South Africa’s Factory Output Slides as PMI Hits Lowest Level Since April 2020
Econ Desk
– December 2, 2025
5 min read
South Africa’s manufacturing sector has plunged back into deep contraction, signalling fresh pressure on growth as factory activity drops to its weakest level since the 2020 lockdown - and sounding an urgent warning for the government to get moving on hard economic reforms.

Photo by Gallo Images / Nardus Engelbrecht