Claims on central government in South Africa
South Africa: Claims on central government was 3.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Claims on central government in South Africa, 1966–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in annual growth as % of broad money.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 3.0% for claims on central government in 2025.
The figure is down 32.3% on the previous year and up 188.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, claims on central government in South Africa peaked at 12.7% in 2002 and was at its lowest, -5.5%, in 2005.
That places South Africa 78th out of 167 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Claims on central government in South Africa, year by year
| Year | annual growth as % of broad money | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 2.1% | — |
| 1967 | 0.0% | -99.4% |
| 1968 | -2.9% | -24830.5% |
| 1969 | 0.8% | -126.5% |
| 1970 | 2.5% | +231.8% |
| 1971 | 3.8% | +51.0% |
| 1972 | 1.5% | -59.8% |
| 1973 | 1.0% | -35.3% |
| 1974 | 3.1% | +212.8% |
| 1975 | 5.7% | +85.3% |
| 1976 | 3.8% | -33.3% |
| 1977 | 2.6% | -30.9% |
| 1978 | 0.5% | -82.0% |
| 1979 | 3.7% | +677.9% |
| 1980 | -0.7% | -118.3% |
| 1981 | 1.5% | -317.3% |
| 1982 | -4.9% | -434.6% |
| 1983 | -0.4% | -92.6% |
| 1984 | -0.9% | +135.1% |
| 1985 | 3.9% | -561.1% |
| 1986 | 1.3% | -67.5% |
| 1987 | 0.3% | -76.2% |
| 1988 | -0.2% | -171.3% |
| 1989 | -1.3% | +502.0% |
| 1990 | 2.2% | -269.2% |
| 1993 | -0.2% | -108.3% |
| 1994 | 4.0% | -2308.3% |
| 1995 | -4.1% | -201.3% |
| 1996 | 1.6% | -138.8% |
| 1997 | 3.6% | +125.0% |
| 1998 | 3.4% | -5.8% |
| 1999 | -0.5% | -114.6% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | -136.5% |
| 2001 | -1.6% | -991.1% |
| 2002 | 12.7% | -894.0% |
| 2003 | -4.2% | -133.1% |
| 2004 | -1.1% | -74.0% |
| 2005 | -5.5% | +405.0% |
| 2006 | -4.4% | -20.8% |
| 2007 | -0.8% | -81.5% |
| 2008 | -0.1% | -89.2% |
| 2009 | 5.5% | -6472.3% |
| 2010 | -0.2% | -103.0% |
| 2011 | -3.3% | +1891.0% |
| 2012 | -0.4% | -89.1% |
| 2013 | -3.8% | +957.2% |
| 2014 | 0.3% | -107.3% |
| 2015 | -3.4% | -1323.6% |
| 2016 | 4.8% | -241.5% |
| 2017 | 3.4% | -29.2% |
| 2018 | -1.2% | -135.6% |
| 2019 | -0.0% | -97.9% |
| 2020 | -1.0% | +3680.8% |
| 2021 | -1.2% | +29.0% |
| 2022 | 0.5% | -137.9% |
| 2023 | 3.2% | +580.1% |
| 2024 | 4.4% | +40.2% |
| 2025 | 3.0% | -32.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 3.0% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.0%, 1.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 3.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.7%, 63% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Claims on central government 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | -24830.5% | 0.0% | -2.9% |
| 2009 | +6472.3% | -0.1% | 5.5% |
| 2020 | -3680.8% | -0.0% | -1.0% |
| 1994 | +2308.3% | -0.2% | 4.0% |
| 2011 | -1891.0% | -0.2% | -3.3% |
| 2015 | -1323.6% | 0.3% | -3.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -0.0% | -2.9% | 2.1% | 4 |
| 1970s | 2.8% | 0.5% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.1% | -4.9% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.3% | -4.1% | 4.0% | 8 |
| 2000s | 0.1% | -5.5% | 12.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.4% | -3.8% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.5% | -1.2% | 4.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More financial sector data for South Africa
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0021 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 13.81 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 0.0607 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0015 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 10.08 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0021 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 13.81 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0.0607 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is claims on central government in South Africa?
- Claims on central government in South Africa was 3.0% in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest claims on central government recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 12.7% in 2002.
- What is the lowest claims on central government recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -5.5% in 2005.
- How does South Africa rank for claims on central government?
- South Africa ranks 78th out of 167 countries with data for 2025.
- Is claims on central government rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 188.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Claims on central government (annual growth as % of broad money). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Claims on central government include loans to central government institutions net of deposits. Broad money is the sum of all liquid financial instruments held by money-holding sectors that are widely accepted in an economy as a medium of exchange, plus those that can be converted into a medium of exchange at short notice at, or close to, their full nominal value. This indicator represents the annual percentage growth in the ratio of claims to broad money.