The chamber’s survey found that 75% of respondents experienced rising input costs in April 2026, while 95% expected costs to increase further over the next six months.
Rising tensions in the Middle East and surging global oil prices are beginning to weigh heavily on South Africa’s trade environment, with businesses warning that escalating fuel and input costs are squeezing margins, weakening demand and threatening employment prospects.
According to the latest Trade Conditions Survey released by the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) on Thursday, worsening global trade conditions linked to instability in the Middle East have already filtered through supply chains and are placing mounting pressure on businesses across the economy.
Sacci said the impact of higher crude oil prices was becoming increasingly visible at the fuel pump and in operational expenses for companies, even though broader inflation had not yet fully reflected the shock.
“These exogenous developments not only affected crude oil prices but have been filtering through the supply chain. This price destabilisation has not yet affected the inflation rate markedly but had a direct effect at the fuel pump for households and businesses,” it said.
