Macro Poverty Outlook for South Africa : April 2026

Overview & Synopsis

Growth will recover modestly over the medium-term and remains insufficient to meaning fully improve jobs and poverty outcomes. Although poverty declined by about 6 percentage points since 2014, close to 60 percent of South Africans live below the upper-middle-income poverty line, while unemployment remains above 30 percent. With public debt nearing 80 percent of GDP, sustaining fiscal credibility while improving efficiency and impact of public spending remains critical.