Central government debt, total (current LCU) in South Africa
South Africa: Central government debt, total (current LCU) was 6.09 trillion current LCU in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Central government debt, total in South Africa, 1990–2024
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 6.09 trillion current LCU for central government debt, total in 2024. That is the highest value across all 21 years on record.
That represents a change of up 8.9% on the previous year and up 161.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, central government debt, total in South Africa peaked at 6.09 trillion current LCU in 2024 and was at its lowest, 105.66 billion current LCU, in 1990.
That places South Africa 19th out of 83 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Central government debt, total (current LCU) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 105.66 billion current LCU | — |
| 1991 | 126.61 billion current LCU | +19.8% |
| 1992 | 154.66 billion current LCU | +22.2% |
| 1993 | 192.16 billion current LCU | +24.2% |
| 1994 | 244.29 billion current LCU | +27.1% |
| 1995 | 279.49 billion current LCU | +14.4% |
| 1996 | 310.41 billion current LCU | +11.1% |
| 1997 | 336.18 billion current LCU | +8.3% |
| 1998 | 377.66 billion current LCU | +12.3% |
| 1999 | 390.44 billion current LCU | +3.4% |
| 2000 | 417.45 billion current LCU | +6.9% |
| 2015 | 2.33 trillion current LCU | +457.6% |
| 2016 | 2.56 trillion current LCU | +9.9% |
| 2017 | 2.86 trillion current LCU | +11.7% |
| 2018 | 3.17 trillion current LCU | +10.9% |
| 2019 | 3.63 trillion current LCU | +14.6% |
| 2020 | 4.21 trillion current LCU | +15.9% |
| 2021 | 4.60 trillion current LCU | +9.2% |
| 2022 | 5.08 trillion current LCU | +10.5% |
| 2023 | 5.59 trillion current LCU | +10.0% |
| 2024 | 6.09 trillion current LCU | +8.9% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 6.09 trillion current LCU is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 309.59 billion current LCU, 19.7× the median. (33 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 6.09 trillion current LCU is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 944.88 billion current LCU, 6.4× the median. (14 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Central government debt, total (current LCU) in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | +457.6% | 417.45 billion current LCU | 2.33 trillion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 251.76 billion current LCU | 105.66 billion current LCU | 390.44 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 417.45 billion current LCU | 417.45 billion current LCU | 417.45 billion current LCU | 1 |
| 2010s | 2.91 trillion current LCU | 2.33 trillion current LCU | 3.63 trillion current LCU | 5 |
| 2020s | 5.11 trillion current LCU | 4.21 trillion current LCU | 6.09 trillion current LCU | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More public sector data for South Africa
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.4746 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0001 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is central government debt, total in South Africa?
- Central government debt, total in South Africa was 6.09 trillion current LCU 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 6.09 trillion current LCU in 2024.
- What is the lowest central government debt, total recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 105.66 billion current LCU in 1990.
- How does South Africa rank for central government debt, total?
- South Africa ranks 19th 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 161.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 (current LCU). 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 in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.