Although the Afrimat Construction Index (ACI) has marginally outperformed South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate during the first quarter of 2022 on a year-on-year basis, the index has returned to a trend of declining between each year’s fourth quarter and the first quarter of the following year, recording a drop of 3.5% in index value (from 118.8 to 114.7). The ACI is a composite index of the level of activity within the building and construction sectors and is compiled by economist Dr Roelof Botha on behalf of Afrimat.