South African private sector activity expands slightly in August, PMI shows

A traffic congestion during the morning peak hour as motorists drive towards the city of Johannesburg, South Africa, July 23, 2026. Picture taken through a car window. REUTERS

JOHANNESBURG, Sept 3 (Reuters) – South African private sector activity expanded slightly in August as ​higher new orders supported output and ‌purchasing, a business survey showed on Thursday.

• The S&P Global South Africa Purchasing Managers’ ​Index (PMI) rose to 50.5 in August ​from 50.3 in July.
• The 50 mark ⁠separates growth from contraction.
• New orders ​increased marginally, with surveyed businesses reporting larger ​orders, successful tenders and rising sales as customer finances improved.
• Output expanded for a second month ​and at the strongest pace ​since April. Purchasing activity also rose at the ‌quickest ⁠rate since March, helping lift input stocks at the fastest pace in four months.
• Export sales were only just in ​positive territory ​and ⁠hit a three-month low, the survey showed.
• “Survey comments suggest that ​business expectations also rely on ​a ⁠recovery of both domestic and external economic conditions, implying the path to ⁠stronger ​growth remains unclear,” said ​S&P Global Market Intelligence Senior Economist David Owen.

Reporting ​by Johannesburg bureau; Editing by Hugh Lawson