Taxes on income, profits and capital gains in South Africa
South Africa: Taxes on income, profits and capital gains was 50.8% in 2024. ▼ Falling
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 % of revenue.
Analysis
The most recent figure for taxes on income, profits and capital gains in South Africa is 50.8%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.3% on the previous year and up 8.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, taxes on income, profits and capital gains in South Africa peaked at 59.9% in 1974 and was at its lowest, 46.2%, in 2015.
South Africa ranks 7th of 153 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 53 years of available data.
Taxes on income, profits and capital gains in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of revenue | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 54.8% | — |
| 1973 | 57.4% | +4.7% |
| 1974 | 59.9% | +4.3% |
| 1975 | 59.2% | -1.1% |
| 1976 | 58.2% | -1.7% |
| 1977 | 56.6% | -2.7% |
| 1978 | 53.0% | -6.3% |
| 1979 | 53.5% | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 55.9% | +4.4% |
| 1981 | 53.4% | -4.4% |
| 1982 | 52.4% | -1.9% |
| 1983 | 53.0% | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 52.3% | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 52.9% | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 52.1% | -1.4% |
| 1987 | 51.5% | -1.2% |
| 1988 | 49.6% | -3.8% |
| 1989 | 46.8% | -5.6% |
| 1990 | 50.4% | +7.7% |
| 1991 | 52.4% | +4.0% |
| 1992 | 52.1% | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 48.0% | -7.9% |
| 1994 | 49.7% | +3.6% |
| 1995 | 49.7% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 51.3% | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 52.7% | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 54.1% | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 51.9% | -4.0% |
| 2000 | 51.7% | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 52.4% | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 53.1% | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 50.7% | -4.6% |
| 2004 | 48.9% | -3.4% |
| 2005 | 48.8% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 50.5% | +3.6% |
| 2007 | 51.8% | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 54.5% | +5.1% |
| 2009 | 51.1% | -6.1% |
| 2010 | 48.5% | -5.1% |
| 2011 | 49.2% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 48.2% | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 47.8% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 46.9% | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 46.2% | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 48.0% | +3.8% |
| 2017 | 48.4% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 48.5% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 47.5% | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 46.4% | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 48.9% | +5.5% |
| 2022 | 49.4% | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 47.8% | -3.2% |
| 2024 | 50.8% | +6.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 50.8% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 22.7%, 2.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 50.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25.5%, 2.0× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 56.6% | 53.0% | 59.9% | 8 |
| 1980s | 52.0% | 46.8% | 55.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 51.2% | 48.0% | 54.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.3% | 48.8% | 54.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.9% | 46.2% | 49.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.7% | 46.4% | 50.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More public sector data for South Africa
- Democracy, 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)
- Elected parliament, 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)
- Democracy 7 (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected 1 (2025)
- Elected parliament 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
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 50.8% 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 59.9% in 1974.
- What is the lowest taxes on income, profits and capital gains recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 46.2% in 2015.
- How does South Africa rank for taxes on income, profits and capital gains?
- South Africa ranks 7th 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 8.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 (% of revenue). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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 as a percentage of revenue which includes all transactions that add to the amount of economic value of a unit or sector.