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Sectors · Logistics across SADC

Logistics in South Africa

How the corridors, ports, railways, borders and warehouses that move goods are performing and changing.

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Value added by transport, storage and communication, 2024US$28.3bn7.8% of the economy · 1st largest of 16 in SADC
Real growth+0.0%a year over the last five years, at constant prices
Exports of the pillar's goods, 2024US$5.4bn+43% on five years earlier · 1st in SADC
Deals in the last 12 months29 tracked in South Africa in all

Transport, storage and communication added US$28.3bn to South Africa's economy in 2024

Value added by transport, storage and communication, the industries in the national accounts closest to logistics, US$, at the prices of each year and at constant 2020 prices (which show real growth)

0$10bn$20bn$30bn$40bn199019921994199619982000200220042006200820102012201420162018202020222024Prices of each yearUS$28.3bnConstant 2020 pricesUS$26.9bn
Source: UN Statistics Division·dotzedw Insights Centre

South Africa has SADC's 1st largest transport, storage and communication sector

Value added by transport, storage and communication, US$, latest year, with its share of each economy

South AfricaUS$28.3bn7.8% of the economy
DRCUS$7.7bn10.9% of the economy
TanzaniaUS$7.3bn9.5% of the economy
ZambiaUS$3.9bn16.3% of the economy
AngolaUS$3.2bn2.8% of the economy
ZimbabweUS$2.3bn5.4% of the economy
MozambiqueUS$2.1bn10.2% of the economy
MadagascarUS$1.8bn11.0% of the economy
MauritiusUS$1.2bn9.6% of the economy
MalawiUS$1.1bn10.1% of the economy
BotswanaUS$1.0bn5.5% of the economy
NamibiaUS$608m5.0% of the economy
EswatiniUS$286m6.2% of the economy
SeychellesUS$157m8.6% of the economy
LesothoUS$89m4.3% of the economy
ComorosUS$84m5.6% of the economy
Source: UN Statistics Division·dotzedw Insights Centre

Logistics Performance Index: South Africa against SADC

Logistics Performance Index, score 1 to 5, latest year for each country. Click a bar for that country's logistics page.

01234South Africa3.70Botswana3.10Tanzania2.99 (2016)Namibia2.90Mozambique2.68 (2016)Malawi2.59 (2018)Comoros2.56 (2018)Zambia2.53 (2018)DRC2.50Mauritius2.50Zimbabwe2.50Madagascar2.30Lesotho2.28 (2018)Angola2.10median 2.55

Source: World Bank·dotzedw Insights Centre

South Africa's trade in logistics goods since 2012

Exports and imports of the products in this pillar's subsectors, each product counted once, US$

0$2bn$4bn$6bn2012201420162018202020222024ExportsUS$5.4bnImportsUS$1.8bn
Source: CEPII BACI·dotzedw Insights Centre

Subsectors

8 in this pillar

Ports and shipping in South Africa

Tracks
Throughput by cargo type, waiting times, terminal operators and concessions, berth and dredging works.
Signals ahead
Concession awards, berth and dredging contracts, new shipping services.

Select a figure for its trend. Source: CEPII BACI, dotzedw deals tracker.

Trade in detail

South Africa exported US$14m and imported US$32m of ports and shipping in 2024; exports up 62% on five years earlier, 1.7% of what SADC sells abroad.

South Africa's main exports in this subsector, 2024

Ships and boats (890110)US$7.2m
Ships and boats (890190)US$6.8m
Ships and boats (890120)US$22k

South Africa's trade in ports and shipping every year since 2012, by partner is part of the Individual plan

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Open these deals in the deals tracker

What South Africa sells abroad across logistics

South Africa's exports by subsector, 2024, US$, with its share of SADC's exports. A product can count in two subsectors.

Road freight and corridorsUS$5.2bn97.5% of SADC · +45% on five years earlier
Air cargo and airportsUS$172m62.3% of SADC · +17% on five years earlier
Rail freightUS$26m46.7% of SADC · -42% on five years earlier
Ports and shippingUS$14m1.7% of SADC · +62% on five years earlier
Source: CEPII BACI·dotzedw Insights Centre

Who is moving

Open in the deals tracker

2 deals in the last 12 months involving South Africa, placed in subsectors by what they say.

Tech market rankings for every country

Sources and method