The Structure of Growth in the Western Cape Manufacturing Sector, 1970 to 1996

This paper examines growth patterns in the Western Cape over the 1970-1996 period by means of primal growth accounting decompositions. Evidence by magisterial district, by statistical region and by SIC 3-digit manufacturing sector is presented. We find that the Western Cape differs from national growth patterns. Manufacturing in the Western Cape has relied consistently relied on capital accumulation for growth, while labour has contributed more to manufacturing growth than natioanlly. TFP growth has not been an important contributor to growth in Western Cape manufacturing, with a relatively minor exception in the 1980's.