South African mining output in February 2026 rose 9.7% year-on-year. This was the highest since February 2024. Then the growth was 12.4% year-on-year. Mining output in the first two months of 2026 increased by 7.3% year-on-year.
One reason why the February 2026 increase was so high was the base effect. This means the comparison is bad with February 2025. Mining output declined by 8.3% year-on-year in February 2025.
Statistics South Africa Mining output was said to grow by only 0.1% in 2025. This was followed by an increase of 0.5% in 2024 and no change in 2023. Mining output has actually fallen 6.4% since 2019. The decline in mining production since 2019 is largely due to Transnet's extended period of poor performance.
Transnet decline
Transnet is the logistics backbone of the South African mining industry as its rail and ports are needed to deliver bulk mining products from mines to overseas customers.
Between 2019 and 2023, the volume of bulk exports, which are mostly mining products such as coal, chrome ore, iron ore and manganese ore, is expected to decline by 10.4%. It was only low volumes of precious metals and diamonds that prevented mining output from matching the large decline in wholesale export volumes.
importance of mining
The Minerals Council South Africa highlights the importance of the mining industry to the South African economy in its Facts and Figures 2025 Pocketbook. It employs 469 765 miners who generate R439.2 billion in revenue and provide R31.0 billion in taxes to the government.
The Mineral Council said the sector's competitiveness was hampered by sharp increases in government-administered prices such as electricity, rail and port charges.
The poor performance since 2019 is highlighted by the fact that only two of the 12 sectors are above their 2019 production levels. These two fields are chrome ore and manganese ore. Both of these sectors ship their ore to China instead of adding value locally through the ferroalloy sector. The domestic ferroalloy sector has been unable to compete with Chinese smelters due to the high cost of electricity.
Boom in bulk exports in the first quarter
Looks like Transnet is doing its job.
south african bulk export Imports increased 11.8% year-on-year to 17.079 million tonnes (Mt) in March 2026. There was an increase of 13.4% in the first quarter to 48.491 million tonnes.