South Africa’s economy has been traditionally rooted in the primary sectors: mining and agriculture
Recent decades, however, have seen a structural shift in output. Since the early 1990s, economic growth has been driven mainly by the tertiary sector, which includes wholesale and retail trade, tourism and communications.
Now South Africa is moving towards becoming a knowledge-based economy, with a greater focus on technology, e-commerce and financial and other services.
Among the key sectors that contribute to the gross domestic product and keep the economic engine running are manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, financial services, transport, mining, agriculture and tourism.