The Preferred Supplier Survey, pioneered by Industry Insight, evaluates the Market Exposure Rate (MER) of key construction material suppliers within the construction industry. MER is used to measure supplier participation in projects based on their exposure to project values rather than sales volumes. Since 2019 over 6 000 projects valued at R580bn has been surveyed,…
The February/March 2026 Construction Monitor highlights a South African construction sector that remains under pressure despite a relatively supportive macroeconomic backdrop. Inflation has eased to around 3%, supporting consumer activity—particularly retail segments linked to maintenance and renovations, but this resilience is largely confined to household-driven demand. In contrast, investment-led activity remains weak, reflected in declining…
Early 2026 data reveals a fragile recovery in civil tender activity, with February rebounding above R6bn on the back of water-sector projects. However, a deep and persistent contraction in awards continues to weigh on the outlook, pointing to a constrained pipeline despite emerging pockets of provincial resilience. Download the latest provincial dataset here (available to…
South Africa’s building pipeline entered 2026 on a weak footing, with January approvals declining and signalling continued strain in both residential and non-residential markets. While there are early signs of life in smaller housing segments and select provinces, these gains remain patchy and largely insufficient to counter broader declines—particularly in higher-value construction and key economic…
The Eastern Cape construction market is stabilising — but the recovery is uneven. Civil works are driving momentum, private industrial demand is accelerating, and the provincial pipeline has returned to growth. Yet public sector budgets remain constrained, payment risks persist, and execution capacity will determine whether the province unlocks over R100 billion in potential infrastructure…
South Africa’s construction outlook for 2026 is improving at the margins, but the gap between plans and execution remains wide. While inflation and interest rates are easing and investor sentiment has stabilised, fixed investment and construction activity are still near multi-decade lows. With public budgets under pressure and private sector confidence fragile, the real test…
Early signs of stabilisation are emerging in South Africa’s private construction market, with multi-unit housing approvals up 23% y/y and total residential space increasing by 9% in November 2025. Gauteng has reclaimed the lead in approvals (320 000 sqm, +7% y/y), supported by improving residential and industrial demand. However, these green shoots remain fragile. A…
Government-controlled prices — including water, electricity, and property rates — accelerated to 6 percent y-y in October, nudging headline inflation up from 3.4 to 3.6 percent. Water tariffs and electricity costs continue to rise at double-digit rates, placing sustained pressure on households and businesses. This comes as the South African Reserve Bank shifts its inflation…
Civil tender activity slows in October, as award values surge on major road and power projects South Africa’s civil construction sector softened in October 2025, with tender values down 15 percent y-y to R6.3 billion, mainly due to weaker activity in Mpumalanga and several inland provinces. However, large project awards surged 56 percent to R10.4…
Stabilising Economy and Major Infrastructure Commitments Set South Africa on a Cautious Path to Recovery South Africa’s construction industry entered the final quarter of 2025 amid a cautiously improving economic and investment climate. Macroeconomic indicators reflected stability, headline inflation held at 3.4 percent, the rand strengthened to around R17.3/$, and the Absa Manufacturing PMI climbed…
