PredictonomyPredictonomy
Home
Countries
Indicators
Sectors
Sentiment
Studios
Briefings
Methodology
Sign in
PredictonomyPredictonomy

Live macro and micro economic signals, historical context and probabilistic forecasts — built to surface trends before they become consensus.

Research and information only. Not investment advice. Forecasts are probabilistic and uncertain.

Explore

  • Home
  • Countries
  • Indicators
  • Sectors
  • Sentiment
  • Studios
  • Briefings
  • Methodology
  • Global dashboard
  • Signals

Company

  • Pricing
  • Developers
  • Data status
  • About
  • Legal

Weekly newsletter

One email a week, every figure sourced from Predictonomy's own data. Learn more →

World/Briefs/South Africa

Intelligence brief

South Africa — intelligence brief

The whole picture in one grounded read: observed macro indicators, the derived macro-sentiment composite, the business-cycle regime, and a forward forecast. Derived reads interpret already-observed numbers; the forecast is labelled projections (not observations); an absent series is shown honestly, never fabricated.

How to read this:Observeda real measured value from a named source.Derivedcomputed by Predictonomy from observed series using a reproducible method.AI readan AI interpretation of already-computed figures. Opinion, not a new data point.

Brief

What the data says

Observed macro, derived sentiment, the business-cycle regime, and forward projections — each traced to the live series it reads. Need it as JSON? GET /api/v1/brief/country/{iso3}.

Full briefledger 51018ed

South Africa: macro conditions look balanced (pressure 53/100); the economy is in expansion; 1 turning-point signal flagged; 21 observed macro indicators held; real gdp growth is projected at 1.42 for 2026.

Macro sentiment

Macro pressure

Derived
Watch
53/ 100

Higher = more macro pressure. Reads as balanced (sentiment -0.06, −1 stressed … +1 supportive).

ⓘ How this score works
Confidence: 90%

Outlook 2026: balanced (projected sentiment -0.08) · a projection from baseline forecasts

Business-cycle regime

DerivedRegime inputsas of 2025-12-31

Expansion

growth 1.1%momentum +0.58confidence: high
Turning-point signals
  • Real GDP growth turned up (was falling, now rising).

Latest observations

Observed1 indicator omitted (not covered)

as of 2026-06-01

Business confidence indexObserved
99.7

OECD SDMX API

as of 2026-06-01

Consumer confidence indexObserved
97.6

OECD SDMX API

as of 2026-01-01

Current account balance to GDPObserved
-0.9%

IMF DataMapper API

as of 2023-01-01

Electric power consumption per capitaObserved
3.2k

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2023-01-01

Net energy importsObserved
-12.5%

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2023-01-01

Energy use per capitaObserved
1.9k

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Exports of goods and servicesObserved
31.4%

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Gross domestic product, current US dollarsObserved
$427.2bn

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

GDP per capita, current US dollarsObserved
$6.6k

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Real GDP growthObserved
1.1%

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2026-01-01

General government debt to GDPObserved
78.9%

IMF DataMapper API

as of 2025-01-01

Imports of goods and servicesObserved
29.5%

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Consumer price inflationObserved
3.2%

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Gross fixed capital formation to GDPObserved
13.9%

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Total populationObserved
64.7m

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Productivity growthObserved
-0.1%

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2021-01-01

Renewable energy shareObserved
9.7%

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Total reserves (excluding gold)Observed
$58.4bn

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Reserves in months of importsObserved
6

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Total reserves (including gold)Observed
$76bn

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Unemployment rateObserved
32.4%

World Bank Indicators API

Forward forecast

Derivedprojections, not observations

Headline reliability: below naive track record (-7% skill vs naive; realized ±0.4181 over 1) · a track record, not a guarantee

Forecast heldDerivedledger 51018ed
Real GDP growth — 2026 baseline projection
1.42

South Africa: forward projections across 15 macro indicators, horizons 2026, 2028, 2030, 2035. These are projections, not observations — each carries an optimistic/pessimistic band and a confidence interval, anchored against the latest observed value where one is held.

Current account balance to GDP

Latest observed-0.9(2026)· IMF DataMapper API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
2026-0.354.35-5.04-1.32 – 0.63
2028-0.048.1-8.17-1.74 – 1.67
20300.2710.77-10.22-1.95 – 2.5
20351.0515.89-13.8-2.15 – 4.24

Method: linear_trend; lookback 8y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Exports of goods and services

Latest observed31.41(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
202632.2435.729.2431.23 – 33.25
202833.939.8928.7131.39 – 36.41
203035.5643.2928.8631.52 – 39.6
203539.7150.6530.2331.47 – 47.95

Method: linear_trend; lookback 8y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Gross domestic product, current US dollars

Latest observed427.2bn(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
2026431.6bn516.6bn358bn414.6bn – 448.6bn
2028444.2bn591.3bn316.7bn405.3bn – 483bn
2030456.7bn646.7bn292.1bn397.6bn – 515.9bn
2035488.1bn756.8bn255.4bn378.1bn – 598.2bn

Method: weighted_composite; lookback 8y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Real GDP growth

Latest observed1.11(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
20261.4211.74-7.53-0.33 – 3.16
20282.0912-10-0.99 – 5.17
20302.7612-10-1.3 – 6.83
20354.4512-10-1.7 – 10.6

Method: weighted_composite; lookback 6y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

GDP per capita, current US dollars

Latest observed6.6k(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
20266.6k8k5.4k6.3k – 6.9k
20286.6k9k4.5k6k – 7.2k
20306.6k9.8k3.9k5.7k – 7.6k
20356.7k11.1k2.9k5.1k – 8.3k

Method: weighted_composite; lookback 8y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

General government debt to GDP

Latest observed78.9(2026)· IMF DataMapper API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
202682.488.7675.0779.85 – 84.96
202890.01101.0277.383.35 – 96.67
203097.62111.8381.2186.53 – 108.7
2035116.63136.7493.4392.44 – 140.82

Method: linear_trend; lookback 10y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Imports of goods and services

Latest observed29.5(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
202630.336.2324.3828.91 – 31.7
202831.9142.1721.6628.81 – 35.01
203033.5246.7620.2828.81 – 38.23
203537.5456.2718.8228.67 – 46.41

Method: linear_trend; lookback 8y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Consumer price inflation

Latest observed3.21(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
20262.96.17-0.62.13 – 3.67
20281.286.95-4.79-0.04 – 2.6
2030-0.346.98-5-2.04 – 1.37
2035-4.385.97-5-5 – -1.39

Method: exponential_smoothing; lookback 6y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Gross fixed capital formation to GDP

Latest observed13.88(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
202613.7715.5712.213.29 – 14.25
202813.4716.5910.7612.37 – 14.56
203013.1717.29.6711.54 – 14.8
203512.4118.127.469.61 – 15.21

Method: weighted_composite; lookback 8y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Total population

Latest observed64.7m(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
202664.5m67.6m61.7m62.5m – 66.5m
202865.3m68.4m62.5m60.5m – 70.2m
203066.1m69.3m63.2m58.6m – 73.7m
203568.2m71.4m65.2m54m – 82.3m

Method: exponential_smoothing; lookback 10y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Productivity growth

Latest observed-0.12(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
20260.3412.09-8.47-1.15 – 1.82
20281.2815-10-1.33 – 3.88
20302.2115-10-1.25 – 5.68
20354.5615-10-0.81 – 9.94

Method: weighted_composite; lookback 7y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Total reserves (excluding gold)

Latest observed58.4bn(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
202659.6bn62.8bn56.4bn57.8bn – 61.5bn
202862.9bn68.4bn57.3bn58.2bn – 67.5bn
203066.1bn73.3bn58.9bn58.6bn – 73.6bn
203574.2bn84.4bn64.1bn58.8bn – 89.6bn

Method: weighted_composite; lookback 8y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Reserves in months of imports

Latest observed6.22(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
20266.037.744.315.67 – 6.39
20285.88.772.825.06 – 6.53
20305.689.521.844.64 – 6.72
20355.5911.020.163.86 – 7.31

Method: mean_reversion; lookback 10y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Total reserves (including gold)

Latest observed76bn(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
202679.2bn85.3bn73.2bn76.8bn – 81.7bn
202887.5bn98bn77bn81bn – 94bn
203095.8bn109.3bn82.3bn84.9bn – 106.7bn
2035116.5bn135.6bn97.4bn92.3bn – 140.7bn

Method: weighted_composite; lookback 8y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Unemployment rate

Latest observed32.39(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
202632.6636.8628.4731.5 – 33.83
202833.214025.9430.5 – 35.91
203033.754024.3729.62 – 37.89
203535.114021.8527.46 – 40

Method: linear_trend; lookback 6y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Generated by the prediction engine (model prediction-engine-v1) on 2026-09-18 from observed history. Projections, not observations — never a guarantee of future values.

Machine-readable: GET /api/v1/brief/country/ZAF · API docs