Top 10 African countries with the most South Africans living in them (based on available data, primarily 2020 figures from UN/Statistics)
1. Mozambique: 20,171 (2020 Largest African destination, due to historical economic, and geographic ties
2. Zimbabwe: 19.731 (2020) Significant cross-border community.
3. Eswatini (Swaziland): 12,712 (2020) Close proximity and strong economic links
4. Namibia: 8,883 (2020)
Shared border and historical connections.
5. Angola: 6,295 (2020)
6. Malawi: 6,054 (2020)
7. Botswana: 5.733 (2020)
8. Mauritius: 10,000 (estimated 2024; some sources place it higher in recent years
9. Zambia: 3,788 (2020)
10. Lesotho: 4.782 (2020)
Note: these are numbers from 2020, as of 2026, number of South Africans living in other African countries has increased due to higher unemployment, insecurity and corruption in South Africa.