The total turnover of all industries1 for 2008 was estimated at R4 940 964 million (or R4,9 trillion), an increase of 19,9 % compared with the revised estimates for 2007 (R4 122 588 million or R4,1 trillion).

Eight of the nine industries reflected an increase in turnover between 2007 and 2008. The largest percentage increase of 35,1% was reported in construction, followed by real estate, activities auxiliary to financial intermediation and other business services (excluding financial intermediation and insurance) (+32,1%), community, social and personal services (excluding government institutions) (+25,7%), mining and quarrying (+25,4%), transport, storage and communication (+18,5%), trade (+17,9%), manufacturing (+15,1%) and electricity, gas and water supply (+11,4%). A decrease was reported by forestry and fishing (-0,2%).

Capital expenditure on new assets amounted to R268 409 million in 2008, an increase of 29,0% between 2007 and 2008. The largest increase was reported in forestry and fishing (+76,8%), followed by construction (+55,3%), mining and quarrying (+49,0%), electricity, gas and water supply (+42,0%), real estate, activities auxiliary to financial intermediation and other business services (excluding financial intermediation and insurance) (+39,6%), transport, storage and communication (+25,4%), manufacturing (+15,8%), trade (+13,8%) and community, social and personal services (excluding government institutions) (+9,2%).

The carrying value of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets amounted to R1 494 302 million (R1,5 trillion) in 2008, an increase of 20,2% compared with the revised estimates for 2007. The largest increase was reported by forestry and fishing (+46,1%), followed by trade (+39,5%), transport, storage and communication (+30,4%), construction (+24,8%), electricity, gas and water supply (+22,3%), manufacturing (+22,2%), mining and quarrying (+16,6%), community, social and personal services (excluding government institutions) (+15,5%) and real estate, activities auxiliary to financial intermediation and other business services (excluding financial intermediation and insurance) (+4,1%).

Purchases amounted to R2 893 617 million (R2,9 trillion) in 2008, an increase of 21,1% compared with the revised estimates for 2007. Real estate, activities auxiliary to financial intermediation and other business services (excluding financial intermediation and insurance) reported the largest increase (+50,8%), followed by construction (+45,1%), mining and quarrying (+37,0%), electricity, gas and water supply (+31,4%), community, social and personal services (excluding government institutions) (+27,5%), transport, storage and communication (+21,0%), trade (+19,5%) and manufacturing (+14,7%). No change was reported for forestry and fishing.

Salaries and wages amounted to R643 556 million in 2008, an increase of 16,7% compared with the revised estimates for 2007. Real estate, activities auxiliary to financial intermediation and other business services (excluding financial intermediation and insurance) reported the largest increase (+34,4%), followed by construction (+27,4%), community, social and personal services (excluding government institutions) (+25,4%), electricity, gas and water supply (+17,6%), forestry and fishing (+17,3%), trade (+12,5%), mining and quarrying (+11,9%), manufacturing (+8,2%) and transport, storage and communication (+6,2%).

1 All industries in the South African economy, excluding agriculture, financial intermediation and insurance and government institutions.