Taxes on income, profits and capital gains (current LCU) in South Africa
South Africa: Taxes on income, profits and capital gains (current LCU) was 1.10 trillion current LCU in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
1.10 trillion current LCU
Change on year
up 9.1%
World rank
35th
of 153 countries
All-time high
1.10 trillion current LCU
in 2024
All-time low
1.81 billion current LCU
in 1972
Years of data
53
1972–2024
Taxes on income, profits and capital gains in South Africa, 1972–2024
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
In 2024, taxes on income, profits and capital gains in South Africa stood at 1.10 trillion current LCU. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
That represents a change of up 9.1% on the previous year and up 95.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, taxes on income, profits and capital gains in South Africa peaked at 1.10 trillion current LCU in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.81 billion current LCU, in 1972.
South Africa ranks 35th of 153 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Taxes on income, profits and capital gains (current LCU) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 1.81 billion current LCU | — |
| 1973 | 2.40 billion current LCU | +32.9% |
| 1974 | 3.06 billion current LCU | +27.5% |
| 1975 | 3.54 billion current LCU | +15.7% |
| 1976 | 3.88 billion current LCU | +9.5% |
| 1977 | 4.30 billion current LCU | +10.8% |
| 1978 | 4.75 billion current LCU | +10.5% |
| 1979 | 5.76 billion current LCU | +21.3% |
| 1980 | 8.04 billion current LCU | +39.6% |
| 1981 | 8.56 billion current LCU | +6.4% |
| 1982 | 10.06 billion current LCU | +17.5% |
| 1983 | 11.52 billion current LCU | +14.6% |
| 1984 | 13.85 billion current LCU | +20.2% |
| 1985 | 17.51 billion current LCU | +26.4% |
| 1986 | 19.69 billion current LCU | +12.4% |
| 1987 | 22.20 billion current LCU | +12.7% |
| 1988 | 26.73 billion current LCU | +20.4% |
| 1989 | 33.93 billion current LCU | +26.9% |
| 1990 | 38.73 billion current LCU | +14.1% |
| 1991 | 45.06 billion current LCU | +16.4% |
| 1992 | 46.28 billion current LCU | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 50.91 billion current LCU | +10.0% |
| 1994 | 58.27 billion current LCU | +14.4% |
| 1995 | 68.32 billion current LCU | +17.2% |
| 1996 | 82.85 billion current LCU | +21.3% |
| 1997 | 95.00 billion current LCU | +14.7% |
| 1998 | 108.38 billion current LCU | +14.1% |
| 1999 | 116.15 billion current LCU | +7.2% |
| 2000 | 126.14 billion current LCU | +8.6% |
| 2001 | 147.31 billion current LCU | +16.8% |
| 2002 | 164.57 billion current LCU | +11.7% |
| 2003 | 171.96 billion current LCU | +4.5% |
| 2004 | 195.22 billion current LCU | +13.5% |
| 2005 | 230.80 billion current LCU | +18.2% |
| 2006 | 279.99 billion current LCU | +21.3% |
| 2007 | 332.06 billion current LCU | +18.6% |
| 2008 | 383.48 billion current LCU | +15.5% |
| 2009 | 359.05 billion current LCU | -6.4% |
| 2010 | 379.94 billion current LCU | +5.8% |
| 2011 | 426.58 billion current LCU | +12.3% |
| 2012 | 457.32 billion current LCU | +7.2% |
| 2013 | 507.76 billion current LCU | +11.0% |
| 2014 | 561.79 billion current LCU | +10.6% |
| 2015 | 606.82 billion current LCU | +8.0% |
| 2016 | 664.53 billion current LCU | +9.5% |
| 2017 | 711.70 billion current LCU | +7.1% |
| 2018 | 738.74 billion current LCU | +3.8% |
| 2019 | 772.68 billion current LCU | +4.6% |
| 2020 | 718.18 billion current LCU | -7.1% |
| 2021 | 912.87 billion current LCU | +27.1% |
| 2022 | 988.50 billion current LCU | +8.3% |
| 2023 | 1.01 trillion current LCU | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 1.10 trillion current LCU | +9.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1.10 trillion current LCU is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 135.99 billion current LCU, 8.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1.10 trillion current LCU is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 223.33 billion current LCU, 4.9× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.69 billion current LCU | 1.81 billion current LCU | 5.76 billion current LCU | 8 |
| 1980s | 17.21 billion current LCU | 8.04 billion current LCU | 33.93 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 71.00 billion current LCU | 38.73 billion current LCU | 116.15 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 239.06 billion current LCU | 126.14 billion current LCU | 383.48 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 582.79 billion current LCU | 379.94 billion current LCU | 772.68 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 945.73 billion current LCU | 718.18 billion current LCU | 1.10 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 taxes on income, profits and capital gains in South Africa?
- Taxes on income, profits and capital gains in South Africa was 1.10 trillion current LCU in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest taxes on income, profits and capital gains recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.10 trillion current LCU in 2024.
- What is the lowest taxes on income, profits and capital gains recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.81 billion current LCU in 1972.
- How does South Africa rank for taxes on income, profits and capital gains?
- South Africa ranks 35th out of 153 countries with data for 2024.
- Is taxes on income, profits and capital gains rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 95.9%. 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 Taxes on income, profits and capital gains (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 53 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Taxes on income, profits, and capital gains are taxes payable on the actual or presumed incomes, profits and capital gains. 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.