South Africa Investment and Finance

Why Invest in South Africa?

The South Africa of today is one of the most sophisticated and promising emerging markets globally. The unique combination of a highly developed first-world economic infrastructure and a huge emergent market economy has given rise to a strong entrepreneurial and dynamic investment environment.

South Africa is the economic powerhouse of the African continent, with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of R1,9 trillion (US$283bn) - four times that of its Southern African neighbors, and comprising 30% of the entire GDP of Africa.

The World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report 2008/09 of the World Economic Forum, ranked South Africa 45th out of 134 global nations. South Africa's GDP grew at a healthy 5.2 % in 2007 and a lower 3.1% in 2008, due to the impact of the global economic crisis.

South Africa is one of the most sophisticated and promising emerging markets, offering a unique combination of highly-developed first world economic infrastructure, with a vibrant emerging market economy. South Africa is also one of the highest ranking developing economies and surpasses countries such as Hungary, Italy, Brazil and Thailand. The country leads the continent in industrial output (40% of Africa's total output) and mineral production (45% of total mineral production) and generates most of Africa's electricity (over 50%). (Why Invest in South Africa - Read More)

Investment Insights

From the IRD: From "Bucket" to "Supermarket Milling"
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Originally appearing on the website of International Relief and Development, this article chronicles how AgriTrade, a microloan credit facility, helped one Zimbabwean miller.

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The Changing Face of Africa
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
What a change a decade makes. Africa has come a long way since the Economist headline of May 11, 2000 which referred to Africa as “The Hopeless Continent”.

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Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on the United Nations′ Millennium Development Goals
Thursday, December 22, 2011
In 2009 at the Davos conference, Wilmot Allen interviewed former managing director of the World Bank, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, about her opinions of the Millennium Development Goals, established by the United Nations. She is currently Nigeria\'s minister of finance.

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» Visit our Blog to read more.

Financial and Economic News

East Africa: Sudanese Oil Stalemate Persists
Friday, February 03, 2012
[ISS] Negotiations between Juba and Khartoum on the oil issue, under the auspices of the African Union's High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), continued on the sidelines of the recently ended African Union meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

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Africa: Kagame Speaks on China's Donation of AU Headquarters
Friday, February 03, 2012
[East African] Rwanda president Paul Kagame has said China's donation to Africa - the new headquarters worth $200 million unveiled last week is a reflection of Africa's bigger problems.

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Malawi: Consumers Have a Right to Fuel and Forex Black Market
Friday, February 03, 2012
[IPS] Lilongwe - The black market for foreign exchange and fuel is booming in the midst of an acute scarcity in Malawi. The shortage is so severe that even the Consumer Association of Malawi, an influential consumer rights body, has come out in support of the black market.

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Budget 'must boost business confidence'
Friday, February 03, 2012
Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan's upcoming Budget speech needs to boost business confidence, while designating 2012 as a year of implementation, says Business Unity South Africa.

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South Africa still a net food exporter
Friday, February 03, 2012
South Africa remains a net a food exporter, selling 30% more agricultural goods abroad than it imported in 2010, according to the latest South Africa Survey published by the SA Institute of Race Relations.

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Source of news: southafrica.info

Featured Video

Video: South Africa in the spotlight: An interview with Kgalema Motlanthe

South Africa's deputy president discusses the state of the country's economy, the social responsibility of multinationals, and China's role on the continent. Source: McKinsey & Company

At-A-Glance

 

 

Official  name:

Republic of South Africa (the)

Capital:

Pretoria

Population:

49,052,489 (est. 2009)

Area:

1,219,912 sq.km.

Currency:

Rand (ZAR)

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$495.1 billion (2009 est.)

Country comparison to the world: 26

GDP (official exchange rate):

$280.6 billion (2009 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-1.8% (2009 est.)

Country comparison to the world: 141

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$10,100 (2009 est.)

Country comparison to the world: 107

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3.5%

industry: 32.1%

services: 64.4% (2009 est.)


Labor force:

17.32 million economically active (2009 est.)

Country comparison to the world: 35


Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 9%

industry: 26%

services: 65% (2007 est.)


Investment (gross fixed):

20.6% of GDP (2009 est.)

Country comparison to the world: 82


Public debt:

35.7% of GDP (2009 est.)

Country comparison to the world: 72

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7.2% (2009 est.)

Country comparison to the world: 166

Central bank discount rate:

11.5% (31 December 2008)

Country comparison to the world: 32

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

15.13% (31 December 2008)

Country comparison to the world: 63

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$491.3 billion (31 December 2008)

Country comparison to the world: 16

Agriculture - products:

corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products


Industries:

mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair


Current account balance:

$-15.6 billion (2009 est.)

Country comparison to the world: 179

Exports:

$67.93 billion (2009 est.)

Country comparison to the world: 38

Exports - partners:

Japan 11.1%, US 11.1%, Germany 8%, UK 6.8%, China 6%, Netherlands 5.2% (2008)


Imports:

$70.24 billion (2009 est.)

Country comparison to the world: 35

Imports - partners:

Germany 11.2%, China 11%, US 7.8%, Saudi Arabia 6.2%, Japan 5.5% (2008)


Exchange rates:

Rand (ZAR) per US dollar - 8.54 (2009), 7.9576 (2008), 7.05 (2007), 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005)
 

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