Cement sales in South Africa increased 5.8 per cent YoY in January 2008 from the 7.4% YoY increase reported in December, according to Cement and Concrete Institute (CNCI) data.

At the end of January 2008, cement sales were reported up to 15.29Mt from the 14.45Mt reported a year earlier.

Total sales in January, however, amounted to 982,424t from 1.008Mt in January 2007, a decrease of 2.5%.

Exports of cement in January decreased 79.7% to 6713t from 33,430t a year earlier.

Sales to Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho and Namibia amounted to 1.191Mt of the total sales in January, up from 1.03Mt a year earlier.