Manufacturing activity in South Africa fell by 1.4% year-on-year in December 2025, marking a two-month downturn following an upwardly revised 2% decline in November. Food and beverages (-4.6%, -1.4 percentage points), wood and wood products, paper, publishing, and printing (-5.2%, -0.6 points), and basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metal products, metal products, and machinery (-2.3%, -0.4 points) were the largest contributors to the decline. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, output decreased by 1.2%, after an upwardly revised 2.1% slump in the previous month. In 2025, total manufacturing production shrank by 1.3% compared with 2024. source: Statistics South Africa

Industrial Production in South Africa decreased 1.40 percent in December of 2025 over the same month in the previous year. Industrial Production in South Africa averaged 0.75 percent from 1974 until 2025, reaching an all time high of 101.30 percent in April of 2021 and a record low of -52.70 percent in April of 2020. This page provides - South Africa Industrial Production - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. South Africa Manufacturing Production - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on March of 2026.

Industrial Production in South Africa decreased 1.40 percent in December of 2025 over the same month in the previous year. Industrial Production in South Africa is expected to be -0.80 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the South Africa Manufacturing Production is projected to trend around 1.30 percent in 2027 and 1.90 percent in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-01-08 11:00 AM
Manufacturing Production YoY
Nov -1% 0.4% 0.2% -1.4%
2026-02-12 11:00 AM
Manufacturing Production YoY
Dec -1.4% -2% -0.8%
2026-03-12 11:00 AM
Manufacturing Production YoY
Jan -1.4%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Bankruptcies 100.00 126.00 Companies Dec 2025
Changes in Inventories 25742.00 18711.00 ZAR Million Sep 2025
Electricity Production 17477.00 18325.00 Gigawatt-hour Dec 2025
Gold Production YoY 1.10 -6.00 percent Dec 2025
Manufacturing Production YoY -1.40 -2.00 percent Dec 2025
Manufacturing Production MoM -1.20 -2.10 percent Dec 2025
Mining Production YoY 2.50 -2.40 percent Dec 2025


South Africa Manufacturing Production
In South Africa, industrial production measures the output of businesses integrated in the manufacturing sector of the economy.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
-1.40 -2.00 101.30 -52.70 1974 - 2025 percent Monthly
2019=100, NSA

News Stream
South Africa Factory Activity Shrinks for 2nd Month
Manufacturing activity in South Africa fell by 1.4% year-on-year in December 2025, marking a two-month downturn following an upwardly revised 2% decline in November. Food and beverages (-4.6%, -1.4 percentage points), wood and wood products, paper, publishing, and printing (-5.2%, -0.6 points), and basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metal products, metal products, and machinery (-2.3%, -0.4 points) were the largest contributors to the decline. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, output decreased by 1.2%, after an upwardly revised 2.1% slump in the previous month. In 2025, total manufacturing production shrank by 1.3% compared with 2024.
2026-02-12
South Africa Factory Output Posts Surprise Decline
Manufacturing output in South Africa fell by 1% year-on-year in November 2025, following an upwardly revised 0.4% rise in October and against analysts' forecast of a 0.2% increase. This marked the first decline in factory activity since August, led by wood and wood products, paper, publishing and printing (-7.9%); basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metal products, metal products and machinery (-2.5%) and motor vehicles, parts and accessories and other transport equipment (-4.4%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, output shrank by 1.1% in November, after a 1% rise in the previous month. Seasonally adjusted manufacturing production increased by 0.6% in the three months ended November 2025 compared with the previous three months.
2026-01-08
South Africa Factory Growth Slows in October
Manufacturing output in South Africa rose by 0.2% year-on-year in October 2025, a marked deceleration from the upwardly revised 1% increase in September. Output growth slowed significantly for motor vehicles, parts and accessories and other transport equipment (1.6% vs 7.6% in September); food and beverages (1.9% vs 4.2%) and furniture and other manufacturing (0.8% vs 5%). At the same time, production declines for wood and wood products, paper, publishing and printing (-6.9% vs -5.3%) and glass and non-metallic mineral products (-5.8% vs 0.6%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, factory output increased by 1%, after a revised 0.5% rise in the previous month.
2025-12-11