The average inflation rate in Southern Africa was projected at ***** percent in 2022. This represented a decrease in comparison to the previous years. In 2020, the rate reached a peak at ** percent.

Inflation Rate in South Africa increased to 3 percent in June from 2.80 percent in May of 2025. This dataset provides - South Africa Inflation Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

As of April 2022, the food inflation rate in South Africa stood at *** percent compared to the same month last year. Food prices have been following a fluctuating increasing trend. For instance, food inflation was at *** percent in January 2019, whereas by April 2022 it amounted to *** percent.

South Africa’s inflation has been quite stable for the past years, levelling off between 3.2 and 6.9 percent, and is in fact expected to stabilize at around 4.5 percent in the future. South Africa is a mixed economy, generating most of its GDP through the services sector, especially tourism. However, the country struggles with unemployment and poverty.

Inflation who?

The inflation rate of a country is an important key factor to determine the country’s economic strength. It is calculated using the price increase of a defined product basket, containing goods and services on which the average consumer spends money throughout the year. They include, for example, expenses for groceries, clothes, rent, utilities, but also recreational activities, and raw materials (e.g. gas, oil), as well as federal fees and taxes. Some of these goods are more volatile than others – food prices, for example, are considered less reliable. The European Central Bank aims to keep inflation at around two percent in the long run.

What happened in 2016?

In 2016, South Africa’s inflation rate peaked at over 6.3 percent, and gross domestic product, and thus economic growth , took a hit, a sure indicator that something was affecting the country’s economic scaffolding: Low growth due to weak demand and an uncertain political future caused a crisis; then-President Jacob Zuma’s alleged mismanagement and unstable reign steeped in controversy and criminal charges even caused the economy’s outlook to be downgraded by ratings agencies. Zuma was relieved of his office in 2018 – ever since, inflation, GDP, and economic growth seem to have stabilized.

Cost of food in South Africa increased 5.10 percent in June of 2025 over the same month in the previous year. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - South Africa Food Inflation - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

The WC food CPI decreased to 9,5% in July, 0,6 percentage points lower than South Africa’s 10,1%. Load shedding and the weakening exchange rate remains key drivers to upward pressure. The continuous hikes in the repo rate have assisted in the headline CPI decreasing to below 6%, falling within the target range.

As of July 2024, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in South Africa, an economic indicator providing information on the change of prices over time, was measured at 123.8 points regarding food and non-alcoholic beverages. This is symbolizing an increase of 5.3 points from the previous year.

The benchmark interest rate in South Africa was last recorded at 7.25 percent. This dataset provides - South Africa Interest Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Unemployment Rate in South Africa increased to 32.90 percent in the first quarter of 2025 from 31.90 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024. This dataset provides - South Africa Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

As of March 2020, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in South Africa, an economic indicator providing information on the change of prices over time, was measured at 123.9 points regarding petrol. This is symbolizing an increase of 6.5 points from the previous year.

As of June 2020, the projected inflation rate in South Africa for the same year was revised to *** percent, after the fallout of the coronavirus outbreak. The projection was done under the assumption of a worst-case scenario, where the pandemic persists to the end of 2020. Before the occurrence of COVID-19, the inflation rate was expected at *** percent.

On the other hand, the inflation rate for 2021 was reviewed to *** percent, in a worst-case scenario, whereas the previous outlook (before the pandemic) was at five percent.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in South Africa expanded 0.10 percent in the first quarter of 2025 over the previous quarter. This dataset provides - South Africa GDP Growth Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

As of July 2024, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in South Africa, an economic indicator providing information on the change of prices over time, was measured at 123.5 points regarding food products. This is symbolizing an increase of five points from the previous year.

Kenya's inflation rate decreased to 3.6 percent in September 2024. The indicator measure price variations in goods and services compared to the same month one year earlier. In September 2023, inflation in Kenya stood at 6.8 percent. The current country’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 0.26 percent compared to the previous month, mainly due to higher prices in food and transport. For 2023, projections indicated that the annual average inflation for Kenya would be above above the rate projected in other African countries, such as South Africa and Tanzania, at almost eight percent. Inflation accelerated by food prices Kenyans feel the inflation effects mostly on groceries since food and non-alcoholic beverages account for roughly one-third of the household expenditure. As of May 2022, the category recorded a surge in prices of 12.4 percent. Furthermore, a deep look into food prices variations in Kenya reveals that vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas, and pulses were 20 percent more expensive in 2020, compared to 2019. Fruits and nuts recorded an inflation rate of 18.2 percent in the same period. Impacts on food security Fluctuating food prices in Kenya also depend on the varying domestic agricultural output. Particularly, when weather conditions are unfavorable, crop outputs are affected and, consequently, food prices increase - a scenario contributing to the persistence of food insecurity. For instance, around eight million people lacked sufficient food for consumption in Kenya as of November 2021.

The inflation rate in Namibia decreased by about one percentage point from 4.29 percent in 2018 to 3.72 percent in 2019. It is projected to remain around 4.5 percent through 2030, significantly lower than the 2002 peak of 12.72 percent. Namibia’s historical context Prior to 1990, Namibia was under apartheid South Africa control, and before World War I, the country was a German colony and even suffered a genocide. Given this turbulent oppression, it is expected that social and economic residual ramifications would follow. Namibia’s inflation rate went through a volatile period during the 1990’s and early 2000’s where it reached around twelve percent several times. Over the past decade, Namibia’s inflation rate has largely declined. Namibia’s successful growth Similarly, Namibia’s gross domestic product (GDP) remained under five billion U.S. dollars through the 1990’s. Since then, the country’s GDP has grown to about 14 billion U.S. dollars as of 2019 and will continue to grow through the upcoming years. Namibia’s increasing economic success is in part linked to developing its services industry. Today, the services sector is responsible for employing about 60 percent of the country’s working population. A well-developed services industry is usually a sign of a similarly well-developed economy. The services sector includes the growing tourist industry with an expanding focus on ecotourism, centered around the country’s endangered wildlife.

Inflation in Zimbabwe rose to 10.61 percent in 2018, and is projected to jump dramatically to 736.11 percent in 2024. After that, estimates predict a slow decline for now - however, given Zimbabwe’s history of poor monetary policy, including one of the worst instances of hyperinflation, this seems unrealistic. Inflation history Inflation depends significantly on economic expectations of it, making it hard to reduce inflation once it has hit higher levels. This happened in Zimbabwe in the years approaching 2008, at the end of which a single U.S. dollar was worth over 2.6 trillion Zimbabwe dollars, up from 10,000 Zimbabwe dollars at the start of 2005. This all but destroyed Zimbabwe’s economy, leading to very low gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and a government struggling to finance itself. The way ahead In 2009, the Zimbabwean dollar had twelve zeros slashed from the banknotes. This was not enough, and after three decades of rule, former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe was removed from power at the end of 2017. Citizens of the country are trying to hold foreign banknotes; they prefer U.S. dollars or euros, but the South African rand is more common. However, the rand’s performance against other currencies has been lackluster in recent years. This underscores the struggle that the Zimbabwean people have to find a stable currency at the moment.

Steel rose to 3,228 CNY/T on July 24, 2025, up 0.62% from the previous day. Over the past month, Steel's price has risen 9.54%, and is up 2.93% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Steel - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on July of 2025.