South African Business 2023
A unique guide to business and investment in South Africa. Welcome to the 11th 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 a website at www. southafricanbusiness.co.za. A special feature in this journal focusses on the importance of partnerships as the way forward for the country’s growing number of Special Economic Zones. There are now SEZs in eight provinces and collaboration between the private sector and government and its agencies is proving a crucial element in pursuing the goal of industrializing the South African economy. These zones intended as catalysts for economic growth in established sectors and in stimulating new industries. Regular pages cover all the main economic sectors of the South African economy and give a snapshot of each of the country’s provinces. The fact that South Africa’s law-enforcement agencies are arresting people alleged to have been involved in state capture and the Reserve Bank has started freezing assets in other matters leads the national overview because business can’t function properly without the rule of law. 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. Journal of African Business joined the Global African Network stable of publications as an annual in 2020 and is now published quarterly.
A unique guide to business and investment in South Africa. Welcome to the 11th 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 a website at www. southafricanbusiness.co.za.
A special feature in this journal focusses on the importance of partnerships as the way forward for the country’s growing number of Special Economic Zones. There are now SEZs in eight provinces and collaboration between the private sector and government and its agencies is proving a crucial element in pursuing the goal of industrializing the South African economy. These zones intended as catalysts for economic growth in established sectors and in stimulating new industries.
Regular pages cover all the main economic sectors of the South African economy and give a snapshot of each of the country’s provinces. The fact that South Africa’s law-enforcement agencies are arresting people alleged to have been involved in state capture and the Reserve Bank has started freezing assets in other matters leads the national overview because business can’t function properly without the rule of law.
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. Journal of African Business joined the Global African Network stable of publications as an annual in 2020 and is now published quarterly.
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FOCUS<br />
Invest in the Free State<br />
Excellent location, resources and incentives combine to make <strong>South</strong> Africa’s most<br />
central province an attractive investment proposition for businesses of all sorts.<br />
Situated in the heart of <strong>South</strong> Africa and<br />
sharing borders with Lesotho and six<br />
other provinces, the Free State’s location<br />
provides easy access to the main ports<br />
of Durban, East London and Gqeberha and is<br />
therefore ideal for logistics, manufacturing and<br />
agro-processing operations.<br />
The main economic sectors are agriculture,<br />
mining and manufacturing. The concentration of<br />
large chemical companies in the town of Sasolburg<br />
is testimony to the influence of global chemicals and<br />
energy company Sasol.<br />
Companies relocating not only enjoy the<br />
opportunity to source inputs at competitive<br />
prices, but also to benefit from domestic,<br />
regional and international markets for their<br />
products and services.<br />
There are industrial parks and a Special<br />
Economic Zone (SEZ) that are supported by the<br />
Department of Trade, Industry and Competition.<br />
Industrial parks are situated in Maluti-A-Phofung,<br />
Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu.<br />
The Free State’s strengths for inward investment<br />
are boosted by:<br />
• openness to business, trade and investment<br />
• abundance of natural resources<br />
• low factory rentals<br />
• Africa’s leading telecommunications network<br />
• incentive packages uniquely developed for<br />
Special Economic Zones and industrial parks<br />
• Free State Development Corporation (FDC)<br />
support services for priority sectors such as<br />
agro-processing and manufacturing<br />
• a large labour pool<br />
• diverse cultures<br />
• competitive land and building costs.<br />
Select investment opportunities include:<br />
agriculture and agro-processing; tourism and<br />
property development; medical and pharmaceutical<br />
production and distribution; manufacturing; renewable<br />
and clean energy and medical tourism.<br />
FREE STATE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION<br />
The Free State Development Corporation (FDC)<br />
contributes to the Free State’s economic development<br />
through four service delivery pillars: SMME/co-operative<br />
funding and support; export-related services; property<br />
management; investor services.<br />
FDC services to investors and business include:<br />
• Project appraisal and packaging.<br />
• Promotion and facilitation of investment projects<br />
and facilitation of access to finance.<br />
• Providing access to business and government networks<br />
and assistance with business retention and expansion.<br />
• Information on statutory requirements, investment<br />
advice and assistance with investment incentive<br />
applications and business permits.<br />
• • Assisting with the development of local and international<br />
markets and facilitating joint ventures/equity<br />
partnerships through identification of local partners.<br />
FDC property management<br />
The FDC ovesees 253 commercial properties and 290<br />
industrial sites, which it uses to:<br />
• Facilitate commercial and industrial activity<br />
• Assist new investors looking for suitable premises<br />
• Facilitate SMME development, particularly in rural areas<br />
The substantial property portfolio makes FDC one<br />
of the biggest property owners in the province with<br />
industrial, residential and commercial properties in excess<br />
of 900 000m² situated in the Mangaung Metro and Thabo<br />
Mafutsanyana District.<br />
FDC industrial properties are located in<br />
• Thaba Nchu<br />
• Botshabelo<br />
• Industriqwa – Harrismith<br />
• Phuthadithjaba<br />
SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS <strong>2023</strong><br />
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