As of March 2025, South Africa’s construction pipeline declined sharply by 17.4% year-on-year, worsening from a 14.6% drop at the end of 2024. The overall pipeline value fell by R38 billion to R180 billion. Provincial trends varied, with only North West showing growth, while KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and Free State experienced severe contractions exceeding 30%. Gauteng and Western Cape saw a slowing in their rates of decline, while the Northern Cape’s previously positive trend reversed into a decline. The initial optimism in early 2024 faded after the elections, with both civil and public sector building tenders weakening despite some recovery in private sector approvals.
