Turnover falls in five of eight SA industries

SOUTH Africa’s industries‚ excluding agricultu financial intermediation and insurance and government institutions‚ recorded an estimated total turnover of R1.62-trillion in the first quarter of this year‚ a 2.7% decrease compared with the fourth quarter of last year‚ Statistics SA said yesterday.

Turnover of all industries was‚ however‚ up year on year. The figures showed turnover for the first quarter of this year was 4.5% more than the R1.55-trillion for the first quarter of last year.

Between the fourth quarter of last year and the first quarter of this year, turnover decreased in five of the eight industries covered in the survey. The largest decrease in turnover was recorded for construction (-7.3%)‚ followed by trade (-4.8%)‚ electricity‚ gas and water supply (-2.9%)‚ manufacturing (-2.8%) and transport‚ storage and communication (-1.6%).

Increases were recorded for mining and quarrying (4.1%)‚ followed by community‚ social and personal services, excluding government institutions and real estate (2.1%) and other business services, excluding financial intermediation and insurance (0.3%).

Capital expenditure on property‚ plant and equipment for the first quarter of this year was estimated at R56-billion‚ compared with R77.7-billion for the fourth quarter of last year.

The largest decrease was recorded for electricity‚ gas and water supply (-58.6%)‚ followed by manufacturing (-42.9%)‚ mining and quarrying (-31.3%)‚ trade (-19.7%) and transport‚ storage and communication (-4.0%). Increases were recorded for real estate and other business services, excluding financial intermediation and insurance (16.4%)‚ followed by construction (15.7%) and community‚ social and personal services, excluding government institutions (14.4%). Inventories at the end of the first quarter of this year were estimated at R586.4-billion‚ compared with R568-billion for the fourth quarter of last year.

The largest increase in inventories was recorded for manufacturing (4.7%)‚ followed by electricity‚ gas and water supply (3.6%)‚ trade (2.9%)‚ construction (1.9%) and mining and quarrying (1.8%).

Decreases were recorded for transport‚ storage and communication (-6.9%) and real estate and other business services, excluding financial intermediation and insurance (-5.0%). — BDLive