Star 2025-12-02

South Africans showed buying confidence this Black Friday as spending surged by 64% compared to last year, defying continued financial pressures and proving that strong deals still have the power to draw consumers back into the market. Electronics emerged as the biggest winner, with sales tripling compared to last year. Physical stores also outperformed online channels as shoppers opted for hands on evaluation of major purchases. Industry analysts say this reflects the emotional nature of Black Friday shopping in South Africa, where customers still want to physically assess high value items before committing. Health and beauty purchases soared to four times last year’s levels while home furnishings spending rose three and a half times. Jewellery spending also tripled, highlighting pent up demand across discretionary categories. Payment service providers recorded exceptional…

South Africa’s new-vehicle market posted another month of robust growth in November, surging by 12.5% year-on-year buoyed by a favourable macroeconomic environment that strengthened household and business confidence while helping to ease affordability constraints. However, the Automotive Business Council (Naamsa) on Monday said export volumes dipped but remained resilient in view of softer global demand conditions and renewed geopolitical tensions. Meanwhile, domestic sales remained firmly on an upward trajectory. Data from Naamsa showed that aggregate new-vehicle sales rose to 54 896 units, an increase of 6 113 units compared to the 48 783 units sold during the same month a year ago. The contrast with November 2024 is striking. Last year's units marked the best month of that year but was driven primarily by rental fleet deals as consumer demand…

Johann Rupert’s group and shipping company propose restructuring of Mediclinic Holdings Remgro, the JSE-listed investment group chaired by renowned South African businessman Johann Rupert, and global shipping company MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company Holding, have proposed a restructuring of their interests in international healthcare group Mediclinic Holdings. The deal, for an undisclosed sum, will see JSE-listed Remgro acquiring full ownership of Mediclinic Southern Africa and MSC's subsidiary Investment Holding Limited S.à r.l (IHL) acquiring full ownership of Hirslanden, Mediclinic's Swiss operations. Remgro and IHL will then continue to hold their respective joint interests in the Middle East and Spire Healthcare Group plc businesses. Mediclinic became 50% held by MSC, and 50% owned by Remgro in terms of an acquisition deal concluded in May 2023, and Mediclinic was delisted from the JSE,…

The Ports Regulator of South Africa has approved a lower-than-requested tariff increase for the National Ports Authority (NPA), granting an average rise of 7.57% for the 2026/27 financial year—below the 9.61% originally proposed by the Authority. Announcing the Record of Decision (ROD) in Durban on Monday, Ports Regulator CEO Mukondeleli Johanna Mulaudzi said the NPA had submitted its tariff application on 1 August 2025 in line with Section 72 of the National Ports Act. The Authority had requested an allowable revenue of R16.73 billion for 2026/27, along with indicative increases of 9.61% for the two subsequent financial years. Following a detailed review of the application, public submissions, consultation presentations, and updated inflation data from the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement, the Regulator determined an appropriate Revenue Requirement of R17.42bn for 2026/27.…

Africa stands at a crossroads in the flow of global energy dynamics — a pivotal moment where the continent can leverage its abundant fossil fuel resources for equitable development. To ensure this outcome, stakeholders must concentrate investment on key areas like refining capacity, trading networks, and adoption of cleaner fuels if Africa is to be prepared for the 2050 projections covered in the African Energy Chamber’s (AEC) 2026 Outlook Report, “The State of African Energy.” Africa’s need for refined products is set to surge, driven by demographic and economic forces. According to our report, Africa's refined product demand is projected to climb from approximately 4 million barrels per day (bbl/d) in 2024 to over 6 million bbl/d by 2050. While many advanced economies are moving to reduce their dependence on…

South Africa’s manufacturing sector took a sharp downturn in November, with the seasonally adjusted Absa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) plunging by 7.2 points to 42, its weakest reading in several months and well below the 50-point mark that separates expansion from contraction. The steep decline was driven by worsening conditions across four of the index’s five major components, with only employment showing a marginal improvement, though it too remained in negative territory. Absa analysts noted that the PMI reflects actual changes in activity and demand rather than sentiment, making the latest figures a direct signal of renewed strain in the sector. Overall, Absa said the November PMI underscores the fragile state of South Africa’s manufacturing sector, where domestic demand remains weak, export markets are subdued, and output continues to lag,…