Interest rates likely to stay unchanged as South Africa navigates economic uncertainty

EXPERTS mostly expect interest rates to remain unchanged next week.

- YOGASHEN PILLAY

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is expected to meet next week Thursday for the first interest rate announcement of 2026.Neil Roets, the CEO of Debt Rescue, said that they believe that, while a further interest rate cut remains possible, the balance of factors suggests it is more likely that the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) will keep interest rates unchanged at the next MPC meeting.

“There are several moving parts influencing this decision, and the SARB will ultimately weigh both domestic inflation conditions and global risks before taking the next step in the rate-cutting cycle.”