JOHANNESBURG - Mining production in South Africa rose to its highest levels in nearly 10 years last year, with data from Statistics SA (Stats SA) showing the biggest year-on-year rise in output since 2010.
Stats SA said yesterday that mining production had increased 4percent on a yearly basis in 2017 from a 4 percent decline in 2016, despite the sector’s poor showing in December.
The agency said output had increased 0.1percent year-on-year in December from a 6.5percent gain in the previous month - well below market expectations of a 6.6percent rise.
It said the slowdown had been driven primarily by contractions in the production of gold, which fell 12.4percent, and coal, which eased 5.5percent during the period. Output in iron ore, nickel and other non-metallic minerals had also slowed during the period.
The opening day of the Mining Indaba 2018 in Cape Town at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. The indaba brings together leading figures from the mining investment community, the world's top mining houses and African government ministries to share insights into how the mining sector can drive investments and capitalise on the opportunities available to Africa's mining industry. PHOTOS: Henk Kruger/ANA
Jason Muscat, a senior economic analyst at FNB, said that despite a disappointing end to the year’s output, looking ahead mining was set to make a solid contribution to the annual gross domestic product (GDP).
“We expect the sector to regain momentum in the first half of 2018 given strong Chinese demand, particularly for iron ore,” he said.
“Commodity prices also remain supportive and we expect 2018 to deliver another year of mild growth.”
This week the Chamber of Mines told the Mining Indaba in Cape Town that mining contribution to the country’s GDP last year had improved by 3.7percent year on year to R312billion.
The indaba also heard that South Africa had more than R220bn worth of investments in the project pipeline with the changing political climate bolstering investor confidence after years of policy uncertainty, prompted mainly by the proposed new Mining Charter put forward by the Department of Mineral Resouces.
The current mining charter requires that 26percent of equity must be held by black investors, and the proposed charter envisages a rise to 30percent.
Econometrix chief economist Dr Azar Jammine said: “Shockingly weak mining output for December jeopardises positive outcome for fourth-quarter GDP growth and casts doubt on our hopes for at least 1percent growth in 2017, largely due to (platinum-group metals) and coal.”
Stats SA is expected to release the 2017 fourth-quarter growth rate next month. The market expectation is a 1.3percent increase, compared with the 2percent growth in the third quarter.
Manufacturing production in South Africa increased 2percent year on year in December and in line with expectations.
Food and beverages, petroleum, basic iron and steel, and motor vehicle and parts manufacturing were the main drivers of growth.
Weakness in the manufacturing sector persisted in the clothing and wood product manufacturing, with these subcomponents having contracted for nine and 12 consecutive months respectively. On a monthly basis, manufacturing output went up 1.1percent in December.
John Ashbourne, an Africa economist at Capital Economics, said strong manufacturing growth probably offset the weaker performance of the mining sector in the fourth quarter.
“Given that manufacturing makes up a larger share of GDP, we expect overall growth probably stayed around 2percent quarter-on-quarter in the fourth quarter. We’ll know more when December retail figures are released next week.”