A new report by the Bureau for Economic Research (BER) indicated that structural reforms are bearing fruit after South Africa recorded a 6th consecutive quarter of positive Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.
South Africa’s structural reform programme is beginning to show measurable economic benefits, with the country recording a sixth consecutive quarter of GDP growth, but weak implementation capacity continues to slow progress in several critical areas, according to the Bureau for Economic Research (BER).
Real GDP expanded by 0.5% in the first quarter of 2026, extending the longest run of quarterly growth since 2017/18.
BER economist Rose Murunzi said the result suggests that reforms in electricity, digital public infrastructure and parts of the logistics sector are starting to feed through into economic activity, although the recovery remains gradual and uneven.
“South Africa’s growth recovery continues to make gradual but uneven progress. Growth of 0.5% was recorded in 2026Q1, the sixth straight quarter of expansion,” Murunzi said.
