General government net lending (surplus) or borrowing (deficit) as a percentage of GDP. Source: IMF Macro-Financial Indicators. Retrieved 18 Oct 2026.
| Period | Budget Balance |
|---|---|
| 2026 | -4.4% |
| 2025 | -5.6% |
| 2024 | -5.7% |
| 2023 | -5.6% |
| 2022 | -4.2% |
| 2021 | -5.5% |
| 2020 | -9.6% |
| 2019 | -5.1% |
| 2018 | -3.7% |
| 2017 | -4% |
| 2016 | -3.7% |
| 2015 | -4.4% |
53 countries carry a recent general government fiscal balance as a share of GDP figure. Each opens its own page with the history, the source and the API request.
170 of 207 indicators carry a figure for South Africa, grouped by topic.