This September 9, 2026, at The Capital Hotel in Cape Town, the CNBC Africa CEO Business Breakfast – Cape Town Edition will convene to address a critical question: how to maintain the Western Cape’s status as South Africa’s most dynamic regional economy while lifting its overall contribution to the nation’s GDP.
The numbers tell a compelling story. The Western Cape economy grew by 1.4% in 2025, double the national rate, with unemployment falling to 18.1% – the lowest in the country. Agriculture expanded by 16.2%, adding R3.7 billion, and tourism reached a record 1.12 million international arrivals. Over the past decade, the province’s GDP grew by 8.7%, outperforming Gauteng (7.7%) and KwaZulu-Natal (7.5%).
Yet significant challenges remain: deindustrialization, infrastructure constraints, and global uncertainty threaten to stall this momentum.
Building a Competitive, Sustainable and Resilient Western Cape Economy
📅 Date: September 9, 2026
📍 Venue: The Capital Hotel, 15 On Orange, Cape Town
🎫 Format: In-Person Event
Event: https://www.cnbcafrica.com/events/ceo-business-breakfast-cape-town-edition
The Energy Transformation: Self-Sufficiency by 2032
Premier Alan Winde has asserted that the province is targeting energy self-sufficiency by 2032. Through the Western Cape Energy Resilience Programme, the goal is to enable 5,700 MW of non-Eskom generation by 2035. Already, 1,000 MW was added in the 2024/25 financial year, and another 1,000 MW is expected in the current year.
Independent power producers are accelerating this transition. Red Rocket, now the third largest IPP in the country, boasts almost 4GW of projects in operation or development. The Western Cape is capturing 70% of South Africa’s renewable energy component manufacturing, and exports of photovoltaic panels into Africa have surged by over 500% since 2022.
The Green Hydrogen Opportunity
The R47 billion Saldanha Bay hydrogen project represents the province’s next major export industry. The CSIR is leading the strategic master planning for the West Coast Green Hydrogen Hub, envisioned as a central hub for green hydrogen production and export with the potential to contribute up to R87 billion to GDP by 2050.
The Agribusiness Powerhouse
Agriculture is the Western Cape’s most competitive sector across all five rural districts. In Q3 2025, the sector grew by an exceptional 27% year-on-year . Seven of the province’s ten largest export products are agricultural, and 66% of agricultural production is exported, accounting for more than 54% of all South Africa’s agricultural exports.
The sector supports 267,804 jobs – 190,077 in primary agriculture and 77,728 in agri-processing—and contributes 14% of provincial GDP . Exports to Africa averaged R17.6 billion annually between 2022-2024, with Namibia, Botswana, and Mozambique as top markets.
However, ageing infrastructure, logistics bottlenecks, climate-related risks, and protectionist measures in neighbouring states threaten long-term competitiveness.
The Deindustrialisation Challenge
South Africa’s manufacturing sector has declined in prominence over several decades. The Western Cape’s manufacturing sector grew marginally at a CAGR of 0.03% between 2014-2024, yet still outperformed the national sector, which contracted at -0.58%.
Key challenges include:
- Energy and logistics constraints
- US tariffs affecting manufacturing exports of vehicles, chemicals, and metals
- Illicit trade of manufactured goods
- Sustainability pressures including CBAM regulations
The 30% tariffs imposed by the US have significantly affected manufacturing exports. With the future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) in limbo – the program is scheduled to expire in December 2026—delegates will discuss strategies to protect the province’s export lifeline.
Regional Trade and the AfCFTA Opportunity
Twenty-five countries, including South Africa, have now completed the process of finalizing their Schedules of Tariff Concessions under the African Continental Free Trade Area. The Western Cape has developed an Africa Agriculture and Agribusiness Strategy to increase exports to the continent.
The Eight Growth Opportunity Sectors
The Western Cape’s Growth for Jobs Strategy identifies eight key sectors poised for rapid expansion:
| Sector | Key Metrics |
|---|---|
| Technology & Digital Innovation | 60% of national BPO market, growing 10% annually |
| Green Economy & Sustainability | 70% of SA’s renewable component manufacturing |
| Agribusiness & Food Systems | Africa’s top exporter of agri-processed products |
| Manufacturing & Industry | R85 billion in GVA; 70% of SA’s marine manufacturing |
| Tourism & Experiential Economy | 33 Blue Flag beaches, 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites |
| Property & Retail | R9 billion investment in Cape Town (2024/25) |
| Creative Industries | Film, fashion, design, digital arts |
| Logistics & Warehousing | #19 globally on World Bank Logistics Performance Index |
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