Goods and services expense (current LCU) in South Africa
South Africa: Goods and services expense (current LCU) was 205.65 billion current LCU in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Goods and services expense in South Africa, 1972–2024
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 205.65 billion current LCU for goods and services expense in 2024.
That represents a change of down 29.3% on the previous year and up 21.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, goods and services expense in South Africa peaked at 291.08 billion current LCU in 2023 and was at its lowest, 561.00 million current LCU, in 1972.
South Africa ranks 49th of 155 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Goods and services expense (current LCU) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 561.00 million current LCU | — |
| 1973 | 739.00 million current LCU | +31.7% |
| 1974 | 1.11 billion current LCU | +50.7% |
| 1975 | 1.41 billion current LCU | +26.8% |
| 1976 | 1.79 billion current LCU | +27.0% |
| 1977 | 2.06 billion current LCU | +14.9% |
| 1978 | 2.15 billion current LCU | +4.1% |
| 1979 | 2.75 billion current LCU | +28.0% |
| 1980 | 3.29 billion current LCU | +19.8% |
| 1981 | 3.94 billion current LCU | +19.8% |
| 1982 | 4.62 billion current LCU | +17.2% |
| 1983 | 5.56 billion current LCU | +20.3% |
| 1984 | 6.62 billion current LCU | +19.0% |
| 1985 | 8.63 billion current LCU | +30.5% |
| 1988 | 19.45 billion current LCU | +125.3% |
| 1989 | 20.14 billion current LCU | +3.6% |
| 1990 | 22.50 billion current LCU | +11.7% |
| 1991 | 25.06 billion current LCU | +11.4% |
| 1992 | 8.52 billion current LCU | -66.0% |
| 1993 | 8.94 billion current LCU | +5.0% |
| 1994 | 10.49 billion current LCU | +17.3% |
| 1995 | 15.36 billion current LCU | +46.5% |
| 1996 | 17.06 billion current LCU | +11.1% |
| 1997 | 17.41 billion current LCU | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 17.93 billion current LCU | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 23.78 billion current LCU | +32.6% |
| 2000 | 28.99 billion current LCU | +21.9% |
| 2001 | 34.81 billion current LCU | +20.1% |
| 2002 | 38.63 billion current LCU | +11.0% |
| 2003 | 45.07 billion current LCU | +16.7% |
| 2004 | 50.52 billion current LCU | +12.1% |
| 2005 | 56.28 billion current LCU | +11.4% |
| 2006 | 57.22 billion current LCU | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 68.10 billion current LCU | +19.0% |
| 2008 | 83.45 billion current LCU | +22.6% |
| 2009 | 98.42 billion current LCU | +17.9% |
| 2010 | 111.67 billion current LCU | +13.5% |
| 2011 | 112.36 billion current LCU | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 110.44 billion current LCU | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 134.54 billion current LCU | +21.8% |
| 2014 | 168.84 billion current LCU | +25.5% |
| 2015 | 190.71 billion current LCU | +13.0% |
| 2016 | 168.47 billion current LCU | -11.7% |
| 2017 | 188.27 billion current LCU | +11.8% |
| 2018 | 183.02 billion current LCU | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 193.46 billion current LCU | +5.7% |
| 2020 | 174.71 billion current LCU | -9.7% |
| 2021 | 197.93 billion current LCU | +13.3% |
| 2022 | 256.14 billion current LCU | +29.4% |
| 2023 | 291.08 billion current LCU | +13.6% |
| 2024 | 205.65 billion current LCU | -29.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 205.65 billion current LCU is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 38.49 billion current LCU, 5.3× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 205.65 billion current LCU is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 189.83 billion current LCU, 1.1× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Goods and services expense (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | +125.3% | 8.63 billion current LCU | 19.45 billion current LCU |
| 1992 | -66.0% | 25.06 billion current LCU | 8.52 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.57 billion current LCU | 561.00 million current LCU | 2.75 billion current LCU | 8 |
| 1980s | 9.03 billion current LCU | 3.29 billion current LCU | 20.14 billion current LCU | 8 |
| 1990s | 16.70 billion current LCU | 8.52 billion current LCU | 25.06 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 56.15 billion current LCU | 28.99 billion current LCU | 98.42 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 156.18 billion current LCU | 110.44 billion current LCU | 193.46 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 225.10 billion current LCU | 174.71 billion current LCU | 291.08 billion 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 goods and services expense in South Africa?
- Goods and services expense in South Africa was 205.65 billion current LCU in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest goods and services expense recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 291.08 billion current LCU in 2023.
- What is the lowest goods and services expense recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 561.00 million current LCU in 1972.
- How does South Africa rank for goods and services expense?
- South Africa ranks 49th out of 155 countries with data for 2024.
- Is goods and services expense rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.8%. 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 Goods and services expense (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Goods and services include all government payments in exchange for goods and services used for the production of market and nonmarket goods and services. Use of goods and services for account capital formation is excluded. 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.