SA Supply Chain Data: Freight Trends for Operators

Published: 6 May 2026
Updated: 29 October 2026

What does the latest supply chain data say about South Africa, and what does it mean for road transport operators? The short answer from Statistics South Africa's most recent releases: the volume of freight moved on land fell slightly in mid-2026 while freight income kept rising, road still carries the large majority of measured land freight tonnage, and manufacturing output remains volatile, with August 2026 production lower than a year earlier. For operators, that points to firm rates but uneven volumes, real exposure to mining and manufacturing cycles, and a premium on knowing your own cost and utilisation numbers.

This analysis looks at the official freight and manufacturing figures, explains what they mean in practical terms, and sets out how operators serving manufacturing, mining and general freight customers can respond. For the regulatory side of running a road transport business, see our pillar guide to the SA transport regulatory landscape.

Where the Numbers Come From

Two monthly Stats SA releases matter most to road freight operators:

• Land transport (P7162) measures the payload (tonnes) and income of freight moved by road and rail, by commodity type.
• Manufacturing: production and sales (P3041.2) measures the volume of factory output across ten manufacturing divisions.

Both are preliminary and can be revised in later releases, so small differences between months are less important than the direction over several months. Freight income is reported at current prices, which means it includes price and rate increases, not just more work.

What the Latest Freight Data Shows

The August 2026 land transport release, published on 29 October 2026, shows the following year-on-year changes:

| Month (2026) | Freight payload, y/y | Freight income, y/y |
|---|---|---|
| March | +1.0% | +4.0% |
| April | +6.9% | +12.7% |
| May | +3.7% | +10.1% |
| June | +1.3% | +10.7% |
| July | -0.8% | +9.1% |
| August | -1.7% | +6.2% |

Source: Stats SA, Land transport (P7162), August 2026.

Two things stand out:

• Volumes have cooled. After solid growth in the second quarter, payload slipped below the previous year's level in July and August 2026.
• Income has grown much faster than volume throughout. Because income is measured at current prices, this gap reflects higher revenue per tonne, which comes from rate increases, cost recoveries such as fuel surcharges, and changes in the mix of freight carried. It does not by itself mean operators are more profitable, because costs have risen too.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, total land freight payload decreased by 2.9% in the three months to August 2026 compared with the previous three months. Road freight decreased by 3.6% over that period, while rail freight increased by 1.3%.

Road Still Carries Most Land Freight

In the same release, road accounted for 85.5% of seasonally adjusted land freight payload in the March to May 2026 period, against 14.5% for rail. Road moved about 243 million tonnes in the June to August 2026 quarter on a seasonally adjusted basis.

For operators, that confirms two things. First, road remains the backbone of South African freight, so demand for capable road hauliers is structural rather than cyclical. Second, rail's modest gains in recent months are worth watching. Where rail capacity improves on bulk corridors, some long-haul bulk work may shift, while first- and last-mile road work around rail terminals may grow. Our guide to rail freight for road operators looks at how to position for that.

Which Freight Segments Are Growing

The commodity breakdown shows where freight income is coming from. In the three months ended August 2026, compared with the same period in 2025:

| Commodity group | Share of income (weight) | Income change |
|---|---|---|
| Primary mining and quarrying products | 37.9% | -7.8% |
| Other freight | 22.2% | +24.1% |
| Manufactured food, beverages and tobacco | 10.0% | +12.9% |
| Agriculture and forestry primary products | 8.8% | +9.3% |
| Chemicals, coke, petroleum, rubber and plastic | 3.9% | +16.5% |
| Containers | 3.2% | +25.8% |
| Commercial products | 2.7% | +33.0% |
| Motor vehicles, parts and accessories | 1.8% | +25.4% |
| Total | 100% | +8.6% |

Source: Stats SA, Land transport (P7162), August 2026, Table B. Selected groups shown; weights are for June to August 2025.

The picture is mixed:

• Mining freight is the largest single segment and it is shrinking. Primary mining and quarrying products made the biggest negative contribution to income growth. Operators heavily dependent on bulk mining contracts should treat that as a signal to review exposure.
• Food, agriculture, containers and commercial goods are growing. These segments tend to involve more time-sensitive, documentation-heavy work where visibility and proof of delivery matter.
• Container freight income is up strongly, which matters for operators running port and inland terminal work.

What Manufacturing Output Is Telling Operators

Manufacturing output drives a large share of road freight: raw materials in, finished goods out. The August 2026 manufacturing release shows how uneven the year has been:

| Month (2026) | Production, y/y (unadjusted) | Production, m/m (seasonally adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| March | +1.4% | +1.1% |
| April | -3.0% | -2.6% |
| May | -4.6% | +1.0% |
| June | -1.8% | +0.9% |
| July | +1.1% | +2.2% |
| August | -4.3% | -3.1% |

Source: Stats SA, Manufacturing: production and sales (P3041.2), August 2026.

Manufacturing production decreased by 4.3% in August 2026 compared with August 2025. The largest negative contributions came from petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastic products (-5.0%), motor vehicles, parts and other transport equipment (-8.8%), wood, paper, publishing and printing (-7.0%), food and beverages (-3.0%), and basic iron and steel, metal products and machinery (-3.0%).

There is a more encouraging thread underneath. On a seasonally adjusted basis, production increased by 1.1% in the three months ended August 2026 compared with the previous three months, and eight of the ten divisions reported positive growth over that period. Month-to-month volatility is high, but the short-term trend has not been uniformly negative.

What the Data Means for Road Transport Operators

National statistics will not tell you what to charge a specific customer, but they do help frame decisions.

1. Volumes are uneven, so protect against idle capacity. With payload slipping year on year in July and August and manufacturing output swinging month to month, fixed costs on underused trucks are the main risk. Know your utilisation by vehicle and be ready to redeploy or release capacity.

2. Rate increases are not the same as margin. Income per tonne is rising, but so are fuel, tyres, finance, insurance and wages. Make sure your rates track your actual cost per kilometre, not last year's rate card.

3. Review sector concentration. Mining freight income is falling while food, agriculture, containers and commercial goods grow. If one customer or one sector accounts for a large share of your revenue, a downturn there hits you directly. Analyse revenue by customer and sector at least quarterly.

4. Manufacturing clients feel cycles first, and pass them on. When factory output falls, hauliers typically see fewer loads, harder price negotiations, contract renegotiations and slower payment. Watching the monthly manufacturing release for the divisions you serve, for example motor vehicles or chemicals, gives you early warning.

5. Service quality wins work in a soft market. When volumes tighten, shippers consolidate around reliable carriers with good visibility, digital documentation and clean compliance records.

Serving Manufacturing Customers Well

Manufacturing work has its own requirements, and getting them right protects margins when volumes are under pressure.

Know the load types

• Raw materials such as steel, chemicals and components, often heavy and needing specialised handling and load securing.
• Finished goods such as consumer products, industrial equipment and automotive parts.
• Dangerous goods such as solvents and industrial chemicals, which fall under a separate regulatory regime covering classification, vehicle requirements, documentation and driver training. Confirm current requirements before quoting.
• Just-in-time deliveries with tight windows and penalty clauses for lateness.

Meet documentation expectations

Manufacturing clients increasingly expect timestamped proof of delivery, load weights, vehicle maintenance and compliance records, driver training records and appropriate insurance certificates. RTMS accreditation is often a tender requirement for larger shippers. Systems that generate these records from the trip itself save admin time and win audits.

Negotiate contracts that reflect volatility

• Fuel escalation clauses linked to published diesel price movements, reviewed on a set schedule.
• Minimum volume commitments or take-or-pay elements on dedicated fleets.
• Waiting time and demurrage charges for delays at loading and offloading points, backed by timestamped records.
• Payment terms you can finance, with credit checks on new customers.

Reduce empty kilometres

Manufacturing flows are often one-directional: raw materials in, empty out, or the reverse. Backhaul arrangements, consolidation of smaller loads on the same corridor and better load planning all reduce dead kilometres. You cannot manage this without measuring empty running per route.

Building Resilience Into Your Operation

Disruption will keep coming, whether from port congestion, weather, power supply, commodity cycles or global trade shifts. Resilient operators share some common habits:

• A diversified customer base, so no single client or sector can sink the business.
• Maintenance discipline, because a breakdown during a busy period is far more expensive when replacement capacity is scarce.
• Retained drivers, through fair pay, correct payroll and sensible working conditions.
• Visibility, so delays are spotted and communicated before the customer calls.
• Data, so trends in delivery times, costs and utilisation are seen early.

This is where a single system for trips, fleet, maintenance and invoicing helps. T-ERP's ERP for road transport operators records each trip once and uses it for proof of delivery, billing, vehicle utilisation and cost reporting, so you can see revenue and cost by customer, route and vehicle without stitching spreadsheets together. Our guide to practical supply chain technology for fleet operators sets out what to digitise first. If you want to discuss how your own figures compare, you can schedule a consultation with our team.

Track Your Own Indicators Alongside National Data

National data gives context; your own data drives decisions. A simple monthly dashboard should include:

• tonnes or loads moved, and revenue, by customer and sector
• revenue and cost per kilometre by vehicle and route
• utilisation and empty kilometres per vehicle
• on-time delivery against agreed windows
• debtor days and time from delivery to invoice
• unplanned breakdowns and maintenance cost per kilometre

Compare these monthly with the Stats SA land transport and manufacturing releases for the sectors you serve. When your trend diverges from the national one, you have a question worth asking.

Conclusion

The latest supply chain data for South Africa shows a freight market where income is growing faster than volumes, road remains dominant, mining freight is shrinking while food, agriculture, containers and commercial goods grow, and manufacturing output remains volatile. For road transport operators, the message is practical: price on real costs, watch utilisation closely, reduce dependence on any one sector, and invest in the reliability and documentation that customers reward when volumes are tight.

Use the official figures as context, not as a forecast for your business. The operators who do best combine an eye on national trends with tight control of their own trip, cost and customer data.

Sources

• Stats SA, Land transport (P7162), August 2026 - freight payload and income changes, road and rail payload shares, commodity breakdown
• Stats SA, Manufacturing: production and sales (P3041.2), August 2026 - manufacturing production changes and contributing divisions
• Road Transport Management System (RTMS) - self-regulation scheme referenced in tender requirements

The information in this article is for general guidance only. Regulations and requirements may change - always verify current requirements with the relevant South African regulatory authority.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the South African supply chain performing?

Official data shows a mixed picture. Stats SA's land transport survey recorded freight payload down 1.7% year on year in August 2026, while freight income rose 6.2%. Manufacturing production fell 4.3% year on year in August 2026, although output rose over the latest three months on a seasonally adjusted basis. Volumes are uneven, while revenue per tonne has been rising.

Is road freight growing in South Africa?

Road remains dominant, carrying 85.5% of seasonally adjusted land freight payload measured by Stats SA in March to May 2026. However, seasonally adjusted road payload fell 3.6% in the three months to August 2026 compared with the previous three months, while rail rose 1.3%. Road demand is structural, but volumes move with mining and manufacturing activity.

Why is freight income rising while freight volumes fall?

Stats SA reports freight income at current prices, so it includes rate increases, fuel and cost recoveries, and changes in the mix of goods carried, not only more work. Income growing faster than tonnage suggests higher revenue per tonne. That does not automatically mean better margins, because fuel, tyres, wages, finance and insurance costs have also increased.

How does manufacturing output affect transport operators?

Factory output drives demand for moving raw materials in and finished goods out. When production falls, hauliers usually see fewer loads, tougher rate negotiations and slower payments. Following the monthly Stats SA manufacturing release for the divisions you serve, such as motor vehicles, chemicals or food, gives early warning so you can adjust capacity and diversify before revenue drops.

How can operators protect margins on manufacturing contracts?

Price on your actual cost per kilometre, include fuel escalation and waiting time clauses, agree minimum volumes on dedicated fleets, and set payment terms you can finance. Operationally, reduce empty kilometres through backhauls and consolidation, keep vehicles well maintained to avoid costly breakdowns, and capture timestamped trip records that support surcharges and dispute resolution.

Where can I find official freight statistics for South Africa?

Statistics South Africa publishes the Land transport release (P7162) monthly, covering road and rail freight payload and income by commodity, and the Manufacturing: production and sales release (P3041.2) monthly. Both are free on the Stats SA website. Figures are preliminary and can be revised, so focus on trends over several months rather than single readings.