South Africa, Oct. 16 -- The growth, while moderate, underscores steady consumer activity across several key retail categories despite ongoing economic headwinds.

Hardware and specialty retailers outperform

The largest positive contributors to the year-on-year growth were:

All "other" retailers - up 7.9%, contributing 0.8 percentage points to overall growth.

Hardware, paint and glass retailers - up 8.1%, contributing 0.6 percentage points.

General dealers - up 0.8%, contributing 0.4 percentage points.

The continued strength in hardware and building-related retail reflects sustained consumer and small business investment in home improvement and maintenance - a trend that has remained consistent post-pandemic.

Seasonal dip after July...