South African rand (ZAR) to British pound (GBP) exchange rate chart and trend analysis based on real data sourced directly from UK currency suppliers
Our British pound to South African rand chart plots the actual South African rand buyback rates offered by our panel of UK currency providers at the end of each day, so you can see the historical performance of the South African rand against the pound and monitor fluctuations in the exchange rate over time.
This page shows the South African rand to pound exchange rate, not the South African rand buyback rate advertised in our South African rand buyback comparisons. Both rates are the same, but the buyback rate is displayed in a different format due to the way UK currency suppliers advertise their buyback rates. Learn more
This annual exchange rate summary provides a detailed breakdown of the performance of the South African rand against the British pound over the past several years so you can put today's South African rand buyback rates into context:
| Year | Open | Close | Low | High | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 0.0407 | --- | 0.042 | 0.0389 | --- |
| 2023 | 0.0456 | 0.0407 | 0.0461 | 0.0387 | 12.10% |
| 2022 | 0.0454 | 0.0455 | 0.0516 | 0.0434 | -0.20% |
| 2021 | 0.0491 | 0.0454 | 0.0515 | 0.0454 | 8.01% |
| 2020 | 0.0531 | 0.0491 | 0.0551 | 0.0408 | 8.16% |
| 2019 | 0.0537 | 0.0531 | 0.0571 | 0.0505 | 1.21% |
| 2018 | 0.0595 | 0.0539 | 0.0613 | 0.0496 | 10.52% |
| 2017 | 0.0578 | 0.0595 | 0.0633 | 0.0518 | -2.85% |
| 2016 | 0.0426 | 0.0579 | 0.0601 | 0.0404 | -26.40% |
Exchange rates can be displayed in different ways depending on the context. There's the South African rand to pound exchange rate, and the South African rand buyback rate. The two are in fact the same; they are just displayed differently.
The South African rand to pound exchange rate corresponds to the value of one South African rand in British pounds. For example, a South African rand to pound rate of 0.05 means one South African rand is worth 0.05 pounds.
In contrast, the South African rand buyback rate corresponds to the amount of South African rand you'd have to exchange to get one pound. For example, a South African rand buyback rate of 20 means you'd have to exchange 20 South African rand to get one pound.
UK currency suppliers prefer to show the South African rand buyback rate instead of the South African rand to pound exchange rate, so we follow the same format in our South African rand comparisons. However, on this page, we use the South African rand to pound exchange rate since this is what the data is intended to show.
The two rates are interchangeable: to convert the South African rand buyback rate into the actual South African rand to pound rate, just divide 1 by the South African rand buyback rate, e.g.: 1 / 20 = 0.05.
If you want to exchange South African rand into British pounds, we can help you to find a reputable foreign exchange provider. We compare the South African rand rates from tried-and-tested companies who will buy currency by post or over the counter.
For a complete comparison of providers and their latest buyback rates, see our South African rand currency buyback comparisons.