Welcome to the 13th edition of the South African Business journal. First published in 2011, the publication has established itself as the premier business and investment guide to South Africa, supported by an e-book edition and website at www.southafricanbusiness.co.za.
A special feature in this journal focusses on the vital focus on infrastructure that is seizing the attention of the political and business leadership of South Africa. This is not the arena of endless talk shops. Rather, 160 CEOs of some of the country’s most influential companies are rolling up their sleeves and trying to make things work better. The article looks at steps being taken by a combination of the public and private sectors to beef up the country’s railways, ports and energy network. Crime is also under the spotlight. As this journal goes to print, South Africa will ascend to the presidency of the G20, a singular honour and an opportunity for the country to put its best foot forward. A brief overview of each of the country’s provinces is also provided.
South African Business is complemented by nine regional publications covering the business and investment environment in each of South Africa’s provinces. The e-book editions can be viewed online at www.globalafricanetwork.com. These unique titles are supported by a monthly business e-newsletter with a circulation of over 35 000. The Journal of Africa Business joined the Global African Network stable of publications as an annual in 2020 and is now published quarterly.
SPECIAL FEATUREProvinces
SPECIAL FEATUREProvinces of South AfricaA snapshot of South Africa’s nine provinces.Eastern CapeCapital: BhishoMain towns: Port Gqeberha Elizabeth, (formerly EastLondon, Port Elizabeth), Uitenhage, East London, Graaff-Reinet, Kariega Mthatha, (formerly GrahamstownUitenhage),(Makhanda)Graaff-Reinet, Mthatha, MakhandaPopulation: 6 916 200 (2015)Area: 168 966km² (13.8%of South Africa)Premier:Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane (ANC)Key sectors: Automotive,agriculture, agri-processing,agro-processing,forestry, finance, retail, tourism,renewable energy.Infrastructure: Coega IndustrialDevelopment Zone, East LondonIndustrial Development Zone,ports of East London, PortElizabeth and Ngqura, airports atPort Gqeberha Elizabeth and and East East London. London.Notable tourism assets: AddoElephant National Park, MountainZebra National Park, Wild Coast,Jeffreys Bay, National Arts Festival.Provincial government website:www.ecprov.gov.zaEastern Cape DevelopmentCorporation: www.ecdc.co.zaFree StateCapital: BloemfonteinMain towns: Welkom, Sasolburg,Parys, KroonstadPopulation: 2 817 900 (2015)Area: 129 825km² (10.6%of South Africa)Premier:Sefora Maqueen Hixsonia Joyce Letsoha-Mathae Ntombela (ANC) (ANC)Key sectors: Agriculture,agri-processing, agro-processing, chemicalmanufacturing, mining, transportand logistics.Infrastructure: Maluti-A-PhofungSpecial Economic Zone, BramFischer International Airport,University of the Free State,Central University of Technology,N8 Corridor.Notable tourism assets: VaalRiver, Gariep Dam, Golden GateHighlands National Park, CherryFestival, Mangaung AfricanCultural Festival (Macufe).Provincial government website:www.freestateonline.fs.gov.zaFree State DevelopmentCorporation: www.fdc.co.zaGautengCapital: JohannesburgMain towns: Tshwane(including Pretoria), Ekurhuleni,Vanderbijlpark, RoodepoortPopulation: 13 200 300 (2015)Area: 18 178km² (1.5%of South Africa)Premier:David Panyaza Makhura Lesufi (ANC)Key sectors: Financial and banking,banking, manufacturing, manufacturing, trade, creative trade,creative industries, industries, media. media.Infrastructure: OR TamboInternational Airport, Gautrain, Vaal Specialmajor Economic universities Zone, Gautrain, and research majorinstitutions, universities and large research convention institutions,large FNB convention Stadium (Soccer centres, City).centres,FNB Stadium (Soccer City).Notable tourism assets: Cradle ofHumankind, Notable tourism Apartheid assets: Museum, Cradle ofConstitution Humankind, Hill, Apartheid Magaliesberg, Museum,Soweto Constitution tours, Hill, Dinokeng. Magaliesberg,Soweto tours, Dinokeng.Provincial government website:www.gauteng.gov.zaProvincial government website:Gauteng www.gauteng.gov.zaGrowth andDevelopment Gauteng Growth Agency: and DevelopmentAgency: www.ggda.co.za www.ggda.co.zaSOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS 2021 2020 202516 20 16
SPECIAL FEATURESPECIAL SPECIAL FEATURE FEATUREKwaZulu-NatalCapital: PietermaritzburgMain towns: Durban, Newcastle,Ballito, Port Shepstone,Empangeni, UlundiPopulation: 10 919100 100 (2015)Area: 125 755km² (7.7% ofof South South Africa) Africa)Premier:Premier: Thami Ntuli (IFP)Sihle Zikalala (ANC)Key sectors: Chemicals, dissolvingKey pulp sectors: manufacture, Chemicals, sugar, dissolving forestry,pulp automotive, manufacture, textiles sugar, and forestry, footwear,automotive, mining, oil textiles and gas, and logistics. footwear,mining, Infrastructure: oil and gas, King logistics. ShakaInfrastructure: International King Airport, Shaka DubeInternational TradePort, Richards Airport, Dube Bay Industrial TradePort,Richards Development Bay Industrial Zone, Developmentports ofZone, Richards ports Bay of Richards and Durban, Bay and AlbertDurban, Luthuli International Albert Luthuli International ConventionConvention Centre Complex. Centre Complex.Notable tourism assets: assets: Hluhluwe-HluhluweiMfoloziPark, the the Drakensbergmountains, iSimangilso iSimangaliso Wetlands WetlandPark, Durban beaches, South South Coast,Zulu Coast, cultural Zulu heritage, cultural historical heritage,battlefields. historical battlefields.Provincial government website:www.kznonline.gov.zaTrade and Investment KwaZulu-Natal: www.tikzn.co.zaLimpopoCapital: PolokwaneMain towns: Musina, Ba-Phalabora,Ba-Phalabora, Bela-Bela, Steelpoort, Bela-Bela, Tzaneen,Steelpoort, Thohoyandou Tzaneen, ThohoyandouPopulation: 5 726 800 (2015)Area: 125 755km² (10.2% ofof South South Africa) Africa)Premier:Premier: Dr Phophi Ramathuba (ANC)Chupu Stanley Mathabatha (ANC)Key sectors: Mining, agriculture,Key tourism, sectors: logistics. Mining, agriculture,tourism, logistics.Infrastructure: Musina-MakhadoInfrastructure: Special Economic Musina-MakhadoZone,Special Fetakgomo-Tubatse Economic Zone, Special N1highway Economic and Zone, rail N1 network, highway new andMedupi rail network, power new station. Medupi powerstation.Notable tourism assets: KrugerNational Park, MapungubweHeritage World Heritage Site, Makapans Site, Makapans Valley,Marula Valley, Marula Festival, Festival, Waterberg WaterbergBiosphere.Provincial government website:www.limpopo.gov.zaProvincial government website:Limpopo www.limpopo.gov.zaEconomicDevelopment Limpopo Economic Agency: Developmentwww.lieda.gov.zaAgency: www.lieda.gov.zaMpumalangaCapital: MbombelaMain towns: Emalahleni,Middelburg, Sabie, LydenburgLydenburgPopulation: 4 283 900 (2015)Area: 76 495km² (6.3% ofSouth of South Africa)Premier:MandlaPremier:Ndlovu (ANC)Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane (ANC)Key sectors: Agriculture, forestry,mining, Key sectors: steel Agriculture, manufacturing, forestry,petrochemicals, mining, steel manufacturing,pulp and paper,power petrochemicals, generation, pulp tourism. and paper,power generation, tourism.Infrastructure: Nkomazi Special SpecialEconomic Zone, Zone, Mbombela MbombelaInternationalInternational FreshFreshProduceProduceMarket,Market, MaputoMaputoDevelopmentDevelopmentCorridor, Kruger MpumalangaCorridor, Kruger MpumalangaInternational Airport.International Airport.Notable tourism assets: KrugerNotable tourism assets: KrugerNational Park, Blyde River Canyon,National Park, Blyde RiverBarberton Makhonjwa MountainsCanyon, Barberton MakhonjwaMountains(a UNESCO World(a UNESCOHeritageWorldSite).Heritage Site).Provincial government website:Provincial www.mpumalanga.gov.zagovernment website:www.mpumalanga.gov.zaMpumalanga Economic GrowthMpumalanga Agency: www.mega.gov.zaEconomic GrowthAgency: www.mega.gov.za211717 SOUTH SOUTH AFRICAN AFRICAN BUSINESS BUSINESS 2025 2020 2021
