Manufacturing activity in South Africa slipped by 4.3% year-on-year in May 2026, following a 2.9% drop in April and worse than the expected 3.2% decline.The latest data showed the sector remained in contraction for a second consecutive month, with output falling at the fastest pace since April 2025. Among the main contributors to the decline were food and beverages, down 6.4% and subtracting 1.6 percentage points, as well as basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metal products, metal products and machinery, which dropped 5.6% and reduced growth by 1.3 percentage points. Output in wood and wood products, paper, publishing and printing plunged 11.0%, adding further pressure. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, output rose by 1.1%, after a downwardly revised 2.6% slump in the prior month. Manufacturing production shrank by 1% in the three months ended May 2026 compared with the previous three months.