Doing business in South Africa
South Africa is one of the most sophisticated emerging markets in the world. The unique combination of well-developed first-world financial markets, and a rapidly emerging market economy, has risen to an entrepreneurial and dynamic investment environment with many global competitive advantages and opportunities.
The vision of South Africa is set out in the National Development Plan (NDP), which outlines proposed interventions aim to eliminate poverty by 2030 by expanding economic opportunities by: diversifying exports; strengthening links to faster-growing economies; enacting reforms to lower the cost of doing business; moving to more efficient and climate-friendly production systems; and encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation. The goal of the Government is to create 5 million jobs by 2020 to reduce unemployment, poverty and inequality.
Cabinet set up the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission (PICC) to bring together representatives of the three spheres of government. The PICC has a mandate to develop a 20 year infrastructure programme, to ensure forward planning of infrastructure development. Government has invested in building new and upgrading existing infrastructure. The major projects were approved for the construction of ports, roads, railway systems, electricity plants, hospitals, schools and dams.
In accordance to the NDP and the framework provided by the programmatic approach of the New Growth Path (NGP), the key strategies in the National Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) have been set up. The overriding goal of the IPAP is to support the growth and diversification of South Africa’s manufacturing sector. The major sectors in the IPAP are: automotive, clothing, textile, leather and footwear, agro processing, metal fabrication, Capital and rail transport equipment, pharmaceuticals, film industry, business process services, green industries and advanced manufacturing.
The South African Government offers various incentive schemes to stimulate and facilitate the development of sustainable, competitive enterprises. A variety of these incentive schemes seek to support the development or growth of commercially viable and sustainable enterprises through the provision of either funding or tax relief. Most of the incentives are within the Department of Trade and Industry (www.thedti.gov.za).
MAJOR CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE IN SOUTH AFRICA
EXPORT COUNCILS
INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS
TENDERS
The information on the latest tenders available on the SA Government homepage www.gov.za/documents/tender
PROVINCIAL INVESTMENT AGENCIES
BUSINESS EXHIBITIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA
MAJOR BANKS
BUSINESS NEWSPAPERS ONLINE:
OTHER USEFUL WEBSITES: