Investment
South Africa is the most diversified economy on the continent, making it a preferred destination for multinational investors in Africa, with more than 180 Fortune Global 500 companies having a footprint in the country.
GEOGRAPHY
Culture
South Africa has been famously referred to as the Rainbow Nation due to its multicultural diversity. The fascinating variety of different people, landscapes, culinary and languages offer a melting pot of intrigue and excitement.
Tourism
A leading leisure and business tourism destination, South Africa is known for its beautiful scenery, value-for-money experiences ranging from beaches to wildlife and safaris, and favourable year-round weather.
As the name suggests, South Africa is located on the southernmost tip of the African continent. Endowed with a coastline that stretches 1 600 miles, vast desert plains, rich forestry and majestic mountainous terrains, South Africa’s breath-taking beauty is among the most sought after in the world.
The ocean along the East and West coasts of South Africa influences the sub-tropical and temperate climate conditions. The interior plateaus bring a cool, wet climate in the Drakensberg region, to a warm, sub-tropical climate in the northeast, and a Mediterranean climate in the south-west. These favourable climate conditions are perfect for travel enthusiasts and would be travelers alike.
With a surface area of 1,221,037 square kilometres (471,445 square miles), South Africa is bordered by Namibia to the north-west, Botswana and Zimbabwe to the north, and by Mozambique and Swaziland to the north-east and east with Lesotho landlocked in the south-east.
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PEOPLE, CULTURES & LANGUAGES
South Africa boasts a multi-cultural, multi-racial and a multilingual population. With 11 official spoken languages and the South African Sign Language (SASL) as the 12th, no wonder why we are known for our diversity as a nation. Officiation of the latter by the President Ramaphosa was a great milestone for South Africa as it promotes the rights of persons who are deaf and hard of hearing.
In their latest Census, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) estimated the country’s population at 62 million. An increase of 19,8 percent from their last Census conducted in 2011. Out of the 62 million people living in South Africa, approximately 51,5% are female and 48,5% are male.
A great display of South Africa’s rich cultural background is clear through its people who have an unwavering spirit of teamwork and collaboration in the country’s socio-economic matters. Woven together by the spirit of ‘Ubuntu’ which when loosely translated means that ‘I am because you are’.
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INVESTMENT
South Africa’s ZAR 6.64 trillion economy (USD 405.8 billion) is the 33rd largest in the world and represents approximately 12% of the African continent’s total gross domestic product (GDP). The country’s multisector economy is the most developed and technologically advanced economy on the African continent. This is validated by the 317 commitments and pledges that are worth $77,4 billion at the 2023 South African Investment Conference (SAIC).
As a preferred investment destination, South Africa has the largest presence of multinational companies in Africa which leverage the supportive ecosystem that houses the affluent consumer base and growing middle class. Furthermore, the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan (ERRP) enhances the country’s appeal as an investment haven as it clearly articulates and outlines strategies for post-pandemic economic recovery.
South Africa is also home to a leading mining sector that contributes significantly to the national gross domestic product (GDP). Nearly 90% of the platinum and 41% of the gold on earth are in South Africa.
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ARTS & CULTURE
At the heart of South Africa’s progressive nature, lies a rich heritage that is translated into a myriad of cultures. The perfect medley of peaceful and a united co-existence among the people of a nation which was built on the power of diversity. Creating an international identity that is second to none.
To preserve and maintain this great posture, the government has through its Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, launched programmes to support its people within these creative sectors through their Annual Performance Plan. They have prioritised target groups i.e., Youth, Women and People with Disabilities where 250 young creatives will be placed in Community Arts Centres across the country to address youth unemployment while supporting the creative industry at grassroots level. Over and above this, there are 300 artists placed in schools to support educators by bringing the practical part of the cultural and creative industry.
The department also provide bursaries to students studying heritage and language fields at higher institutions of learning. The investment in arts and culture continues to bear fruits of talented South Africans that excel on the global stage through visual arts, crafts and music.
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
South Africa is the most advanced, diversified, and productive economy in Africa. The well-developed infrastructure makes it conducive for the growing middle class and affluent consumer base to actively partake in the economy’s growth. The country has a number of government and self-regulatory bodies which are meant to safeguard the interests of businesses and consumers alike. An example of this would be the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) which ranks among the top emerging market exchanges in the world.
South Africa’s fixed investment activity is spread across all broad sectors of the economy, with the financial services, real estate and business services sector claiming large shares on an annual basis. It is for this reason that the private sector accounted for around 73% of overall fixed investment expenditure over the past 3 years.
Furthermore, South Africa is well integrated into the regional economic infrastructure as formalised by membership in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). In addition, the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) agreement with Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, and Swaziland helps with facilitation of commercial exchanges. As a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the G20, and the BRICS association of emerging economies, South Africa’s economy is more conducive for business growth and prosperity. South Africa is also the most significant ratifier of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Making it more seamless for those looking to tap into the other African markets through South Africa as an investment gateway.
TOURISM
South Africa is geopolitically distinctive and possesses natural and cultural diversity that supports a globally compelling tourism proposition. Surrounded by two oceans – Atlantic and Indian – South Africa occupies only about 2% of the world’s land area while hosting an impressive 10% of the world’s plants, 7% of the reptiles, birds, and mammals, and 15% of coastal marine species. Let us not forget around 850 species of birds and 300 species of mammals occurring across our landscape.
With an outstanding ecological richness with nine distinct biomes within the country’s borders. These are showcased within five world heritage sites, twenty-two national parks, and hundreds of game and nature reserves.
Whether you would like to feast your eyes on breath-taking views through the Panorama route in Mpumalanga, enjoy a drive through one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline through the Garden route or letting go of your inhibitions through the worlds longest bungy jump at the Bloukrans bridge, South Africa is the ideal destination for travel enthusiasts and would be travellers.
South Africa’s heritage sites include:
- Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa (Cradle of Humankind)
- Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape
- Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape
- Robben Island
- Cape Floral Region Protected Areas
- iSimangaliso Wetland Park
- Vredefort Dome
- uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park
- Khomani Cultural Landscape
FOOD
One of South Africa’s unique offerings is our hearty hospitality and of course, our hearty meals. This is, without a doubt, one of the reasons South Africa is home to world-renowned chef’s, culinary excellence and the finest wine in the world.
It has been said that South Africa is a melting pot of cultures, which is evident in the vast culinary experiences. South Africa’s cuisine is a unique fusion of various external cultural influences, including Dutch, French, Malaysian and Indian flavours. Everything from Pap and Mogodu, to traditional Cape Malay Roti. Tourists visiting South Africa for the first time are always captured, hook, line and sinker.
SPORTS
South Africa is among a few countries that have participated in World Cups of all three major and arguably most popular sports – cricket, football and rugby.
South Africa has also hosted a number of international sports meetings such as the 1996 African Cup of Nations, 2003 Cricket World Cup, the 2007 World Twenty20 Championship and became the first African country to ever host the FIFA World Cup in 2010. True to our world class infrastructure, South Africa made history yet again when it became the first country to host the Netball World Cup on African soil in 2023.
Our sportsmen and women have proven countless times why we retain World Champion status in green, gold and white. Our Special Olympics South Africa National team have come home with a plethora of gold and silver medals from the Special Olympics World games in Berlin, Germany 2023. Our female national football team, Banyana banyana, have brought the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2022 home and have qualified to defend the title in 2024 while our national rugby team, the Springboks, have returned with the Webb Ellis Cup from the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Making them the only rugby team to have won every World Cup final they have played in.
As it stands, our national trophy chest is among the most decorated in the world. This is due to the excellent level of sportsmanship found in South Africa.
