Opportunities

Tackling the skills shortage in South Africa was one of the topics discussed at the global Avi Afrique aviation summit. Unemployment and poverty were other priorities for the sector. A highlight of the event was the Avi Awards, won by a South African entrepreneur for his innovative aircraft.

With pots of up to R5-million each to invest in entrepreneurs, the Awethu Project looks to be a high impact partner through a negotiated equity stake. This way, the venture capital fund has the same incentive as the business owners to grow their businesses. It also shares the rewards.

Doing business with the government is now quicker and the process smoother, thanks to the Central Supplier Database. Launched by the minister of finance, companies wanting to work with the state are urged to register on it. There are several benefits to being listed on the database.

The Coega industrial development zone has contributed almost 15 000 jobs to Eastern Cape and has an investment value of nearly R3bn. It has huge potential to grow more entrepreneurs, placing it well for the country's plan to boost black industrialists.

There was plenty of opportunity on the continent, and particularly in South Africa, according to foreign journalists covering the African Union 25th summit. But countries could not ignore the challenges facing them.

South Africa's presence is increasing in Africa, with local brands able to shape the culture of shopping in countries like Nigeria, says Brand South Africa's research manager, Petrus de Kock. South Africa is one of the top three countries of origin for foreign direct investment in Africa, meaning our companies have internationalised at a rapid pace since 1994.

There are more than 200 000 spaces available for first years at South Africa's 26 universities - including the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, which will be accepting its first students this year, Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande told a media briefing on Monday.

Having already attracted almost R1-billion in investment, Dube TradePort is officially open for business and is set to make the balmy KwaZulu-Natal province a global supply chain hub.

If you want to be serious about Africa, do your homework, Alec Erwin, South Africa's former trade and industry minister, reportedly told a gathering of more than 100 top chief executives, economists and political leaders from South Africa and Italy, gathered in Cape Town to discuss investment opportunities.

South Africa's hospitality sector is poised for further growth in the next five years on the back of rising room rates and growing tourism numbers, with hotel occupancy rates expected to increase to 71% by 2018, according to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers.