South Africa’s construction industry showed further signs of recovery in March 2026, with turnover increasing by 3.5% year-on-year and work in progress more than doubling, indicating that more projects are now actively under construction. This is according to Stats SA’s latest Financial Statistics Quarterly Survey released for March 2026. Contractors also increased material purchases and plant hire, pointing to strengthening construction activity. However, higher workloads have yet to translate into improved profitability, with industry pre-tax margins falling to just 0.9% as cost pressures and tight contract pricing continue to weigh on financial performance. The latest survey suggests the industry is becoming busier, but sustainable profitability remains a key challenge.
Download the full review, including data, commentary and infographic here (available to subscribers)
