Deficit, Percent of own spending (Central government) in South Africa
South Africa: Deficit, Percent of own spending (Central government) was -0.4653 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Deficit, Percent of own spending in South Africa, 1997–2020
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
The most recent figure for deficit, percent of own spending in South Africa is -0.4653, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is down 56.4% on the previous year and down 54.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, deficit, percent of own spending in South Africa peaked at 0.0735 in 2007 and was at its lowest, -0.4653, in 2020.
That places South Africa 55th out of 66 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Deficit, Percent of own spending (Central government) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | -0.2548 | — |
| 1998 | -0.2033 | -20.2% |
| 1999 | -0.1248 | -38.6% |
| 2000 | -0.1273 | +2.0% |
| 2001 | -0.0565 | -55.6% |
| 2002 | -0.0902 | +59.7% |
| 2003 | -0.1833 | +103.2% |
| 2004 | -0.1482 | -19.1% |
| 2005 | -0.0433 | -70.8% |
| 2006 | 0.0374 | -186.4% |
| 2007 | 0.0735 | +96.3% |
| 2008 | -0.0365 | -149.7% |
| 2009 | -0.3072 | +740.7% |
| 2010 | -0.3008 | -2.1% |
| 2011 | -0.3269 | +8.7% |
| 2012 | -0.3054 | -6.6% |
| 2013 | -0.2434 | -20.3% |
| 2014 | -0.2141 | -12.0% |
| 2015 | -0.2212 | +3.3% |
| 2016 | -0.1862 | -15.8% |
| 2017 | -0.252 | +35.3% |
| 2018 | -0.2632 | +4.5% |
| 2019 | -0.2975 | +13.0% |
| 2020 | -0.4653 | +56.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's -0.4653 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is -0.3126, 1.5× the median. (26 countries reporting)
- South Africa's -0.4653 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -0.31, 1.5× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Deficit, Percent of own spending (Central government) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | -740.7% | -0.0365 | -0.3072 |
| 2006 | +186.4% | -0.0433 | 0.0374 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -0.1943 | -0.2548 | -0.1248 | 3 |
| 2000s | -0.0882 | -0.3072 | 0.0735 | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.2611 | -0.3269 | -0.1862 | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.4653 | -0.4653 | -0.4653 | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 52 Mexico -0.4124 compare
- 53 El Salvador -0.4397 compare
- 54 Switzerland -0.4467 compare
- 56 Colombia -0.4706 compare
- 57 North Macedonia -0.4871 compare
- 58 Moldova -0.4902 compare
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 deficit, percent of own spending in South Africa?
- Deficit, percent of own spending in South Africa was -0.4653 in 2020, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest deficit, percent of own spending recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.0735 in 2007.
- What is the lowest deficit, percent of own spending recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.4653 in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for deficit, percent of own spending?
- South Africa ranks 55th out of 66 countries with data for 2020.
- Is deficit, percent of own spending rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 54.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Deficit, Percent of own spending (Central government). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The Fiscal Decentralization dataset includes fiscal decentralization indicators for a sample of IMF member countries. The following indicators are included in the dataset: Revenue and Expenditure Decentralization Shares; Transfer dependency and Vertical Fiscal Imbalances; Deficit and Debt; Allocation of expenditure (economic classification); Allocation of expenditure (functional classification); Allocation of non-Tax Revenues; and Allocation of Taxes.