investments

Seven companies have committed themselves to the East London Industrial Development Zone's new Automobile Supplier Park, bringing total investment into the zone to R755-million.

HBD, the venture capital firm created by internet billionaire Mark Shuttleworth, has launched its second fund, worth R150-million, to finance young South African businesses that develop products with global potential.

South Africa doubled its direct investment in Mozambique in 2005, confirming its position as the single largest foreign investor in the country.

South Africa and the Netherlands have signed an avoidance of double taxation treaty in an effort to boost trade and investment.

The first three investors in the East London Industrial Development Zone are set to inject R188-million into the Eastern Cape economy.

South Africa and Angola have signed four agreements aimed at strengthening economic and social co-operation between the two countries.

The Go Open Source campaign is an R18-million investment by Hewlett-Packard, the Shuttleworth Foundation and the CSIR to promote the use of open source software among South African home users, scholars and small businesses.

South Africa ranks among the world's top 12 maritime trading nations, commanding 6% of the world's sea trade. Yet much of the shipping industry is foreign-owned. Now a new black-owned shipping line - largely owned by former Robben Island inmates - is making waves in the industry.

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research has launched an Open Source Centre to help stimulate the adoption of open source software technologies in Africa.

Despite the stagnation of global markets, total investment in South Africa grew by more than 8% in the first half of 2003, while private investment expanded by 7%, with net private capital flows expected to top the US$110-billion mark for 2003 - the highest level since the mid-1990s.