General government final consumption expenditure in South Africa
South Africa: General government final consumption expenditure was -0.2% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
General government final consumption expenditure in South Africa, 1961–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in annual % growth.
Analysis
In 2025, general government final consumption expenditure in South Africa stood at -0.2%.
The figure is down 177.4% on the previous year and up 77.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, general government final consumption expenditure in South Africa peaked at 15.2% in 1962 and was at its lowest, -6.0%, in 1995.
That places South Africa 143rd out of 174 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
General government final consumption expenditure in South Africa, year by year
| Year | annual % growth | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 6.4% | — |
| 1962 | 15.2% | +137.3% |
| 1963 | 4.4% | -70.8% |
| 1964 | 7.8% | +76.3% |
| 1965 | 8.7% | +11.1% |
| 1966 | 5.0% | -42.6% |
| 1967 | 4.0% | -20.5% |
| 1968 | 6.9% | +74.3% |
| 1969 | 6.2% | -10.5% |
| 1970 | 7.9% | +28.7% |
| 1971 | 7.9% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | -0.5% | -105.7% |
| 1973 | 4.4% | -1073.1% |
| 1974 | 7.7% | +75.8% |
| 1975 | 12.1% | +56.4% |
| 1976 | 5.5% | -54.6% |
| 1977 | 3.8% | -30.3% |
| 1978 | 0.7% | -82.5% |
| 1979 | 4.8% | +615.1% |
| 1980 | 9.1% | +89.8% |
| 1981 | 1.9% | -79.2% |
| 1982 | 6.3% | +233.9% |
| 1983 | 1.8% | -71.3% |
| 1984 | 6.8% | +275.6% |
| 1985 | 3.4% | -49.5% |
| 1986 | 2.3% | -33.3% |
| 1987 | 3.7% | +63.2% |
| 1988 | 1.7% | -55.7% |
| 1989 | 4.0% | +142.3% |
| 1990 | 2.3% | -43.7% |
| 1991 | 2.3% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 1.9% | -17.5% |
| 1993 | 1.2% | -37.2% |
| 1994 | 0.8% | -31.0% |
| 1995 | -6.0% | -842.9% |
| 1996 | 3.8% | -163.3% |
| 1997 | 2.1% | -43.9% |
| 1998 | -2.2% | -203.9% |
| 1999 | 0.4% | -119.6% |
| 2000 | 2.9% | +574.1% |
| 2001 | 3.1% | +6.6% |
| 2002 | 4.6% | +46.4% |
| 2003 | 5.7% | +23.7% |
| 2004 | 5.2% | -7.4% |
| 2005 | 1.1% | -79.4% |
| 2006 | 3.8% | +249.2% |
| 2007 | 6.2% | +64.7% |
| 2008 | 7.7% | +23.6% |
| 2009 | 1.8% | -77.0% |
| 2010 | -0.3% | -115.8% |
| 2011 | 4.1% | -1564.2% |
| 2012 | 4.8% | +17.3% |
| 2013 | 3.2% | -34.0% |
| 2014 | 1.9% | -39.1% |
| 2015 | -1.0% | -149.9% |
| 2016 | 2.0% | -309.9% |
| 2017 | -0.3% | -113.8% |
| 2018 | 1.1% | -490.7% |
| 2019 | 1.8% | +69.5% |
| 2020 | 0.9% | -49.4% |
| 2021 | 0.6% | -35.9% |
| 2022 | 0.7% | +23.5% |
| 2023 | 1.9% | +152.7% |
| 2024 | -0.1% | -104.2% |
| 2025 | -0.2% | +177.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.2% | 4.0% | 15.2% | 9 |
| 1970s | 5.4% | -0.5% | 12.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.1% | 1.7% | 9.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.7% | -6.0% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.2% | 1.1% | 7.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.7% | -1.0% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.6% | -0.2% | 1.9% | 6 |
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)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 4.99 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1387 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per capita 915.19 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), annual growth rate 2.47 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP 2.48 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per capita 16,372 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 0.7139 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.1196 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is general government final consumption expenditure in South Africa?
- General government final consumption expenditure in South Africa was -0.2% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest general government final consumption expenditure recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 15.2% in 1962.
- What is the lowest general government final consumption expenditure recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -6.0% in 1995.
- How does South Africa rank for general government final consumption expenditure?
- South Africa ranks 143rd out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is general government final consumption expenditure rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 77.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of General government final consumption expenditure (annual % growth). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Final consumption expenditure is expenditure on goods and services by resident institutional units for the direct satisfaction of human needs or wants, whether individual or collective. General government FCE includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees), and most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. This indicator denotes the percentage change over each previous year of the constant price (base year 2015) series in United States dollars.