A unique guide to business and investment in Mpumalanga, the 2025/26 edition of Mpumalanga Business is the 16th issue of this successful publication that since its launch in 2008 has established itself as the premier business and investment guide for the province.
Global Africa Network is pleased to carry a message from the CEO of the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) in which the investment climate in this resource-rich province is outlined. Ongoing work on infrastructure such as roads, water works, schools and hospitals, supported
by the establishment of one of South Africa’s newest and most dynamic universities, makes this an attractive destination for investors in a wide variety of sectors. In this journal MEGA also presents the Mpumalanga Trade & Investment Profile, a 12-page booklet which surveys the provincial economy and gives specific details about what investment opportunities are available.
The creation of the Mpumalanga Green Cluster Agency is a sign of the times, and a further invitation to investors to consider this forward-looking province. The rapid development of the province’s first wind farm, Seriti Green’s Ummbila Emoyeni, is covered in full in this edition, as are other developments in the energy field. The latest updates in all the most important sectors of the provincial economy are covered, including news that Sasol has a plan to avoid a looming “gas cliff”.
To complement the extensive local, national and international distribution of the print edition, the full content can also be viewed online at www.globalafricanetwork.com. Updated information on Mpumalanga is also available through our monthly e-newsletters, which you can subscribe to online at https://www.globalafricanetwork.com/ and https://www.southafricanbusiness.co.za/, in addition to our complementary business-to-business titles that cover all nine provinces, our flagship South African Business title and the new addition our list of publications, The Journal of African Business, which was launched in 2020.
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SPECIAL FEATUREMpumalanga’sforested hillsare perfect forbiking, hikingand rallyingDramatic landscapes make the perfectbackdrop for adventure seekers, bold andold. By John YoungThe National Department of Tourism willhost a Tourism Investment Conferencein Mpumalanga in September 2025 tocoincide with the visit of G20 ministers toSouth Africa.The venue is no surprise as Mpumalanga hasseveral incomparable tourism jewels: the worldclassKruger National Park is among at least 70parks and reserves, the remarkable BarbertonMakhonjwa Mountains UNESCO World HeritageSite and the awe-inspiring Blyde River Canyonare among others. The Innibos Lowveld NationalArts Festival has become a fixture and a verypopular festival, with music at its heart.Among the plans to further enhance theprovince’s tourism sector are a three-countrypromotion campaign, TRILAND, a public-privatepartnership to build an International ConferenceCentre and the improvement of tourisminfrastructure across the province. The ProvincialGovernment of Mpumalanga aims to increasethe tourism industry’s contribution to GDP from5.8% to 8% and declared that the sector is amongthose that it counts as a priority sector.Sports and adventure tourism play a key rolein the province’s offering. The 43 000-seaterMbombela Stadium, built to be one of the venueswhen South Africa hosted the 2010 FIFA WorldCup, has become a firm favourite with soccer fansand Springbok rugby supporters love the place.The atmosphere for each of the South Africanteam’s wins against Scotland, Wales, Argentina(twice) and New Zealand has been electric.Outdoor pursuitsFor many years, Mpumalanga has beensynonymous with motor rallying. The transitionfrom Highveld to Lowveld no doubt hassomething to do with the popularity of theprovince for rally riders, with steep inclines andtough gradients to test competitors.One of the province’s public roads even has areputation for excitement. Among motorcyclists,there is a 22km stretch of the R536 between Salieand Kierpersol that is known as the “Infamous22”. This part of the Bergvliet Pass, which passesthrough the Bergvliet plantation, has curves thatmotorcycling enthusiasts love.Moving on to motor cars, the multi-eventSouth African National Rally Championship(SANRC) often holds more than one event inMpumalanga with venues such as Dullstroom,Ermelo and Secunda. Not all rallies are part of theChampionship. The 2024 NRC season comprisedMPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2025/2614PHOTO: Toyota
SPECIAL FEATUREfive events which culminated in Dullstroom.The final event was held over two days with 22teams in various classes competing across 14challenging stages.The South African Rally-Raid Championshipis part of the World Rally-Raid Championship(officially abbreviated as W2RC). Round 1 of the2024 South African Rally-Raid Championship(SARRC) began with the Nkomazi 400 inMalalane, yet another Mpumalanga town givenover to rallying.TOYOTA GAZOO Racing SA entered four crews,all driving the latest version of the GR ToyotaHilux EVO, pictured, which was used duringthe Dakar Rally. An 11km race determines thestarting positions for Loop 1, the first of two loopsof 169km that pass through farmlands and themountainous terrain surrounding the town ofMalalane in the far-eastern part of the province.Leg powerTourists can hire quad bikes or go on cycle toursorganised by tour operators. For example, onecan experience the banks of the Sabie River ona quad bike or explore a macadamia plantationfrom a similar vantage point. Tripadvisor listsMankele Adventures and Kaapsehoop Scootoursas options for bicycle tourism.Alternatively, serious cyclists can saddle upand sign up for any one of several events heldin the province. These include the Sabie Classic,described as “an experience you won’t forget”in the “stunning forests of Sabie”, which hasfour options ranging from 10km to 65km routesand was held in April in 2025.The rather more challenging Sabie Cycle willhappen in October 2025. Held over three daysand 364km, the route rises more than 7 000m as itpasses over Spitzkop and the Long Tom Pass andthrough Graskop, Pilgrims Rest and Lydenbergbefore returning to Sabie via the “Infamous 22”.Hikers and walkers are also spoilt for choicein Mpumalanga.This description of the Beestekraalspruit HikingTrail at Sudwala appears on the Forestry in SouthAfrica website:“This route gently climbs through pineplantation, indigenous scrub forest and grasslandto the cliff edge of the Beestekraalspruit, afterwhich it descends gradually into the gorgewith its riverine forest. The route follows theBeestekraalspruit for about 4km and crosses thestream 20 times by means of wooden bridges.”This trail is on SAFCOL land and is available forhiking. Another major land owner, Sappi, decidedsome years ago to formalise its relationshipwith the people who use its land. With aboutone-third of its landholdings unplanted, thecompany wanted to promote healthy lifestylesby encouraging non-motorised sports such asrunning, walking and mountain biking.The Sappi Trails Programme was initiatedin 2011 to minimise risk while maximisingthe benefits for both trail users and for Sappi.Partnerships have been developed with socalledtrail custodians. In Mpumalanga thatincludes Mankele Mountain Biking (near SudwalaCaves, north-west of Mbombela) and TranquilitasAdventure Farm (Slaaihoek Road, Emgwenya).Hotels and lodgesThe Provincial Government of Mpumalangaintends asking national government for a fourthcasino licence for the province.South Africa vs Thailand, Mbombela Stadium.PHOTO: Mbombela Stadium 15MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2025/26
