Business Liquidations Fall 12.3% in September

Statistics South Africa reports fewer liquidations in September 2026 than the same month a year earlier.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Openings & Closings

Isometric editorial illustration of a half-raised steel roller shutter over an empty doorway, in muted oxblood, teal, and mustard, evoking fewer business closures. — Business liquidations in South Africa fell 12.3% year-on-year in September 2026, with 250 liquidations recorded against 285 a year earlier, according to Statistics South Africa. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Statistics South Africa recorded 250 business liquidations in September 2026, down 12.3% from 285 in September 2025. The decline includes 27 fewer company liquidations and eight fewer close corporation liquidations year-on-year.

Why it matters

The drop in liquidations signals fewer business closures across South Africa over the period. Liquidations also fell 17% between July and September 2026, pointing to a sustained easing in the third quarter.

Of the 250 September 2026 liquidations, 38 were compulsory and 212 were voluntary, with 191 companies and 59 close corporations closing. The release does not attribute the decline to any specific cause.

The players

Statistics South Africa

Statistics South Africa is the national statistical agency that publishes official economic and business data for the country.

Cyril Ramaphosa

Cyril Ramaphosa is the President of South Africa and a former leader of the African National Congress and the country's largest trade union federation negotiations.

Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry

The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a business advocacy body in Durban that represents local commercial and industrial interests.

The details

Statistics South Africa compared September 2026 liquidation counts with the same month the previous year and broke the figures down by compulsory and voluntary liquidations and by institution type. In the same week, President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the keynote address at the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry's 170th anniversary celebrations at Suncoast's The Globe Theatre.

July 2021: Unrest caused billions of rands in damage in Durban.
April 2022: Floods caused billions of rands in damage in Durban.
July to September 2026: Liquidations fell 17% over the three-month period.
September 2026: Business liquidations fell 12.3% year-on-year to 250.
First nine months of 2026: Liquidations declined 6.6% compared with the same period in 2025.

Market Landscape

The September figures extend a decline in liquidations tracked in Statistics South Africa's monthly releases. The drop follows the 6.6% fall recorded across the first nine months of 2026.

Fewer liquidations can mean more stable employment and supplier relationships for households and small businesses. The figures do not indicate how these changes will affect consumer prices or product availability.

The takeaway

Monthly liquidation counts offer a useful gauge of business health, so tracking the next Statistics South Africa release will show whether the decline holds. Comparing consecutive months helps separate short-term swings from a lasting trend.