Country: South Africa

Number of People Groups

65

People Groups Unreached

8 (12.3%)

Progress Level

Progress Gauge

Total
Population

60,277,000

Population in Unreached

982,000 (1.6%)

Largest Religion

% Christian Adherent

77.06%

% Evangelical

21.02%

Evangelical Annual Growth Rate

2.2%
Map Notes
Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
Photo People Group Population
this Country
Global
Population
Indigenous Primary Language Primary Religion Progress
Scale
% Christian
Adherent
% Evangelical Est. Workers
Needed *
 Afrikaner 4,018,000 4,712,000 Afrikaans Christianity 89.00 % 23.25 % -
 Americans, U.S. 12,000 196,885,000 English Christianity 77.00 % 28.00 % -
 Anglo-South African 1,359,000 1,492,000 English Christianity 85.00 % 19.93 % -
 Arab, Egyptian 61,000 76,698,000 Arabic, Egyptian Spoken Islam 13.00 % 3.90 % -
 Arab, Lebanese 5,700 6,330,000 Arabic, Levantine Islam 32.00 % 0.50 % -
 Bhojpuri Bihari 58,000 86,000 Bhojpuri Hinduism 5.00 % 0.50 % 1
Birwa 12,000 164,000 Birwa Ethnic Religions 34.00 % 6.00 % -
 British 274,000 53,969,000 English Christianity 60.00 % 8.80 % -
 Chinese, general 364,000 15,879,000 English Non-Religious 8.00 % 5.70 % -
 Coloured 5,376,000 5,376,000 Afrikaans Christianity 82.00 % 24.36 % -
Coloured Creole 40,000 40,000 Oorlams Christianity 80.00 % 6.00 % -
 Deaf 453,000 49,661,000 South African Sign Language Christianity 75.24 % -
 Dutch 31,000 13,830,000 Dutch Non-Religious 46.00 % 4.50 % -
 French 12,000 50,459,000 French Christianity 61.00 % 1.00 % -
 German 15,000 67,100,000 German, Standard Christianity 64.00 % 2.10 % -
 Greek 21,000 10,478,000 Greek Christianity 91.00 % 0.40 % -
 Griqua 100 100 English Christianity 100.00 % 10.00 % -
 Gujarati 32,000 3,464,000 Gujarati Hinduism 3.00 % 0.40 % 1
 Hindi 471,000 2,734,000 Hindi Hinduism 4.00 % 0.60 % 9
 Indian, English-speaking 467,000 546,000 English Hinduism 10.00 % 1.00 % -
 Italian 20,000 37,702,000 Italian Christianity 82.00 % 1.10 % -
 Jewish, English-speaking 51,000 5,401,000 English Ethnic Religions 0.50 % 0.10 % 1
Korana 11,000 11,000 Language unknown Christianity 70.00 % 10.00 % -
 Korean 1,400 81,888,000 Korean Christianity 31.00 % 16.80 % -
 Kung-Ekoka 4,200 25,000 Kung-Ekoka Ethnic Religions 8.00 % 0.20 % -
 Kxoe, Xun 1,500 8,400 Khwedam Ethnic Religions 20.00 % 15.00 % -
 Lembaa 1,396,000 1,507,000 Venda Ethnic Religions 40.00 % 17.72 % -
 Makhuwa 18,000 3,706,000 Makhuwa Ethnic Religions 21.00 % 3.00 % -
 Malay, Cape 327,000 327,000 Afrikaans Islam 0.50 % 0.20 % 7
 Mauritian 43,000 1,104,000 Morisyen Hinduism 35.00 % 6.00 % -
 Nama, Khoekhoe 2,200 360,000 Khoekhoe Christianity 70.00 % 14.00 % -
 Ndebele, Southern 1,258,000 1,258,000 Ndebele Christianity 80.00 % 12.18 % -
Nghuki 700 700 Afrikaans Christianity 90.00 % 2.00 % -
Nusan Nung, Ngamani 500 3,600 Xoo Ethnic Religions 14.00 % 2.00 % -
 Nyanja, Chewa 3,300 13,642,000 Chichewa Christianity 65.00 % 13.00 % -
 Pedi, North Sotho 5,377,000 5,596,000 Sotho, Northern Christianity 82.00 % 12.18 % -
 Portuguese 1,889,000 22,749,000 Portuguese Christianity 94.00 % 3.32 % -
 Romani, Romanichal 10,000 182,000 Angloromani Christianity 65.00 % 3.00 % -
Ronga 1,300 649,000 Ronga Christianity 80.00 % 3.00 % -
Setswana 408,000 906,000 Setswana Christianity 68.00 % 16.00 % -
 Shona 23,000 1,406,000 Shona Christianity 65.00 % 12.00 % -
 Somali 24,000 26,240,000 Somali Islam 0.50 % 0.40 % 1
 Sotho, Khutswe 614,000 614,000 Sotho, Northern Christianity 80.00 % 14.00 % -
 Sotho, Southern 4,481,000 6,398,000 Sotho, Southern Christianity 82.00 % 21.04 % -
 South Asian, Telugu-speaking 5,000 1,175,000 Telugu Hinduism 7.00 % 7.00 % -
 Swahili 2,500 1,183,000 Swahili Islam 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
 Swazi 1,505,000 2,614,000 Swati Christianity 75.00 % 16.61 % -
 Tamil (Hindu traditions) 33,000 2,857,000 Tamil Hinduism 12.00 % 1.50 % -
 Tsonga, Shangaan 2,631,000 7,219,000 Tsonga Christianity 68.00 % 21.04 % -
Tswa 25,000 1,080,000 Tswa Christianity 75.00 % 11.00 % -
 Tswana, Detribalized 292,000 405,000 Setswana Christianity 85.00 % 15.00 % -
Tswana-Hurutshe 1,536,000 1,552,000 Setswana Christianity 70.00 % 22.15 % -
Tswana-Kwena 58,000 318,000 Setswana Christianity 72.00 % 13.00 % -
Tswana-Malete 58,000 103,000 Setswana Christianity 73.00 % 16.00 % -
Tswana-Ngwaketse 175,000 423,000 Setswana Christianity 72.00 % 13.00 % -
Tswana-Ngwato 58,000 650,000 Setswana Christianity 70.00 % 17.00 % -
Tswana-Rolong 583,000 617,000 Setswana Christianity 78.00 % 13.00 % -
Tswana-Tlhaping 408,000 408,000 Setswana Christianity 60.00 % 17.00 % -
Tswana-Tlharu 467,000 467,000 Setswana Christianity 65.00 % 13.00 % -
Tswana-Tlokwa 233,000 245,000 Setswana Christianity 55.00 % 14.00 % -
 Urdu 15,000 2,146,000 Urdu Islam 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Vasekela Bushman, Maligo 3,800 20,000 Northwestern Kung Ethnic Religions 32.00 % 2.00 % -
 Xhosa 8,575,000 8,652,000 Xhosa Christianity 81.00 % 26.58 % -
 Xhosa-Tembu 919,000 919,000 Xhosa Christianity 75.00 % 20.00 % -
 Zulu 13,644,000 14,243,000 Zulu Christianity 81.00 % 28.79 % -
  Totals:  65 60,277,000         8 77.06 % 21.02 % 22 
  Unclassified / Other Individuals 137,000                
  UN Country Population (2023) 60,414,000                
  Download Data   Data Sources   Definitions
Prayer Cards

Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
Province Estimated
Population
Eastern Cape 7,087,000
Free State 2,871,000
Gauteng 13,572,000
KwaZulu-Natal 11,207,000
Limpopo 5,873,000
Mpumalanga 4,392,000
North West 3,796,000
Northern Cape 1,209,000
Western Cape 6,361,000
Provinces:  9 56,368,000
UN Country Population 60,414,000
Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
Language Code # Peoples
w/ this Primary
Language
# Unreached
w/ this Primary
Language
Scripture
Status
NT Text
Online
NT Audio
Online
Jesus Film
Online
Audio
Recordings
Online
Gospel
Tract
Online
Afrikaans afr 4 1 Complete Bible
Angloromani rme 1 0 Bible Portions
Arabic, Egyptian Spoken arz 1 0 Complete Bible
Arabic, Levantine apc 1 0 Bible Portions
Bhojpuri bho 1 1 New Testament
Birwa brl 1 0 Translation Started
Chichewa nya 1 0 Complete Bible
Dutch nld 1 0 Complete Bible
English eng 7 1 Complete Bible
French fra 1 0 Complete Bible
German, Standard deu 1 0 Complete Bible
Greek ell 1 0 Complete Bible
Gujarati guj 1 1 Complete Bible
Hindi hin 1 1 Complete Bible
Italian ita 1 0 Complete Bible
Khoekhoe naq 1 0 Complete Bible
Khwedam xuu 1 0 Bible Portions
Korean kor 1 0 Complete Bible
Kung-Ekoka knw 1 0 Bible Portions
Makhuwa vmw 1 0 Complete Bible
Morisyen mfe 1 0 New Testament
Ndebele nbl 1 0 Complete Bible
Northwestern Kung vaj 1 0 Translation Started
Oorlams oor 1 0 Translation Needed
Portuguese por 1 0 Complete Bible
Ronga rng 1 0 Complete Bible
Setswana tsn 11 0 Complete Bible
Shona sna 1 0 Complete Bible
Somali som 1 1 Complete Bible
Sotho, Northern nso 2 0 Complete Bible
Sotho, Southern sot 1 0 Complete Bible
South African Sign Language sfs 1 0 Bible Portions
Swahili swh 1 1 Complete Bible
Swati ssw 1 0 Complete Bible
Tamil tam 1 0 Complete Bible
Telugu tel 1 0 Complete Bible
Tsonga tso 1 0 Complete Bible
Tswa tsc 1 0 Complete Bible
Unknown xxx 1 0 Unspecified
Urdu urd 1 1 Complete Bible
Venda ven 1 0 Complete Bible
Xhosa xho 2 0 Complete Bible
Xoo nmn 1 0 Translation Started
Zulu zul 1 0 Complete Bible
Totals: 44 65 8   0 27 35 39 26
Networking Possibilities

Search the Web
There are many agencies and churches looking for additional staff to help them in their mission and calling in South Africa. Internet searches are probably the best way to find these organizations. The following are some example search topics you might try:

  • Church planting agencies in South Africa
  • Christian ministry in South Africa
  • Business as mission
  • Christian literature distribution
  • Evangelism agencies
  • Christian discipleship
  • Short term Christian missions
  • Long term Christian missions
  • Urban ministries
  • Christian media opportunities
  • Bible translation opportunities
  • Relief and development agencies
  • Clean water projects
  • Christian medical outreaches

South Africa Statistics
People Groups 65
Unreached People Groups 8  (12.3%)
Population 60,277,000
Population Annual Growth Rate 0.8%
Population in Unreached 982,000  (1.6%)
Primary Religion Christianity
Percent Christian Adherent 77.1%
Percent Evangelical 21.0%
Evangelical Annual Growth Rate 2.2%
Pioneer Workers Needed * 22
Country Progress Level 5
Urbanization 66%
Continent Africa
Region Africa, East and Southern
10/40 Window No
Country Code SF
Official Language(s) EnglishAfrikaans
Literacy Rate 87%
Estimated Illiterate Population 7,836,000
Persecution Ranking Not ranked


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