Agriculture – wheat, sheep and wine farming are important in terms of both the geographic product and employment. About 16% of employment in the Saldanha Bay district is in agriculture.

Fishing and mariculture – Fish processing plants are located in Saldanha Bay, St Helena Bay and Veldrift, while mussel and oyster farming are important in the Langebaan Lagoon. This sector accounts for about 10% of employment on the West Coast.

Industry – This sector accounts for 25% of GNP in the Saldanha Bay area and 42% in Blaauwberg (now part of the City of Cape Town). This sector includes both heavy industry (such as Saldanha Steel) and specialised manufacturing, such as boat building and net-making.

Tourism – This is a growing sector, dispersed over the CWCBR. In Cape Town this sector accounts for 13% of GNP and is dispersed over the area, with accommodation and activities in towns, on farms and nature reserves.

Services and commercial — These sectors are also dispersed and are important in terms of the economy and employment.The economy of the southern part of the CWCBR is integrated into that of metropolitan Cape Town, with a significant proportion of residents working outside of the CWCBR
Infrastructure- Due to its location the CWCBR is already intersected by numerous infra structural elements. These include roads, railways, harbours, power lines, sub-stations and power stations. This infrastructure is vital for supporting the regional economy but also facilitates development with consequential land conversion.