South Africa Inflation Rate stands at 4.55% as of September 2026, up from 3.40% a year earlier. The reading sits in the 34th percentile of its history back to 1958.
| Latest (September 2026) | 4.55% |
| One year ago | 3.40% |
| 10-year range | 1.94% – 8.07% |
| All-time range | -2.00% (2004) – 20.94% (1986) |
| Change over 12 months | +1.1 pts — peaked at 4.98% in 2026 |
| Percentile vs. full history | 34th |
| History | 1958–2026 (825 observations) |
The chart shows the year-over-year change in South Africa's consumer price index: the broadest measure of how fast prices are rising for households. Inflation running above a central bank's comfort zone (typically around 2% in developed markets, higher in emerging ones) pressures policymakers to keep rates tight; falling inflation opens the door to easing. For investors, the direction of inflation often matters more than the level: accelerating inflation compresses valuations and forces tightening, while disinflation has historically been a tailwind for both bonds and equities. Data: consumer price index via the IMF, compiled from South Africa's national statistics office.
<iframe src="https://www.tacticalassetallocation.com/charts/south-africa-inflation-rate/embed.html" width="800" height="360" loading="lazy" style="border:1px solid #ddd;border-radius:8px"></iframe>
<a href="https://www.tacticalassetallocation.com/charts/south-africa-inflation-rate/">South Africa Inflation Rate — Cambria Chart Lab</a>
Data: download CSV (source: IMF Consumer Price Index statistics).