After a long hiatus, Stats SA has resumed the publication of insolvency data for the South African economy.

The Statistics of insolvencies release provides data on the number of insolvencies, broken down by province. The first monthly release, published on 21 July 2026, reports on insolvencies for June 2026 and includes a time series from January 2023.

Why was there a break?

Prior to September 2021, Stats SA received insolvency data from the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DoJ & CD). These were published together with data on liquidations in the Statistics of liquidations and insolvencies release.¹ A cyber incident at the DoJ & CD disrupted the supply of the insolvency data. Liquidation statistics were not affected and continued to be published, as they are sourced from the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition.

In April 2023, Stats SA split Statistics of liquidations and insolvencies into two separate statistical releases. Statistics of liquidations² continued to be published monthly, while Statistics of insolvencies was placed on hold until the DoJ & CD resumed the supply of data.

Insolvency data are now available, enabling Stats SA to publish the first Statistics of insolvencies release since publication was suspended in 2021.³

What does the data show?

Insolvency refers to an individual or partnership that is unable to pay its debt and is placed under final sequestration. South Africa’s economy recorded 320 insolvencies in the second quarter of 2026, a decline of 113 insolvencies compared with the first quarter of 2026 (see Figure 1).

Figure 2 below shows Gauteng as the most significant contributor to this decline, with the province recording a decrease of 60 insolvencies. Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, North West and Mpumalanga also registered lower numbers. Free State, Northern Cape and Limpopo recorded increases.

A monthly breakdown shows that there were 61 insolvencies nationwide in June 2026, down from 139 insolvencies recorded in June 2025. This represents a decline of 56,1% year-on-year.

To find out more, download the Statistics of insolvencies (Statistical release P0043.2) for  June 2026 here.

¹ Statistics of liquidations and insolvencies (Statistical release P0043) (download here).

² Statistics of liquidations (Statistical release P0043.1) (download here).

³ Note that the Statistics of insolvencies statistical release does not represent a continuation of the previous series, as there is a break in the time series between September 2021 and December 2022.

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