South African Prime Rate Today
As of 25 September 2026, the prime rate is 10.75% (SARB repo 7.25% + 3.5 percentage points). Source: SARB Monetary Policy Committee statement.
Current prime and repo rate
- Prime lending rate
- 10.75%
- SARB repo rate
- 7.25%
- Prime is repo + 3.5 points
- Effective from
- 25 September 2026
- Next MPC date
- 19 November 2026
- Scheduled announcement, not a forecast
Prime rate history
The last six SARB change dates, newest first. Meetings that left the rate unchanged do not appear.
| Effective date | Policy (repo) rate | Prime rate | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Sep 2026 | 7.25% | 10.75% | +25 bp |
| 29 May 2026 | 7.00% | 10.50% | +25 bp |
| 21 Nov 2025 | 6.75% | 10.25% | −25 bp |
| 1 Aug 2025 | 7.00% | 10.50% | −25 bp |
| 30 May 2025 | 7.25% | 10.75% | −25 bp |
| 31 Jan 2025 | 7.50% | 11.00% | −25 bp |
Change is in basis points, worked out from consecutive SARB change dates.
What a rate change does to your repayment
Enter your loan, term and the margin your bank charges above or below prime to see your monthly repayment today and after a 0.25 or 0.5 percentage point move.
Between R1 000 and R100 000 000.
Between 12 and 360 months.
Between −5.00 and +10.00.
Monthly instalment at 10.75%: R10 152.29
| Rate | Monthly instalment | Difference vs current |
|---|---|---|
| 10.25% (−0.50) | R9 816.43 | −R335.86 |
| 10.50% (−0.25) | R9 983.80 | −R168.49 |
| 11.00% (+0.25) | R10 321.88 | +R169.59 |
| 11.25% (+0.50) | R10 492.56 | +R340.27 |
Illustration only. Excludes fees, insurance and balloon payments. Your lender's figures will differ.
Prime vs the repo rate
The repo rate is the SARB's policy rate. The Monetary Policy Committee sets it at its meetings. Prime is the reference rate South African banks use to price loans, and it is currently 3.5 percentage points above the repo rate: 10.75% against 7.25%. Both rates usually change by the same amount on the same effective date when the MPC moves the policy rate.
Banks do not simply lend at prime. They quote prime plus or minus a margin based on the borrower, the product and the bank's own costs. Treat prime as the starting point and your loan agreement as the rate that actually applies to you.
Calculators using this rate
These calculators use the same prime-rate config as this page, so the rate in their worked examples matches the rate above:
- Bond repayment calculator for monthly home loan repayments at prime.
- Car finance calculator for vehicle finance instalments, deposit, term and balloon payments.
Prime rate FAQ
Common questions about the South African prime lending rate
Disclaimer
This page is for information only. Banks quote loans at prime ± a margin, so your home loan or car finance rate may be higher or lower than prime. It does not predict the outcome of the 19 November 2026 MPC decision.