South Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased by 0.5% in the first quarter of 2026, as indicated by Stats SA on Wednesday.
South Africa’s economy grew by 0.5% in the first quarter of 2026, marking a second consecutive quarter of expansion and signalling gradual resilience despite continued weakness in key sectors such as manufacturing.
Data released by Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) on Wednesday showed that gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 0.5% between January and March, following growth of 0.4% in the final quarter of 2025.
This marked the sixth straight quarter of expansion and the strongest performance since the second quarter of 2025, as nine of the 10 industries registered growth.
The latest figures suggest that while South Africa’s economic recovery remains modest, growth is being supported by resilient service sectors, stronger agricultural output and a positive trade balance. However, ongoing weakness in manufacturing continues to pose a challenge to broader economic expansion.
