At 1615 GMT the rand fell by 0.3% to 18.3100 against the dollar.
The risk-sensitive rand had firmed in the morning session as it recovered from a 29-month low it hit on Thursday, after higher than expected U.S. consumer prices data raised the likelihood of another large increase to U.S. interest rates next month.
However, the dollar bounced back as demand for safe-haven assets returned amid market volatility, exacerbated by political turmoil in the United Kingdom and geopolitical tensions in Ukraine.
The dollar index, which measures the currency against six rivals, was last trading up 0.62% at 113.28.
In the week ahead, South African investors will be looking at local consumer inflation data for September.
"We expect the headline CPI reading to ease to 7.4% y/y in September from 7.6% y/y in August on a further deceleration in fuel price inflation," Investec analyst Lara Hodes said in a research note.
Shares on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange fell, weighed down by gold mining companies as gold prices took a hit due to the stronger dollar.
Overall on the stock market, the Top-40 index fell 0.2%, while the broader all-share index closed down 0.19%.
The government's benchmark 2030 bond was stronger, with the yield down 2.5 basis points at 10.820%.
(Reporting by Anait Miridzhanian in Johannesburg and Bhargav Acharya in Bengaluru; Editing by David Goodman and Shailesh Kuber)
