Western Cape tops South Africa’s growth rankings, but Gauteng is still twice its size

The Western Cape recorded South Africa’s fastest provincial economic growth in 2025, at 1.4%, ahead of Gauteng’s 1.1% and the national rate of 0.9%. Gauteng nevertheless remains the country’s largest provincial economy, accounting for 32.5% of nominal GDP, compared with 14.2% for the Western Cape and 15.5% for KwaZulu-Natal. Finance, real estate and business services made up 28% of Western Cape output, and the province contributed 23% of national value added in agriculture and construction. Statistics South Africa said its estimates for 2023 to 2025 are preliminary and may be revised.