Investing in South Africa

With its wealth of minerals, South Africa is one of the most resource-rich regions on the planet.

Add to this its sophisticated financial sector and strong business focus, its skilled people and strategic location, and you have a recipe for investment success.

South Africa is one of the world’s most promising emerging markets; it is sophisticated, innovative and diverse. Its strategic location at the southern tip of Africa provides an accessible gateway to the rest of the continent, a market of some one billion people.

In addition, South Africa itself is worth looking at for investment opportunities: it is one of the economic powerhouses of Africa, is a member of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), and plays a critical role in local development initiatives. The country also currently holds the chair of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

It has sophisticated financial, legal and telecommunications sectors, with several global business process outsourcing operations.

It has also a strong tertiary education sector that ensures the availability of highly skilled graduates. Legislation promotes training and skills development, creating an environment to fast-track the building of world-class skills and competences.

It has world-class infrastructure, exciting innovation, research and development capabilities and a strong manufacturing base.

SA has huge potential

There is a wealth of natural resources, including gold, coal, platinum, iron ore, manganese, nickel, uranium and chromium. International exploration companies, notably in the oil and gas sector, are particularly interested in South Africa’s potential.

The country is a regional leader in the agriculture and agro-processing sector and is at the forefront of developing green technologies and industries, creating new and sustainable jobs in the process and reducing environmental impact.

One of the main reasons South Africa is becoming a popular trade and investment destination is because the country ensures it can meet the specific trade and investment requirements of prospective investors: it has a large number of investment incentives and industrial financing interventions. Trade rules favour a further expansion in South Africa’s burgeoning levels of international trade.

A number of international airlines service the country, with good flight connections into the rest of the continent.

Last, but not least, South Africa is a country of great natural beauty and warm and welcoming people – and has a reputation for delivering value-for-money. From the shores of the oceans to the wildlife reserves of the Highveld to the diversity of its eight World Heritage sites and its culturally significant places, South Africa is an attractive business and leisure destination.

Source: Brand South Africa