JOHANNESBURG - South Africa’s manufacturing sector had a tough December.
Production fell by 1.4 percent compared to the previous year.
The biggest drops came from food and drinks, wood and paper products, and metals and machinery.
Only petroleum, chemicals, rubber, and plastics grew.
Compared with November, production also dropped slightly.
Overall, the last three months of the year were down 0.5 percent compared with the previous quarter.
For the whole year, manufacturing was 1.3 percent lower than in 2024.
Sales of manufactured goods also fell.
December sales were down by 4.5 percent from November, and the fourth quarter saw a 2,5 percent drop.
Motor vehicles, food and drinks were the most affected.