Central government debt, total in South Africa
South Africa: Central government debt, total was 82.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Central government debt, total in South Africa, 1990–2024
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, central government debt, total in South Africa stood at 82.8%. That is the highest value across all 21 years on record.
The figure is up 4.2% on the previous year and up 57.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, central government debt, total in South Africa peaked at 82.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 32.4%, in 1990.
That places South Africa 14th out of 83 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
Central government debt, total in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 32.4% | — |
| 1991 | 33.9% | +4.7% |
| 1992 | 36.9% | +8.8% |
| 1993 | 40.0% | +8.3% |
| 1994 | 44.8% | +12.2% |
| 1995 | 44.9% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 44.2% | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 43.2% | -2.4% |
| 1998 | 44.7% | +3.4% |
| 1999 | 42.2% | -5.5% |
| 2000 | 39.6% | -6.0% |
| 2015 | 52.7% | +32.8% |
| 2016 | 53.7% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 56.3% | +4.7% |
| 2018 | 59.1% | +5.1% |
| 2019 | 64.6% | +9.3% |
| 2020 | 75.7% | +17.2% |
| 2021 | 74.1% | -2.2% |
| 2022 | 76.2% | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 79.4% | +4.2% |
| 2024 | 82.8% | +4.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 82.8% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 47.9%, 1.7× the median. (33 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 82.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 55.8%, 1.5× the median. (14 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 40.7% | 32.4% | 44.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.6% | 39.6% | 39.6% | 1 |
| 2010s | 57.3% | 52.7% | 64.6% | 5 |
| 2020s | 77.6% | 74.1% | 82.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More economy & growth data for South Africa
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.4836 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.4 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps -4.01 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0094 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -61.95 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -2.16 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -192.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0051 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -33.37 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 16.18 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is central government debt, total in South Africa?
- Central government debt, total in South Africa was 82.8% in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest central government debt, total recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 82.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest central government debt, total recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.4% in 1990.
- How does South Africa rank for central government debt, total?
- South Africa ranks 14th out of 83 countries with data for 2024.
- Is central government debt, total rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 57.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Central government debt, total (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Debt is the entire stock of direct government fixed-term contractual obligations to others outstanding on a particular date. It includes domestic and foreign liabilities such as currency and money deposits, securities other than shares, and loans. It is the gross amount of government liabilities reduced by the amount of equity and financial derivatives held by the government. Because debt is a stock rather than a flow, it is measured as of a given date, usually the last day of the fiscal year. Central government is the part of general government that includes all administrative departments of the national executive, legislative, and judicial functions, other central agencies and those non-market producers controlled by the central government, whose competence extends normally over the whole economic territory. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.