Private sector building plan approvals recorded a stronger monthly performance in March 2026, with total approved floor area increasing by 20.4% y/y to just under 1.0 million sqm. The improvement was driven largely by stronger residential activity in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, with housing approvals rising by 32.8% y/y nationally. Retail approvals also showed a sharp recovery from a low base, while industrial approvals remained under pressure overall.
The Western Cape emerged as the strongest-performing province during the month, supported by broad-based growth across residential, retail and multi-unit developments. KwaZulu-Natal also recorded solid growth, while Gauteng continued to underperform, with ongoing weakness in retail, housing and multi-unit residential approvals weighing on national performance.
Despite the stronger March outcome, the broader 12-month trend remained subdued, with national approvals still down 3.4% y/y on a moving annual total basis. Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape continued to weigh on the longer-term pipeline, highlighting the uneven nature of the recovery across South Africa’s private sector construction market.
Private Sector Building Approvals by Type and Province as at March 2026
