Services
Services is a broad economic sector encompassing all commercial activities that produce intangible outputs rather than physical goods. The sector includes a diverse range of industries such as finance, telecommunications, tourism, retail, healthcare, education, professional services, hospitality, transport and logistics. Services typically involve the provision of expertise, convenience, experience or access rather than the transfer of manufactured products. In modern economies, the services sector has become the dominant contributor to gross domestic product and employment, often accounting for more than half of economic activity in developed and many developing nations. The sector is characterised by direct interaction between providers and consumers, though digital transformation has increasingly enabled remote and automated service delivery. Services trade has grown rapidly with globalisation, supported by advances in information technology and the liberalisation of cross-border service provision. International organisations such as the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development monitor services sector performance and trade flows as key indicators of economic development and structural transformation. The sector's growth reflects broader economic shifts away from agriculture and manufacturing towards knowledge-intensive and consumer-oriented activities. Services businesses range from small local enterprises to multinational corporations, and the sector's performance is closely watched as a barometer of consumer confidence and overall economic health.
Services Updates
The DA’s plan to end the water crisis chaos in Gauteng
29th October 2026 Gauteng’s worsening water crisis has exposed the consequences of poor planning, neglected infrastructure and an abject failure by those in power.... →
UDM 2026 Local Government Elections Manifesto
29th October 2026 Local government is the sphere of government closest to the people. When a municipality fails, residents feel it immediately. They feel it through... →
ACDP Manifesto 2026 Local Government Elections
29th October 2026 Thirty two years have passed since the dawn of South Africa’s democratic dispensation with its promise of a free and brighter future for us all.... →
Customers reaffirm increased 2027 demand for Implats’ products 
By: Martin Creamer 29th October 2026 Annual contractual negotiations with core customers has reaffirmed increased 2027 demand for the sustainable and responsible supply of all the... →
CDE urges Joburg’s next mayor to appoint task force, fix the basics
By: Thabi Shomolekae 29th October 2026 The Centre for Development and Enterprise has urged Johannesburg’s incoming mayor to immediately appoint a dedicated task force of civic and... →
Gauteng’s irregular expenditure balloons to R63,58 billion under Lesufi’s watch
29th October 2026 The Democratic Alliance (DA) demands that Premier Panyaza Lesufi investigate Gauteng’s R63,58 billion irregular expenditure for the 2025/2026... →
Cape Town hits back at SAHRC over ‘politicised’ land release interdict
By: Thabi Shomolekae 29th October 2026 Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has announced that the City will oppose a legal application by the South African Human Rights Commission to halt... →
Johannesburg Matters: Joburg Needs Faster Growth
29th October 2026 The sixth report in CDE’s Johannesburg Matters series, Joburg Needs Faster Growth, sets out what a reforming administration should do to get... →
New gambling figures put Treasury's proposed 20% tax under scrutiny
29th October 2026 The National Gambling Board's (NGB) latest annual report highlights the substantial economic contribution of South Africa's licensed gambling... →
DA demands answers over 74 Human Settlements transactions flagged for forensic investigation
29th October 2026 The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng demands accountability from Gauteng Department of Human Settlements MEC Tasneem Motara, following the... →
