Brand-South Africa - Annual report 2015 - 2016

The SA IN(C).
research
project
Brand South Africa Research and the Africa & Middle East
Programme collaborate to deliver on the organisation’s Africa
strategy. The purpose of the SA IN(C). project is to conduct
primary qualitative research in peer African markets. Findings
from the project inform Brand South Africa’s Africa strategy
and are shared with stakeholders in business, government,
academia and civil society.
During the year under review, Brand South Africa shared
findings with the Africa Steering Committee of the Department
of Public Enterprises to assist state-owned companies with
market insights, and strategic advice pertaining to market entry
and reputation strategies. The organisation also provided input
to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation
(DIRCO), particularly to relevant missions and country desks.
In partnership with the DIRCO Diplomatic Academy, the
organisation gave briefings to officials and heads of mission
being deployed to missions abroad. Other stakeholders that
benefited were provincial and metropolitan/city government;
academia and media through quarterly feedback sessions;
and business chambers. Brand South Africa also gave oneon-one
briefings on request.
Context to South Africa’s
engagement with the continent
According to the EY Africa Attractiveness Survey 2015, South
Africa is the top destination for foreign direct investment (FDI)
projects: the country attracted 121 projects in 2014/15. In the
same year, North Africa rebounded with Egypt attracting the
second highest number of inward-bound FDI projects (71)
while Morocco took third place with 67 projects.
Given the background on South Africa’s role and impact,
the South Africa Inc. project therefore aims to develop a
more nuanced, integrated and holistic understanding of its
reputation in the African environment to support the NDP
objectives.
SA Embassy in Dakar Reception, January 2016
What makes this picture more interesting is the fact that South
Africa not only attracted the bulk of FDI projects, but is also
(together with the UK) the second largest source of FDI projects
on the continent. South Africa’s footprint on the continent (in
terms of business and FDI) is a major competitive advantage.
The NDP outlines the need for increased intra-African trade,
underpinned by human and regional integration projects.
The growing Luanda skyline
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