🇿🇦 South Africa National Debt Clock
Live tracker for South Africa government debt. The national debt currently stands at approximately $363.3 billion, growing at $800 every second based on IMF fiscal deficit projections. Debt-to-GDP: 79%. Per-citizen share: $5,859.
About South Africa's National Debt
South Africa's debt has risen steadily as weak growth, struggling state-owned enterprises such as Eskom, and rising interest costs strain the budget. Debt service now consumes a growing share of revenue, crowding out other spending.
South Africa's debt-to-GDP ratio of 79% is elevated above the IMF's informal 60% benchmark, though still manageable for a government with deep capital markets and institutional credibility. By total government debt, South Africa ranks 27th of the 138 governments tracked here.
At the current borrowing rate of $800 per second, South Africa adds about $0.1 billion to its national debt every day — roughly $25 billion per year. Each of South Africa's 62 million citizens carries an individual share of approximately $5,859. That is below the world average of roughly $12,600 in government debt per person.
Figures are computed by Global Debt Clock using linear extrapolation from IMF general government gross debt baselines (Fiscal Monitor / WEO April 2026) and national treasury data. Actual debt changes through discrete bond issuances — these counters illustrate the approximate scale and pace of sovereign borrowing.
South Africa National Debt — Frequently Asked Questions
What is South Africa's national debt right now?
South Africa's national debt is approximately $363.3 billion as of July 29, 2026, growing at $800 per second. Its debt-to-GDP ratio is 79% and each citizen's share is about $5,859.
How fast is South Africa's debt growing?
South Africa's government debt grows at approximately $800 per second — about $0.1 billion per day — derived from IMF fiscal-deficit projections anchored to the April 2026 baseline.
What is South Africa's debt per capita?
Each of South Africa's 62 million citizens carries a notional share of approximately $5,859 of the national debt.
What is South Africa's debt-to-GDP ratio?
South Africa's debt-to-GDP ratio is 79%. This is above the IMF's informal 60% benchmark but generally manageable for an economy with sound institutions.
Why is South Africa's government debt at this level?
South Africa's debt has risen steadily as weak growth, struggling state-owned enterprises such as Eskom, and rising interest costs strain the budget. Debt service now consumes a growing share of revenue, crowding out other spending.
Compare South Africa vs another country
Live side-by-side debt comparisons — shareable cards for journalists and social.
Further reading
Other Africa countries
Data & Citation
Source: IMF World Economic Outlook · World Bank International Debt Statistics · baseline anchored .
Methodology: debt = 355,000,000,000 + 800 × seconds_since(2026-04-01)
Machine-readable data: /api/debt?c=za (live JSON) · /data/debt.json (full dataset)
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