South Africa the worst country for crime and unemployment

The 2025 Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI) revealed that South Africa ranked last among 120 countries in terms of personal safety and employment.

The Chandler Good Government Index was launched in 2021 as the world’s most comprehensive measure of national government capability and effectiveness.

In 2025, CGGI added seven new countries to its rankings, expanding its total coverage to 120 countries and encompassing 90% of the world’s population.

The index adopts a non-ideological and non-partisan approach to governance, focusing on state capabilities and performance.

The Chandler Good Government Index comprises 35 indicators organised into seven categories, which are individually ranked.

They are leadership and foresight, laws and policies, strong institutions, financial stewardship, an attractive marketplace, global influence and reputation, and helping people rise.

South Africa’s Chandler Good Government Index declined significantly between 2021, when the index was first launched, and 2025.

In 2021, it ranked 70th and improved to 68th in 2022. However, since then, it has declined to 77th and is on a downward trend.

South Africa ranked below Mauritius, Rwanda, Botswana, and Morocco, indicating its poor performance compared to other African countries.

South Africa performed particularly poorly in helping its citizens rise, ranking 113 out of 120 countries in this category.

It ranked near the bottom of the 120 countries included in the CGGI report in terms of healthcare and income distribution.

Its worst performance was in personal safety and employment, where it ranked last out of the 120 countries.

The CGGI researchers defined personal safety as the state’s ability to protect its people from violent crime.

South Africa has a tremendous problem with violent crime, and its poor performance should not come as a surprise to anyone living in the country.

When considering employment, the researchers examined the quality and quantity of employment opportunities within the country.

South Africa’s national unemployment rate stands at 33.2%, which is considered catastrophic in all global economies.

The expanded unemployment rate in the second quarter of 2025 was 42.9%, providing a true reflection of the job scarcity in South Africa.

The chart below, courtesy of the Chandler Good Government Index, illustrates South Africa’s decline in supporting its citizens over recent years.

South Africa’s overall performance