Cape Town - It appears to be just a matter of time before South Africa’s credit rating is cut to junk.

S&P Global Ratings will lower the nation’s rating to non-investment grade by the end of this year, according to 12 of 13 economists and analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.

Four see the downgrade to BB+, which will put South Africa on par with Turkey and Indonesia, coming as early as next month. All 13 analysts predict Moody’s Investors Service, which rates the nation one level above S&P, will cut its assessment by December.