Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU) in South Africa
South Africa: Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU) was -352.78 billion current LCU in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) 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 -352.78 billion current LCU for net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.5% on the previous year and down 148.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in South Africa peaked at 21.70 billion current LCU in 2007 and was at its lowest, -552.20 billion current LCU, in 2020.
That places South Africa 122nd out of 156 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | -61.00 million current LCU | — |
| 1973 | 251.00 million current LCU | -511.5% |
| 1974 | 21.00 million current LCU | -91.6% |
| 1975 | -327.00 million current LCU | -1657.1% |
| 1976 | -773.00 million current LCU | +136.4% |
| 1977 | -683.00 million current LCU | -11.6% |
| 1978 | -454.00 million current LCU | -33.5% |
| 1979 | -425.00 million current LCU | -6.4% |
| 1980 | 890.00 million current LCU | -309.4% |
| 1981 | -828.00 million current LCU | -193.0% |
| 1982 | -1.76 billion current LCU | +112.9% |
| 1983 | -4.11 billion current LCU | +133.3% |
| 1984 | -3.88 billion current LCU | -5.6% |
| 1985 | -3.93 billion current LCU | +1.2% |
| 1986 | -7.78 billion current LCU | +98.0% |
| 1987 | -9.84 billion current LCU | +26.5% |
| 1988 | -10.14 billion current LCU | +3.1% |
| 1989 | -1.68 billion current LCU | -83.4% |
| 1990 | -10.28 billion current LCU | +511.2% |
| 1991 | -11.98 billion current LCU | +16.5% |
| 1992 | -32.58 billion current LCU | +172.0% |
| 1993 | -38.86 billion current LCU | +19.3% |
| 1994 | -26.39 billion current LCU | -32.1% |
| 1995 | -29.93 billion current LCU | +13.4% |
| 1996 | -32.75 billion current LCU | +9.4% |
| 1997 | -26.18 billion current LCU | -20.1% |
| 1998 | -22.39 billion current LCU | -14.5% |
| 1999 | -14.74 billion current LCU | -34.1% |
| 2000 | -18.08 billion current LCU | +22.6% |
| 2001 | -9.35 billion current LCU | -48.3% |
| 2002 | -18.94 billion current LCU | +102.6% |
| 2003 | -33.75 billion current LCU | +78.2% |
| 2004 | -27.80 billion current LCU | -17.6% |
| 2005 | -2.97 billion current LCU | -89.3% |
| 2006 | 16.09 billion current LCU | -641.1% |
| 2007 | 21.70 billion current LCU | +34.9% |
| 2008 | -15.38 billion current LCU | -170.9% |
| 2009 | -124.75 billion current LCU | +710.8% |
| 2010 | -135.75 billion current LCU | +8.8% |
| 2011 | -181.72 billion current LCU | +33.9% |
| 2012 | -150.93 billion current LCU | -16.9% |
| 2013 | -161.82 billion current LCU | +7.2% |
| 2014 | -142.19 billion current LCU | -12.1% |
| 2015 | -201.78 billion current LCU | +41.9% |
| 2016 | -164.70 billion current LCU | -18.4% |
| 2017 | -236.52 billion current LCU | +43.6% |
| 2018 | -305.46 billion current LCU | +29.1% |
| 2019 | -323.56 billion current LCU | +5.9% |
| 2020 | -552.20 billion current LCU | +70.7% |
| 2021 | -282.44 billion current LCU | -48.9% |
| 2022 | -321.80 billion current LCU | +13.9% |
| 2023 | -347.48 billion current LCU | +8.0% |
| 2024 | -352.78 billion current LCU | +1.5% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's -352.78 billion current LCU is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is -12.89 billion current LCU, 27.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- South Africa's -352.78 billion current LCU is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -84.53 billion current LCU, 4.2× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | -1657.1% | 21.00 million current LCU | -327.00 million current LCU |
| 2009 | -710.8% | -15.38 billion current LCU | -124.75 billion current LCU |
| 2006 | +641.1% | -2.97 billion current LCU | 16.09 billion current LCU |
| 1973 | +511.5% | -61.00 million current LCU | 251.00 million current LCU |
| 1990 | -511.2% | -1.68 billion current LCU | -10.28 billion current LCU |
| 1980 | +309.4% | -425.00 million current LCU | 890.00 million current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -306.38 million current LCU | -773.00 million current LCU | 251.00 million current LCU | 8 |
| 1980s | -4.31 billion current LCU | -10.14 billion current LCU | 890.00 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | -24.61 billion current LCU | -38.86 billion current LCU | -10.28 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | -21.32 billion current LCU | -124.75 billion current LCU | 21.70 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | -200.44 billion current LCU | -323.56 billion current LCU | -135.75 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | -371.34 billion current LCU | -552.20 billion current LCU | -282.44 billion current LCU | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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Frequently asked questions
- What is net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in South Africa?
- Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) in South Africa was -352.78 billion current LCU in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 21.70 billion current LCU in 2007.
- What is the lowest net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -552.20 billion current LCU in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for net lending (+) / net borrowing (-)?
- South Africa ranks 122nd out of 156 countries with data for 2024.
- Is net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 148.1%. 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 Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net lending (+) / net borrowing (–) equals government revenue minus expense, minus net investment in nonfinancial assets. It is also equal to the net result of transactions in financial assets and liabilities. Net lending/net borrowing is a summary measure indicating the extent to which government is either putting financial resources at the disposal of other sectors in the economy or abroad, or utilizing the financial resources generated by other sectors in the economy or from abroad. 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.