IMF maintains stagnant growth projections for South Africa

Cautious stance reflects IMF's assessment that SA is failing to implement crucial structural reforms

- SIPHELELE DLUDLA

SOUTH African economists are voicing serious concerns as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) holds steady on its meagre growth forecasts for the country, projecting a mere 1% growth in 2025 and 1.3% in 2026.

This cautious stance, reiterated in the latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) published on Tuesday, reflects the IMF's assessment that the nation has made insufficient progress in implementing crucial structural reforms, particularly in critical network industries such as logistics and energy.

The latest estimates mirror the IMF’s April predictions, which marked a notable 0.5 percentage point reduction due to sluggish activity among key trading partners and the mounting pressure of rising US tariffs.

The forecasts contrast with those from the National Treasury, which anticipates a growth rate of 1.4% in 2025 and 1.6% in 2026, as well as the South African Reserve Bank's optimistic outlook of 1.2% growth for 2025 rising to 1.8% by 2027.

“These discrepancies highlight a deeply concerning divergence between South Africa's economic trajectory and that of its neighbours in saab Saharan Africa.

Momentum Investments chief economist, Sanisha Packirisamy, emphasised that South Africa was grappling with chronic structural constraints that severely limit its growth potential.