South Africa Manufacturing Production Falls Again

Manufacturing production in South Africa declined 4.3% year-on-year in August 2026, reversing a 1.1% rise in July. The largest negative contributions came from petroleum, chemical products, rubber and plastic products (-5%); motor vehicles, parts and accessories and other transport equipment (-8.8%); wood and wood products, paper, publishing and printing (-7%); food and beverages (-3%); and basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metal products, metal products and machinery (-3%). Meanwhile, manufacturing production decreased 3.1% from the previous month, reversing the 2.2% gain seen in July.

Manufacturing activity in South Africa rose by 1.1% year-on-year in July 2026, reversing the upwardly revised 1.7% drop in June and better than the expected 1.6% decline. The rebound followed three consecutive months of declining activity. The largest positive contributions came from the food and beverages division, which grew by 4.1%, and the petroleum, chemical products, rubber and plastic products division, which increased by 3.2%. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, manufacturing production grew by 2.2%, the most since May 2025, after a downwardly revised 0.8% increase in the month. South Africa manufacturing production increased by 1.0% in the three months ended July 2026 compared with the previous three months.

South Africa’s manufacturing production fell 1.7% year-on-year in June 2026, easing from a downwardly revised 4.4% decline in May and remaining in contraction for a third consecutive month. The decline in food and beverages (-3.9% vs -5.8%) and wood, wood products, paper, publishing and printing (-8.9% vs -12.9%) softened. Meanwhile, output rebounded for glass and non-metallic products (1.2% vs -8.3%), basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metal products, metal products and machinery (0.1% vs -5.8%), and radio, television and communication equipment and professional equipment (3.3% vs -4.5%). Growth in petroleum, chemical products, rubber and plastics slowed to 1.2% from 2.3%. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, manufacturing output rose 0.9%, following a revised 1% increase in May. In Q2, manufacturing output shrank 1.7% compared to a year earlier.