Gross domestic product expanded by 0.5% in the first quarter, beating forecasts and marking a stronger-than-expected start to the year, a situation economists don’t expect to continue.

Relatively strong output from the finance, real estate and business services industry offsets contraction in manufacturing

South Africa's GDP saw a 0.5% increase in the first quarter of 2026, driven by growth in finance, agriculture, and trade sectors, despite a decline in manufacturing.