5th Edition
2025
THE DNA OF PROCUREMENT
The 5th Annual Oxalys Procurement Survey marks another milestone in South Africa’s procurement conversation, with a growing and increasingly diverse respondent base spanning public entities, financial services, manufacturing, supply chain, mining, and beyond. This year’s survey reflects a function in transition, one that is stepping decisively into the boardroom while navigating rising costs, digital transformation pressures, and an evolving skills landscape. With public sector entities now forming the majority of respondents, the 2025 edition offers a richer, more representative view of procurement across South Africa than ever before.
The findings reveal a profession redefining its value: operational efficiency has emerged as the new top priority, the strategic advisor role is gaining traction at an executive level, and organisations are increasingly tying procurement success to measurable business outcomes. At the same time, the survey surfaces critical gaps in digital readiness, formal qualifications, ESG tracking, and training investment that will shape the road ahead.
We extend our sincere gratitude to our partners, Smart Procurement and Commerce Edge SA, as well as the advisory specialists who contributed to the design, distribution, and analysis of this year’s survey. A special thank you to the organisations and senior leaders who gave their time and insights so generously. As always, the survey remains free for all South African organisations because the best procurement conversations start with honest data. We trust this year’s findings will challenge, inform, and inspire your procurement strategy in 2026 and beyond.
What they say about the survey
Oxalys South Africa Procurement Survey 2025
Related content
About the survey
Launched in 2020 during the most unusual time, the annual South Africa Procurement Survey was the first-ever locally conducted survey designed to provide exclusive insights into procurement key priorities and challenges in South Africa.
Each year, this survey attracts over 200 respondents, investigating important topics such as risk management, localization and resilience, while providing a barometer of procurement strategies and practices as they evolve.
We thank all contributors whose individual insights have deepened the understanding of tomorrow’s procurement panorama . We also thank our partners, CIPS and Smart Procurement World, who played a large part in amplifying the echo of this joined initiative.
