After an unprecedented slump in SA’s construction industry in the first half of 2020, early signs are for a rebound during the summer months, according to building materials and construction group Afrimat.
The second quarter was a “predicable disaster”, says economist Roelof Botha, but the industry seems to be recovering rapidly. The index for the second quarter released on Thursday showed a decline to 65.4 points, meaning activity was less than two-thirds of that of the first quarter of 2011, which is used as a basis for comparison.
“When the lockdown came, the sector temporarily almost ground to a halt, with April recording insignificant levels of activity for every key indicator relevant to construction,” Afrimat said.