Premier Alan Winde: Opening of inaugural Western Cape Investment Summit

The eight growth opportunity sectors and the investment readiness of the province

Where there is investment, there is growth – and where there is growth, there is opportunity.

That is the story of the Western Cape. It’s the story of resilience, innovation, and shared ambition – a story written by every business owner, every entrepreneur, every worker, and every partner who believes in this province and its future.

The Western Cape is working.

Our economy continues to show resilience in the face of global uncertainty and local constraints. While many regions are still finding their footing, we are moving forward – driven by innovation, collaboration, and a clear plan for inclusive, sustainable growth.

In 2024, our economy grew by 0.5 percent, matching the national average. But over the last decade, the Western Cape has expanded by more than 8 percent – well ahead of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

And this growth is not abstract. It’s creating jobs, building confidence, and improving lives.

Of the more than 400 000 total net jobs created across South Africa in the past five years, 360 347 were created right here in the Western Cape. With only 12 percent of the country’s population, our province accounted for 89 percent of all net job growth.

That is extraordinary – and it shows that where investment flows, opportunity follows.

Investment readiness and the Growth for Jobs vision

We are not stopping there. Our Growth for Jobs Strategy is leading our charge toward a R1 trillion economy by 2035.

To achieve that, we must triple Western Cape exports to R450 billion and increase private sector investment to 20 percent of our GDP. It’s ambitious – but we are purposefully ambitious in the Western Cape.

We do not wait for change to come to us. Through platforms like this summit, we go out and make it happen.

Everywhere you look, you can see that energy – the cranes on the Cape Town skyline, the expanding industrial parks in Saldanha and Atlantis, the new tech hubs emerging from Stellenbosch to George.

This is a province that is ready for investment – with world-class infrastructure, strong governance, and a proven ability to turn plans into performance.

We are home to three ports, over 30 000 kilometres of well-maintained roads, and more than 1 000 kilometres of fibre internet line. Our Atlantis SEZ and Freeport Saldanha IDZ are magnets for green manufacturing and logistics.

At Cape Town International Airport – rated the best airport in Africa for more than five consecutive years – we now have more than 200 international flights touching down every week.

Through the Cape Town Air Access initiative, seven new airlines and seven new routes have been introduced since September 2022. In 2024 alone, over 3 million international passengers passed through this airport – a 10% increase from 2023.

The upcoming Cape Winelands Airport will open a new gateway to trade and tourism – proof that we are not just growing, but building the infrastructure for the next decade of opportunity.

The eight growth opportunity sectors

Our Growth for Jobs Strategy identifies eight key sectors that are poised for rapid expansion – eight industries where the Western Cape already leads, and where we are now unlocking the next wave of investment and job creation.

Each one reflects our core belief: where there is investment, there is growth – and where there is growth, there is opportunity.

1. Technology and digital innovation
The Western Cape is South Africa’s innovation capital. We are Africa’s leading BPO hub, capturing 60% of the national market and growing at over 10% annually. Our sector employs thousands of young people with world-class customer service skills and digital fluency.

Our mechatronics sector, supported by Stellenbosch, UCT, and CPUT, is powering the next generation of robotics, drones, and advanced manufacturing. Exports of aircraft and spacecraft parts have grown 34% a year since 2020 – one in every five satellites in orbit contains components made by a Western Cape company.

2. Green economy and sustainability
Renewable energy is not just part of our plan – it is the plan. Through our Energy Resilience Programme, we aim to enable 5 700 MW of non-Eskom generation by 2035. Already, 819 MW has been added in the past year, with another 1 000 MW on the way.

We are capturing 70% of South Africa’s renewable energy component manufacturing, and exports of photovoltaic panels into Africa have surged by over 500% since 2022.

Add to that the potential of green hydrogen – the R47 billion Saldanha Bay hydrogen project will make this province a continental leader, contributing up to R87 billion to GDP by 2050.

3. Agribusiness and food systems
From fruit exports to functional foods, the Western Cape’s agricultural ecosystem is unmatched. We are Africa’s top exporter of agri-processed products, and our natural products and cosmetics industry is growing fast.

Afriplex’s EU-certified facility in Paarl has shipped South Africa’s first batch of medicinal cannabis oil to Europe, while rooibos from the Cederberg enjoys EU protected designation status. The Western Cape’s agribusiness sector is not only feeding the world – it’s redefining sustainable agriculture in Africa.

4. Manufacturing and industry
Manufacturing contributes R85 billion to provincial GVA. Our boatbuilding industry accounts for 70% of South Africa’s marine manufacturing capacity, ranking second globally for catamaran production. The Atlantis SEZ continues to power industrial growth, attracting renewable and advanced manufacturing investment.

5. Tourism and the experiential economy
Tourism is one of the great economic stories of our time. South Africa was ranked Africa’s leading country for tourism development by the World Economic Forum in 2024. International arrivals to Cape Town grew by 43% in 2023, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.

The Western Cape offers a globally competitive product – 33 Blue Flag beaches, 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and 10 Ramsar wetlands. With new routes and connectivity, we are ensuring that tourism continues to create jobs in every community.

6. Property and retail
In Cape Town alone, 2024/25 property investment stands at R9 billion, with the city contributing 72% of provincial GDP. Our construction sector has created 57 000 new jobs in the last five years. From mixed-use precincts to retail hubs, investors are finding that property in the Western Cape is both resilient and transformative.

7. Creative industries
The Western Cape is South Africa’s creative engine. Our film, fashion, design, and digital arts sectors are booming, exporting innovation and culture to the world. This sector connects directly to our tourism and digital economies, creating jobs for young people and amplifying our global brand.

8. Logistics and warehousing
The Western Cape is Africa’s top performer on the World Bank Logistics Performance Index, ranking 19th globally. We have over 3 million square metres of A-grade logistics and warehousing space, and our ports handle nearly 70 million metric tons of cargo each year.

The Cape Winelands Airport, a R7.9 billion investment, will add 55 000 tons of new airfreight capacity, while Maersk’s new cold-storage facility at Belcon will protect R100 billion in annual perishable exports.

Governance, partnership, and momentum

Strong governance remains our foundation. The Western Cape Government has achieved three consecutive years of unqualified audits across all departments and entities, and 59% of South Africa’s clean-audit municipalities are in our province.

We’ve worked hard to make investment easier – through our InvestSA One-Stop Shop and Red Tape Reduction Unit – and we welcome South Africa’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey list.

We are building confidence – one clean audit, one investment, one partnership at a time.

Conclusion

As we look ahead, let’s return to the thread that runs through everything we’ve discussed: where there is investment, there is growth – and where there is growth, there is opportunity.

Every one of these eight sectors represents that truth in action. They are not just industries – they are opportunities for partnership, innovation, and shared prosperity.

The Western Cape is ready. The foundation is strong, the vision is clear, and the momentum is real.

To every investor here today: invest in the Western Cape. Invest in a province that delivers, that keeps its promises, and that turns potential into performance.

My heartfelt thanks and congratulations to the team behind the inaugural Western Cape Investment Summit – for your professionalism, hard work, and commitment to making this platform a success.

Together, we are not waiting for the future – we are building it.

Because where there is investment, there is growth – and where there is growth, there is opportunity.

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