General government final consumption expenditure in South Africa
South Africa: General government final consumption expenditure was 18.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
General government final consumption expenditure in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for general government final consumption expenditure in South Africa is 18.9%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, general government final consumption expenditure in South Africa peaked at 20.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 8.1%, in 1960.
That places South Africa 68th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
General government final consumption expenditure in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 8.1% | — |
| 1961 | 8.4% | +3.5% |
| 1962 | 9.2% | +10.6% |
| 1963 | 8.9% | -3.9% |
| 1964 | 9.7% | +9.5% |
| 1965 | 9.9% | +2.2% |
| 1966 | 10.0% | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 9.8% | -2.0% |
| 1968 | 10.1% | +2.6% |
| 1969 | 10.3% | +2.3% |
| 1970 | 10.8% | +4.3% |
| 1971 | 11.7% | +8.6% |
| 1972 | 11.0% | -5.6% |
| 1973 | 10.3% | -6.6% |
| 1974 | 10.7% | +3.9% |
| 1975 | 12.0% | +12.5% |
| 1976 | 12.8% | +6.2% |
| 1977 | 12.5% | -2.4% |
| 1978 | 13.3% | +6.8% |
| 1979 | 13.4% | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 12.8% | -4.5% |
| 1981 | 13.3% | +3.9% |
| 1982 | 14.8% | +11.3% |
| 1983 | 14.4% | -2.5% |
| 1984 | 15.9% | +10.7% |
| 1985 | 16.3% | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 16.8% | +2.8% |
| 1987 | 17.4% | +3.7% |
| 1988 | 16.8% | -3.2% |
| 1989 | 16.8% | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 17.6% | +4.6% |
| 1991 | 17.7% | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 17.9% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 18.1% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 18.2% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 16.5% | -9.1% |
| 1996 | 17.4% | +5.4% |
| 1997 | 17.5% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 17.1% | -2.2% |
| 1999 | 16.8% | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 16.6% | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 16.6% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 16.8% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 16.9% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 17.0% | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 16.1% | -5.0% |
| 2006 | 15.9% | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 15.9% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 17.1% | +7.5% |
| 2009 | 17.8% | +4.2% |
| 2010 | 18.0% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 18.2% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 18.8% | +3.4% |
| 2013 | 19.1% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 19.3% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 19.0% | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 19.3% | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 19.2% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 19.4% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 19.6% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 20.6% | +5.3% |
| 2021 | 19.1% | -7.3% |
| 2022 | 18.8% | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 19.2% | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 19.2% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 18.9% | -1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 9.4% | 8.1% | 10.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 11.8% | 10.3% | 13.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 15.5% | 12.8% | 17.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.5% | 16.5% | 18.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.7% | 15.9% | 17.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.0% | 18.0% | 19.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.3% | 18.8% | 20.6% | 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)
- 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 general government final consumption expenditure in South Africa?
- General government final consumption expenditure in South Africa was 18.9% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs).
- What is the highest general government final consumption expenditure recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 20.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest general government final consumption expenditure recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.1% in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for general government final consumption expenditure?
- South Africa ranks 68th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is general government final consumption expenditure rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs), published as part of General government final consumption expenditure (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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 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.