The forgotten South African province that schooled the big boys
What makes this province tick? A massive chunk of the its economic activity comes from personal services and, the mining and quarrying sector.
South Africa’s latest economic scoreboard has given citizens something unexpected to celebrate: Limpopo’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in 2024.
While everyone usually keeps their eyes locked on Gauteng or the Western Cape, it was Limpopo that snuck past the competition to claim the top spot for real GDP growth in 2024.
Limpopo delivered the largest growth rate nationally at 0.9%. This is huge, especially when the whole country only managed a 0.5% increase in real GDP. Limpopo’s economy might still be smaller overall, contributing 7.8% to South Africa’s total GDP in 2024, but the province is pushing hard, showing growth momentum that should grab your attention.
Even the traditional giants are only grinding away: Gauteng, still the country’s economic engine contributing 33.2% to nominal GDP, grew at 0.8%, while the Western Cape managed 0.7% growth. They were right on Limpopo’s heels, but didn’t quite catch the lead.
What makes Limpopo tick? A massive chunk of the province’s economic activity comes from personal services (22%), and the mining and quarrying sector (19%).
Meanwhile, other provinces were actually taking steps backward in 2024. The Eastern Cape saw negative growth at -0.2%, and even North West recorded -0.1%. This makes Limpopo’s win even sweeter, proving that investment and focus outside of the metros can really pay off.
In fact, South Africa is seeing signs of this movement already: Limpopo currently boasts the highest residential property inflation in the country, hitting 6.82%. This property spike is linked to strong demand for unique bushveld and safari living spaces in spots like Hoedspruit and Maruleng.