The total turnover of quarterly financial statistics (QFS) industries¹ in the third quarter of 2020 was estimated at R2 584 401 million (R2,58 trillion), an increase of 24,6% compared with the second quarter of 2020 (R2 073 506 million or R2,07 trillion).

Between the second and the third quarters of 2020, turnover increased in all of the eight industries covered by the survey. The largest percentage increase in turnover was recorded in construction (+54,3%), followed by mining and quarrying (+36,2%), manufacturing (+33,5%), electricity, gas and water supply (+29,1%), trade (+21,7%), community, social and personal services (excluding government and educational institutions) (+20,6%), transport, storage and communication (+13,1%) and real estate and other business services (excluding financial intermediation and insurance) (+10,1%).

Total closing inventories at the end of the third quarter of 2020 were estimated at R1 054 531 million, an increase of 3,1% compared with R1 022 577 million at the end of the second quarter of 2020. Increases were recorded for transport, storage and communication (+16,2%), mining and quarrying (+13,4%), electricity, gas and water supply (+7,9%), construction (+3,3%), manufacturing (+1,9%) and trade (+0,8%). Decreases were recorded in real estate and other business services (excluding financial intermediation and insurance) (-2,9%) and community, social and personal services (excluding government and educational institutions) (-1,8%).

Total capital expenditure on property, plant and equipment was estimated at R76 205 million in the third quarter of 2020, an increase of 11,3% compared with R68 461 million in the second quarter of 2020. The largest percentage increase was recorded in electricity, gas and water supply (+39,0%), followed by community, social and personal services (excluding government and educational institutions) (+37,8%), construction (+32,6%), mining and quarrying (+19,9%), manufacturing (+10,5%), transport, storage and communication (+2,4%) and real estate and other business services (excluding financial intermediation and insurance) (+1,9%). A decrease was recorded for trade  (-13,7%).

Turnover was estimated at R2 584 401 million in the third quarter of 2020, an increase of 2,4% compared with R2 523 371 million in the third quarter of 2019. Four of the eight industries covered by the survey reflected annual increases. The largest percentage increase in turnover was recorded in mining and quarrying (+24,4%), followed by real estate and other business services (excluding financial intermediation and insurance) (+12,1%), trade (+4,1%) and electricity, gas and water supply (+3,4%). Decreases were recorded for community, social and personal services (excluding government and educational institutions) (-12,4%), transport, storage and communication (-9,7%), construction (-6,2%) and manufacturing (-2,4%).