -65.0% |
| 1991 | -0.446 | -52.1% |
| 1992 | -0.446 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.141 | -131.6% |
| 1994 | 1.54 | +995.7% |
| 1995 | 1.54 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1.54 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 1.54 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 1.54 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 1.54 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 1.54 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 1.54 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 1.54 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 1.54 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 1.54 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1.54 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1.65 | +6.7% |
| 2007 | 1.65 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 1.31 | -20.6% |
| 2009 | 1.24 | -5.0% |
| 2010 | 1.24 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1.1 | -11.4% |
| 2012 | 1.1 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1.07 | -2.7% |
| 2014 | 1.07 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.07 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.944 | -11.9% |
| 2017 | 0.488 | -48.3% |
| 2018 | 0.976 | +100.0% |
| 2019 | 1.01 | +4.0% |
| 2020 | 1.15 | +13.2% |
| 2021 | 1.26 | +9.8% |
| 2022 | 1.54 | +22.1% |
| 2023 | 1.35 | -12.3% |
| 2024 | 1.43 | +5.6% |
| 2025 | 1.68 | +17.5% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1.68 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.209, 8.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1.68 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.123, 13.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -0.197 | -0.197 | -0.197 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.101 | 0.101 | 0.101 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.101 | 0.101 | 0.101 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.101 | 0.101 | 0.101 | 10 |
| 1940s | -0.0591 | -0.786 | 0.101 | 10 |
| 1950s | -0.786 | -0.786 | -0.786 | 10 |
| 1960s | -1.49 | -1.87 | -0.786 | 10 |
| 1970s | -2.18 | -2.66 | -1.87 | 10 |
| 1980s | -2.66 | -2.66 | -2.66 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.7587 | -0.932 | 1.54 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.51 | 1.24 | 1.65 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.01 | 0.488 | 1.24 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.4 | 1.15 | 1.68 | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More social development data for South Africa
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 55,177 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,319 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,319 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0009 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key media freedoms in South Africa?
- Key media freedoms in South Africa was 1.68 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.68 in 2025.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.66 in 1977.
- How does South Africa rank for key media freedoms?
- South Africa ranks 37th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 56.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Key media freedoms. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which the government directly or indirectly attempts to censor political content in print and broadcast media, through formal restrictions or indirect pressures such as financial control, licensing, or access to distribution channels.