This web page presents information about the work of the IMF in South Africa, including the activities of the IMF Resident Representative Office. Additional information can be found on the South Africa and IMF country page, including IMF reports and Executive Board documents that deal with South Africa.

South Africa and the IMF Country Page

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At a Glance

  • Current IMF membership: 190 countries
  • South Africa joined the Fund on December 27, 1945
  • Quota: SDR 3051.2 million
  • The latest Article IV consultation was discussed by the Executive Board on July 25, 2018 (Country Report 18/246)

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News and Highlights

  • Six Charts on Inequality in South Africa

    South Africa suffers among the highest levels of inequality in the world when measured by the commonly used Gini index. Inequality manifests itself through a skewed income distribution, unequal access to opportunities, and regional disparities. Low growth and rising unemployment have contributed to the persistence of inequality.

    January 30, 2020

  • Fostering Growth and Inclusion in South Africa

    A Conversation with Ana Lucía Coronel (IMF mission lead for South Africa)

    January 29, 2020

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Fraudulent Scam Emails Using the Name of the IMF

We would like to bring to the notice of the general public that several variants of financial scam letters purporting to be sanctioned by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or authored by high ranking IMF officials are currently in circulation, and may appear on official letterhead containing the IMF logo. The scam letters instruct potential victims to contact the IMF for issuance of a “Certificate of International Capital Transfer” or other forms of approval, to enable them receives large sums of monies as beneficiaries. The contact e-mail information is always BOGUS and unsuspecting individuals are then requested to send their personal banking details which the scammers utilize for their fraudulent activities.
For more information please see Fraudulent Scam Emails Using the Name of the IMF

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IMF's Work on South Africa

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Regional Economic Outlook

April 15, 2021

Despite turning out better than expected, growth in 2020 is estimated to be the worst on record, at –1.9 percent, leading to a large increase in poverty. In 2021, the region’s economy is expected to resume expansion at 3.4 percent, weaker than the 6 percent for the rest of the world, amid a continued lack of access to vaccines and limited policy space to support the crisis response and recovery. Macroeconomic policies will in many countries entail some difficult choices. Saving lives remains the first priority, which will require access to affordable vaccines, ensuring that the logistical and administrative prerequisites of a vaccination rollout are in place, targeted containment efforts, and added spending to strengthen local health systems. The next priority is to unlock the region’s potential by creating more fiscal space and implementing transformative reforms. These include mobilizing domestic revenue, strengthening social protection, promoting digitalization, and improving transparency and governance. Countries will also have to consolidate their fiscal positions to bring debt back on a sustainable footing. Such measures will help lift longer-term growth and provide opportunities for the region’s new job seekers. The international community has a key role to play by ensuring more equitable and quicker access to vaccines and other medical products; and by providing low-income countries the external funding needed to pursue the policy priorities sketched above and avoid long-term scarring.
Read the Report

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Departmental Papers on Africa

Africa Departmental Papers Cover The Departmental African Paper Series covers research on Sub-Saharan Africa conducted by International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff, particularly on issues of broad regional or cross-country interest. The views expressed in these papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF, its Executive Board, or IMF management.