South Africa's debt
How much South Africa owes, to whom, and how that compares with the rest of Africa. From IMF and World Bank figures.
Government debt, % of GDP (2025)
78.4 %
Owed abroad by the government, US$ billion (2024)
97.8
Largest creditor: Bondholders, % of foreign public debt
79.1 %
Owed to China, % of foreign public debt
3.4 %
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
View the data as a table
| Period | South Africa | Middle African country |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 31.2 | 32.1 |
| 2011 | 34.7 | 28.4 |
| 2012 | 37.4 | 26.4 |
| 2013 | 40.4 | 31.1 |
| 2014 | 43.3 | 36.4 |
| 2015 | 45.2 | 44.1 |
| 2016 | 47.1 | 45.9 |
| 2017 | 48.6 | 48.0 |
| 2018 | 51.5 | 49.2 |
| 2019 | 56.1 | 53.9 |
| 2020 | 68.9 | 56.7 |
| 2021 | 68.8 | 57.2 |
| 2022 | 70.7 | 59.5 |
| 2023 | 73.2 | 60.9 |
| 2024 | 76.0 | 56.8 |
| 2025 | 78.4 | 53.2 |
| 2026 | 78.0 (partial) | 52.5 (partial) |
| 2027 | 78.1 (partial) | 54.2 (partial) |
| 2028 | 78.8 (partial) | 53.0 (partial) |
| 2029 | 79.5 (partial) | 53.1 (partial) |
| 2030 | 79.7 (partial) | 51.7 (partial) |
| 2031 | 79.8 (partial) | 50.7 (partial) |
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook. Last checked 24 October 2026.
View the data as a table
| Part | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Bondholders | 79.1 % | 79% |
| Other governments | 10.1 % | 10% |
| Development banks and funds | 6.0 % | 6% |
| Other lenders | 4.7 % | 5% |
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
View the data as a table
| Period | Bondholders | Several lenders together | World Bank-IBRD | China | New Development Bank (NDB) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 30,676 | 2,806 | 384 | Not published | Not published |
| 2011 | 37,273 | 1,554 | 583 | Not published | Not published |
| 2012 | 52,195 | 587 | 1,077 | Not published | Not published |
| 2013 | 51,295 | 206 | 1,337 | Not published | Not published |
| 2014 | 53,443 | 375 | 1,967 | Not published | Not published |
| 2015 | 43,010 | 3,326 | 1,785 | Not published | Not published |
| 2016 | 58,658 | 3,456 | 2,343 | Not published | Not published |
| 2017 | 76,693 | 4,756 | 2,686 | 1,000 | Not published |
| 2018 | 70,911 | 9,263 | 2,277 | 1,400 | Not published |
| 2019 | 84,762 | 8,179 | 2,239 | 2,299 | Not published |
| 2020 | 81,186 | 7,986 | 2,082 | 2,918 | 1,000 |
| 2021 | 77,723 | 6,097 | 1,853 | 3,303 | 2,400 |
| 2022 | 73,359 | 5,453 | 2,787 | 3,429 | 2,500 |
| 2023 | 71,029 | 4,493 | 2,568 | 3,529 | 3,000 |
| 2024 | 77,402 | 4,604 | 3,427 | 3,331 | 3,272 |
Source: World Bank, International Debt Statistics. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Where South Africa ranks in Africa
- Government debt to GDP: 14th highest of 53.
- Total external debt in dollars: 1st largest of 49.
- Compare South Africa's debt with its neighbours on the data wall
More on South Africa
Method and sources
Debt to GDP is the IMF's general government gross debt, which covers domestic and foreign debt of every level of government. Debt owed abroad by the government and debt it guarantees. Excludes IMF credit and private debt that is not guaranteed. WLD is the total. Creditor names are the World Bank's. Figures checked 24 October 2026.
IMF government debt data · World Bank International Debt Statistics
Frequently asked questions
How much does South Africa owe?
South Africa government and the debt it guarantees owed $97.8 billion to foreign lenders in 2024, according to the World Bank's International Debt Statistics. Counting domestic debt too, government debt was 78.4% of GDP in 2025, according to the IMF.
Who is South Africa's largest creditor?
Bondholders, the investors who hold its foreign bonds, owed $77.4 billion in 2024, 79.1% of the government's foreign debt. Next: Several lenders together (4.7%), World Bank-IBRD (3.5%) and China (3.4%).
How much does South Africa owe China?
$3.3 billion in 2024, 3.4% of public debt owed abroad, which makes China its 4th largest creditor.
What is South Africa's debt to GDP ratio?
78.4% in 2025: general government gross debt as a share of GDP, from the IMF World Economic Outlook. That is the 14th highest of 53 African countries with a figure.