Middle East & Africa · World Bank + FRED data · updated Sep 28, 2026
South Africa economy forecast
For 2026 the model expects inflation of 4.1%, GDP growth of 1.3% and unemployment of 32.3% in South Africa.
Inflation
CPI, annual %
4.1%
2026 forecast
Latest · 2025: 3.2%▲ +0.9 pp
GDP growth
Annual %
1.3%
2026 forecast
Latest · 2025: 1.1%▲ +0.2 pp
Unemployment
% of labor force, ILO modeled
32.3%
2026 forecast
Latest · 2025: 32.4%▼ −0.1 pp
GDP per capita
Current US$
$6,507
2026 forecast
Latest · 2025: $6,598▼ −1.4%
Population
Population, total
65.61M
2026 forecast
Latest · 2025: 64.75M▲ +1.3%
USD/ZAR
ZAR per 1 USD
16.143
in 12 months
Last close · Sep 25, 2026: 16.302▼ −1.0%
South Africa at a glance, 2026–2028
| Indicator | Latest | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflation | 3.2% 2025 | 4.1% | 4.8% | 5.0% |
| GDP growth | 1.1% 2025 | 1.3% | 1.4% | 1.5% |
| Unemployment | 32.4% 2025 | 32.3% | 32.2% | 32.0% |
| GDP per capita | $6,598 2025 | $6,507 | $6,401 | $6,295 |
| Population | 64.75M 2025 | 65.61M | 66.09M | 66.94M |
Medians; each indicator's page shows its 80% range and backtest.
Other countries in Middle East & Africa
All countriesStatistical model, not financial advice. Forecasts are automatic outputs of TimesFM 2.5 on public data; outcomes land outside the 80% range about one time in five.