FX.co ★ South Africa Factory Production Shrinks for 6th Month

In April 2025, South Africa experienced a 6.3% year-on-year decline in manufacturing output, marking the sixth straight month of contraction and representing the steepest fall since March 2024. This decline was evident across several sectors. Notably, food and beverages saw a significant drop of 7.6% compared to a previous decrease of 1.9%. The basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metals, and metal machinery segment fell by 6.3%, contrasting with a previous increase of 1.1%. The automotive sector, including motor vehicles, parts, and accessories, reported a substantial decline of 13.0% as opposed to a previous rise of 0.3%. Additionally, the petroleum, chemicals, rubber, and plastics industries faced a 4.7% decrease compared to a prior 2.5% contraction. On a month-to-month comparison, manufacturing output in April climbed by 1.9%, representing the largest monthly increase in a year, following a 2.5% decline in March. Analyzing the broader quarterly view, industrial production decreased by 1.4% in the three months leading up to April.