THE DURBAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY NPC WELCOMES THE RELEASE OF THE DURBAN BUSINESS CONFIDENCE INDEX REPORT FOR QUARTER 4 2025

Maryke Dickinson
3 days ago
3 min read

The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC welcomes the release of the Q4 2025 Durban Business Confidence Index (DBCI) Report. The DBCI increased to 63.38 index points in quarter 4, marking it the highest since its inception. As organised business, we believe the findings provide a true reflection of the mood of the business community in Durban. This shift reflects the growing confidence in Durban’s economy; however, the need to sustain this confidence remains significant.

The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC commends the municipality for its efforts in creating a safe, vibrant, and inclusive festive season. Both businesses and tourists observed a positive shift in the City’s narrative, which was reflected not only in increased confidence but also in the rise in occupancy rates to 77%. Furthermore, strong safety and security measures were implemented, during the season. Our beaches remained clean and safe, welcoming 6.8 million visitors. The City’s efforts did not go unnoticed, hence the change in mood and business sentiment. Businesses are recognizing the municipality’s commitment to service delivery, which is evident in both the report and the change in overall mood and

confidence.

The report illustrated that business confidence increased across all industries. Manufacturing rose by 15.85%, electricity, gas, and water by 11.01%, financial services by 26.38%, transport, storage, and communication by 24.72%, wholesale and retail trade by 3.14%, and community, social, and personal services by 25.86%. Despite prevailing trade restrictions, factors such as the easing of macroeconomic conditions, festive season demand, and improved operating environments contributed to the increase in confidence in the sectors above.

Furthermore, the Quarter 4 report revealed that 66.67% of respondents indicated that, when lodging a complaint regarding poor service, it was unlikely to be resolved in a timely manner, an improvement from 80% in Quarter 3 of 2025. Whilst we acknowledge this progress, the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC believes that structural issues such as infrastructure, security, and basic service delivery must be addressed to further strengthen business confidence. From the above, it is evident that when service delivery improves, confidence improves. As organised business, we further believe that the municipality

should leverage this data to drive meaningful economic reforms, encourage investment, and bridge the trust deficit between the private and public sectors.

As organised business, we need to focus on the following areas to promote economic growth and furtherincrease confidence in Durban:

A: 101 Isaiah Ntshangase Road, Durban 4001 | P.O BOX 1506, Durban 4001, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | Reg. No: 2015/448265/08

T: +27 31 335 1000 | E: info@durbanchamber.co.za| membership@durbanchamber.co.za | W: www.durbanchamber.co.za

Immediate Past President: P Maharaj

Non-Executive Directors: PCE Andrews, DR P Daya, T Govender

Executive Directors: PD Phili (CEO), MJ Raftery (CFO), ZL Khomo (CGO)

1. Reducing the Cost and Improving Ease of Doing Business.

2. Addressing the Influx of Cheap Imports.

3. Address the Challenges at the Port of Durban.

4. Fast-Tracking Catalytic Projects.

As organised business, we recognize that collaboration and robust dialogue between the private and public sectors are essential, but we also emphasize the need for more action-oriented solutions. We remain committed to working with government to sustain and grow confidence, while addressing the challenges faced by the business community through our strong advocacy capabilities.