Load shedding Nessun load shedding
IPC settembre 2026 4,5% Prime 23 settembre 10,75% SA 10 anni 1 ottobre 9,05%
CT ora
🕒 03:25 🌡️ 17.4°C / 63.4°F 🌬️ 1.8 m/s · Bonaccia
Scopri · Economia

L'economia

Un indice di Gini di 0,63, circa il 20% di disoccupazione e il più grande polo tecnologico dell'Africa, tutto in un'unica città.

Il polso economico di questa settimana

SARB repo rate

7.25%
▲ 0.25 pts rispetto al precedente

Set by the SARB Monetary Policy Committee.

al 23 Set 2026 · SARB

Prime lending rate

10.75%
▲ 0.25 pts rispetto al precedente

Repo rate + 3.5 percentage points.

al 23 Set 2026 · SARB

Inflation (CPI)

4.5%
▲ 0.1 pts rispetto al precedente

Stats SA headline CPI, year on year.

Settembre 2026 · Stats SA

Petrol (95 unleaded)

R29.38/L
▲ 3.33/L rispetto al precedente

Coastal price; adjusted monthly by the DMPR.

al 7 Ott 2026 · Fuels Industry Association

Rand (USD/ZAR)

R16.72
▲ 0.01 rispetto al precedente

Stronger rand is a lower number.

al 2 Nov 2026

US Fed funds rate

4.00%
▲ 0.25 pts rispetto al precedente

Upper bound of the FOMC target range (3.75-4.00%). The dollar side of the rand carry trade.

al 16 Set 2026 · Federal Reserve

US 10-year Treasury yield

5.00%
▼ 0.28 pts rispetto al precedente

Daily close (constant maturity); what a dollar investor earns at home with no rand risk.

al 23 Ott 2026 · Federal Reserve H.15

SA 10-year government bond yield

9.05%
▲ 0.07 pts rispetto al precedente

Daily average yield on government bonds of 10 years and longer; the long-term cost of rand borrowing.

al 1 Ott 2026 · SARB

0.63
Gini coefficient
19.5%
Unemployment (Western Cape, Q2 2026)
R 89,000
GDP per capita
14.2%
Contribution to national GDP
Cape Town is an economy of extremes. The Western Cape contributes 14.2% of South Africa's GDP, with Cape Town generating the bulk. The city hosts Africa's largest tech hub, a growing film industry, and world-class wine exports. Yet 19.5% of the Western Cape labour force was unemployed in the second quarter of 2026, and the Gini coefficient of 0.63 makes it one of the most unequal cities on Earth. Affluent Constantia and struggling Khayelitsha share a municipal boundary but not an economic reality.

Disuguaglianza: tra le più alte al mondo, e quasi immobile

Il coefficiente di Gini misura la disuguaglianza di reddito su una scala da 0 a 1. Lo 0,63 di Città del Capo la colloca vicino alla vetta delle classifiche mondiali. Il divario è visibile: quartieri con sicurezza privata e insediamenti informali separati da una sola strada. Un decennio di crescita economica non ha ridotto la divisione.

Income inequality: Cape Town vs peer cities (Gini)

Stockholm
0.27
Berlin
0.29
London
0.35
New York
0.51
São Paulo
0.59
Cape Town
0.63
Johannesburg
0.65
0 = perfect equality, 1 = perfect inequality. Green <0.35, Gold 0.35–0.55, Red >0.55.
Key takeaway. Cape Town's Gini of 0.63 sits between São Paulo and Johannesburg. Among world cities with comparable data, only a handful are more unequal. The number has barely moved in a decade.

La finanza guida, il turismo attira l'attenzione, l'agricoltura nutre la regione

L'economia del Capo Occidentale è dominata dai servizi. Finanza, assicurazioni e servizi alle imprese generano quasi un terzo del PIL. Il turismo è visibile ma più piccolo di quanto la maggior parte dei visitatori assuma. L'agricoltura (vino, frutta, grano) contribuisce modestamente al PIL ma è il più grande datore di lavoro rurale e un importante esportatore.

Economic sectors by GDP contribution (Western Cape)

Finance & business
30.1%
Trade & hospitality
15.8%
Government
13.9%
Manufacturing
12.4%
Transport
9.2%
Construction
3.8%
Agriculture
3.6%
StatsSA GDP-R 2023. Finance includes insurance, real estate, and business services.
Key takeaway. Finance and business services alone generate 30% of the regional economy. Tourism (buried in "trade & hospitality") is the sector most visible to visitors but not the largest employer. Agriculture punches above its GDP weight in job creation.

Disoccupazione: meglio del resto del SA, ma ancora circa una persona su cinque

Il Western Cape ha il tasso di disoccupazione provinciale più basso del Sudafrica. Eppure nel secondo trimestre 2026 il 19,5% della forza lavoro era senza lavoro (Stats SA), contro il 33,6% a livello nazionale. Il tasso è sceso dal picco di circa il 25% raggiunto durante il COVID, ma la ripresa è stata disomogenea, concentrata nei settori qualificati mentre i lavori di primo livello restano scarsi.

Unemployment rate over time (Western Cape)

Q4 2019
20.3%
Q4 2020
24.5%
Q4 2021
25.1%
Q4 2022
22.4%
Q4 2023
21.8%
Q4 2024
21.1%
Q2 2026
19.5%
Stats SA QLFS, official definition: fourth quarter of each year, then the latest quarter (Q2 2026). The expanded definition (including discouraged workers) is roughly 10 points higher.
Key takeaway. Unemployment has come down from its COVID peak of about 25% to 19.5% in the second quarter of 2026. The Western Cape has the lowest provincial rate, but the national figure is 33.6% (Stats SA QLFS, Q2 2026).

Dati aggiornati: 2026-10-27

Frequently asked questions

What is the Gini coefficient and why does it matter?
The Gini coefficient measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one person earns everything). South Africa's 0.63 is among the highest in the world, a direct legacy of apartheid-era economic exclusion. In practical terms, it means the distance between rich and poor is wider here than almost anywhere else.
Is Cape Town expensive for tourists?
The Rand's weakness against the Dollar and Euro makes Cape Town remarkably affordable for international visitors. A quality restaurant meal costs R200–400 (roughly €10–20). Accommodation ranges from R800/night for a good guesthouse to R3,000+ for luxury. For South African residents, the picture is different: prices rise with local inflation; the economic pulse at the top of this page shows the latest Stats SA CPI figure and its month.
What industries drive the Cape Town economy?
Finance and business services lead (30% of GDP), followed by trade and hospitality (16%), and government (14%). The tech sector is growing fast, with Cape Town hosting the highest concentration of startups in Africa. Wine, film production, and the creative industries punch above their GDP weight in international visibility.
How does Cape Town compare to Johannesburg economically?
Johannesburg generates more GDP overall (Gauteng province contributes 33% of national GDP vs the Western Cape's 14%). But Cape Town has lower unemployment, lower crime rates, and a more diversified economy. Johannesburg is the financial capital; Cape Town is the lifestyle and tourism capital. Many businesses maintain offices in both.
Labour & Employment
• Statistics South Africa, "Quarterly Labour Force Survey Q4 2024" (March 2025)
• Statistics South Africa, "GDP-R by Region 2023" (2024)
Inequality & Development
• World Bank, "Gini Index Data" (2024)
• City of Cape Town, "Spatial Development Framework: Economic Indicators" (2024)
Currency
• South African Reserve Bank, "Exchange Rate Data" (April 2026)

Esplora altri argomenti

I fatti concreti → Il City Bowl → Meteo e acqua → Lo spirito sudafricano → Township → Costo della vita →