South Africa’s construction pipeline strengthened this week, with the 2026 Construction Book increasing to R395.8bn albeit across fewer (110) projects, alongside progress in renewable energy, water, roads and data-centre investment. More tangible activity includes the Lion Thorn Solar Park reaching financial close, fresh procurement on the Tzaneen Dam project and SANRAL road works, while WBHO’s…
South Africa’s newly released 2026 Construction Book reports 110 projects worth approximately R395.8 billion, up from the R231.8 billion recorded in the 2025 edition — a headline increase of roughly 71%, achieved despite a far smaller and more concentrated project list. Download the full provincial project reconciliation work book here, that compares projects included in…
Construction investment ended flat q-q and 0.7% lower y-y in Q2, although performance differed notably across the main market segments. Residential investment recorded the strongest quarterly improvement, rising 3.9% q-q, while investment in non-residential buildings and construction works declined. Compared with 2025Q2, residential investment remained 6% lower, while construction works were unchanged following growth of…
South Africa’s cement imports strengthened further in July 2026, increasing by 7.0% from June and 91.5% y-y to 159,918 tons. This lifted imports for the first seven months of 2026 to 909,046 tons, up 24.4% y-y, a marked acceleration from the 15.8% increase recorded for the first half of the year. Imports through Cape Town…
This week’s key construction and infrastructure announcements included Sibanye-Stillwater’s approval of the Burnstone gold project near Balfour in Mpumalanga, with approximately R3.5bn in infrastructure capital planned over six years, alongside the ongoing R3bn-plus redevelopment of the Optimum Colliery complex. Bidvest approved R2.5bn in freight growth capex, including a second LPG terminal at Richards Bay and…
Construction material inflation remained elevated in July 2026, although some pressure eased, with the Composite Construction Material Price Index slowing to 8.2% y/y from 9.5% in June. Monthly prices increased by just 0.2%, with declines in cement, ready-mix concrete and aggregates providing some relief. However, significant cost pressures remain in key infrastructure inputs, particularly electrical…
R395bn Construction Book Adds to the Pipeline, as Fixed Investment Remains Stuck at below 14% of GDP In this week’s Construction Wrap, we look at government’s latest R395 billion Construction Book, and the widening gap between South Africa’s growing infrastructure pipeline and the still-weak level of fixed investment. We unpack the renewed focus on project…
The total number square metres approved by local government for private sector building construction increased by 28% y-y, supported by an increase in both residential and non-residential building approvals. This increase the total number of sqm approved to over 1 million square metres for the month for the first time since October 2025. Approvals for…
