Mpumalanga Trade and Investment Profile

THE PLACE OF THE RISING SUN
MPUMALANGA
TRADE & INVESTMENT PROFILE
MPUMALANGA IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS

WHY INVEST IN MPUMALANGA?
• 68% of of land area in in the province is used by agriculture
• Mpumalanga’s three biggest sectors are manufacturing, mining and agriculture
Mpumalanga’s diverse and resource-rich economy makes it one of the most
attractive trade and investment destinations in South East Africa.
A large, growing domestic market and excellent access, supported by worldclass
infrastructure, to the East African and Indian Ocean markets through
Maputo Port makes Mpumalanga an ideal investment location for export-driven
manufacturing and production.
Mpumalanga is one of South Africa’s most productive and important agricultural
regions and through strategic investments in the Mpumalanga International
Fresh Produce Market (MIFPM) and the Nkomazi Special Economic Zone (NSEZ)
the province is set to become a major force in food production and distribution.
Mpumalanga’s sophisticated and well-segmented tourism and hospitality
sector in a post-Covid world is ripe for investment and expansion.
Mpumalanga’s STRATEGIC LOCATION makes it
a valuable transport and logistics hub
Mpumalanga
UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION
• Abundant resources: minerals and agricultural produce
• Established manufacturing infrastructure: smelters,
petrochemicals, food processing, paper, sugar
• Strategic location, access to regional and
global markets
• Tourism hotspots: the iconic Kruger National Park,
world-class reserves, adventure tourism and new
UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Mpumalanga International Fresh Produce
Market (MIFPM)
• Nkomazi Special Economic Zone (NSEZ)
• The new University of Mpumalanga
• Support for Green Economy research and investment
A A province in in eastern
South Africa, bordering
the the nations of Swaziland
and Mozambique
• Maputo Development Corridor enhances logistics
• Preferential access to lucrative EU market
• Proximity to South Africa’s economic heartland
• Access to regional SADC market: 360-million population
• Access to deepwater Port of Maputo
Capital Capital City City Main Main major major towns towns
Mbombela
Ermelo
(Nelspruit)
eMalahleni
Population Population Middelburg
4.7-million
4.5-million people
Secunda
Secunda
people
Airport Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport
Airport Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport
MPUMALANGA’S ECONOMY
The provincial economy of of Mpumalanga is is exceptionally diverse.
Established diverse. Established industries industries the province the include province Mining, include Stainless Mining,
Steel, Stainless Petrochemicals, Steel, Petrochemicals, Pulp and Paper, Pulp and Ferro-Alloys, Paper, Ferro-Alloys, Energy
Energy Generation, Tourism, Agriculture and Agro-Processing.
Generation, Tourism, Agriculture and Agro-Processing.
Companies in these sectors include global giants in their
industries such as Sasol (energy and chemicals), Sappi
(paper, packaging, pulp and forests), Samancor Chrome
(ferrochrome), Sibanye-Stillwater and Glencore (mining).
AGRICULTURE 3% MINING 20%
AGRICULTURE 3% MINING 20%
COMMUNITY
SERVICE COMMUNITY 19%
SERVICE 19%
FINANCE
FINANCE 14%
14%
TRANSPORT 6%
TRANSPORT 6%
MANUFACTURING
MANUFACTURING 15%
15%
ELECTRICITY 7%
ELECTRICITY 7%
CONSTRUCTION
CONSTRUCTION 2%
2%
TRADE 14%
TRADE 14%
District GVA by by district
38% 39% 34% 28% 27%
Nkangala
Gert
Ehlanzeni
Gert
Sibanda Sibanda
The province’s commercial farmers are among the most efficient in the world,
exporting huge quantities of everything from citrus to macadamia nuts. Columbus
Stainless is the only stainless-steel manufacturer on the continent.
GOVERNANCE
The province has three district municipalities and 17 local municipalities. Several
agencies which promote the regional economy report to the Mpumalanga Provincial
Government. Large parts of the province comprises extensive rural villages that
form part of areas run by traditional authorities.
TRANSPORT
Two Kruger airports Mpumalanga at Hoedspruit International and Mbombela Airport (KMIA) (Kruger in Mpumalanga Mbombela plus International many airfields Airport,
KMIA) such as plus Middelburg. many airfields. Extensive Extensive freight freight rail network, rail network, busiest busiest in South in South Africa. Africa. N4 highway N4
highway (Maputo (Maputo Corridor) Corridor) is an east-west is an east-west spine of spine a highly of a highly-developed road system. road system.

ABOUT MEGA
The Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) is the official Economic
Development Agency for the Mpumalanga Provincial Government.
MEGA’s primary mandate is to foster the sustainable growth and development of Mpumalanga’s economy through
its operational activities of Trade and Investment Promotion, Development Funding, Equity Investments, and
Property and Infrastructure Development. The Agency remains accountable to the Mpumalanga Department of Economic
Development and Tourism (DEDT). MEGA is the foreign investor’s or trader’s first point of contact for doing successful
business in Mpumalanga Province. Through the Trade and Investment Promotion Division, the Agency provides a variety
of services to potential investors and trading partners.
PLANNING THE WAY FORWARD
National government has articulated a Nine-Point Plan which seeks to prioritise projects
that will tackle key economic issues. MEGA is aligned with the plan, which include issues
relevant to growing the provincial economy:
• revitalise agriculture and the agro-processing chain
• advancing mineral beneficiation
• implementing the Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) effectively
• unlocking the potential of SMMEs, cooperatives and township and rural enterprises
• resolving the energy challenge
• stabilising the labour market
• upscaling private investment
• investment in science and technology, water and sanitation, transport
and broadband connectivity
The Maputo Development Corridor is South Africa’s leading
Spatial Development Initiative (SDI), linking Mpumalanga Province,
Gauteng Province and the Nkomazi Special Economic Zone with
the deepwater Port of Maputo in Mozambique. This efficient
corridor provides investors and exporters with good access to the
export markets of South East Africa, the Indian Ocean Rim and
Far East Asia. The Maputo Development Corridor comprises road,
SOUTH AFRICA
MEGA SERVICES
MEGA staff will go out of their way to make the process of investing in Mpumalanga
or starting a business in the province easy. MEGA is focussed on customer needs
and provides innovative solutions with a high level of service. Services include:
• Foreign Trade Promotion
• Investment Promotion
• Funding
• Property Management
and Infrastructure
Development
MAPUTO DEVELOPMENT CORRIDOR
Lydenburg
rail, Special Economic Zone, border posts, port and terminal
facilities. The corridor runs through the most highly industrialised
and productive regions of Southern Africa. The Corridor has been
extensively upgraded to international standards and links the
industrial heartland of South Africa to its nearest port in Maputo,
Mozambique, which is one of the fastest-growing countries in
South East Africa.
Sabie
MOZAMBIQUE
Middelburg
Belfast
Mbombela
Komatipoort
JOHANNESBURG
Carolina
SWAZILAND
MAPUTO

KEY SECTORS AGRICULTURE
Agriculture in Mpumalanga is responsible for 3% of the
province’s gross value added by region (GVA-R) and can
be divided into the following categories (see map, right).
AGRICULTURE
SUMMER CEREALS &
LEGUMES
MAIZE Maize meal
SOYA Meal, Edible oil
CANOLA Edible oil
SUNFLOWER Edible oil
TROPICAL &
SUBTROPICAL FRUIT
CANE SUGAR Sugar /
confectionery
CITRUS Juice & concentrate
MANGOES Dried, frozen,
juice & concentrates
LITCHIS Dried, frozen,
juice & concentrates
AVOCADOES Avocado oil
GUAVA Dried, frozen,
juice & concentrates
MACADAMIA NUTS
Processed & confectionery
Mpumalanga Province is one of South Africa’s most productive and
important agricultural regions and plays a key role in the export profile of
South Africa, primarily in fruit and nuts. The province’s economic diversity
extends into the agriculture sector where the natural topography of the
province divides this sector between the Highveld and Lowveld Regions.
The Highveld Region in the west of the province is at
an elevation of between 4 000 and 6 000 feet above
sea level. This allows for the large-scale and commercial
production of cereals and legumes like maize, soya,
canola and sunflower.
The subtropical region of the Mpumalanga Lowveld
plays a key role in the agricultural export profile of the
province, primarily in fruit and nuts.
Mpumalanga Province is one of the world’s largest
producers and exporters of citrus fruit. Duty-free
exports of South African citrus to the USA under the
African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) reached a
value of $122.7-million in 2023 and are expected to
continue their strong annual growth as the USA is still
considered a premium market.
REGIONAL PRODUCE
Highveld
Lowveld
HIGHVELD: Summer cereals and legumes:
maize, soya, canola, sunflower.
Animal products: bovine meat, swine,
sheep and poultry.
LOWVELD: Subtropical and citrus fruits,
nuts and cane sugar.
Mpumalanga Province is the world’s largest
producer and exporter of macadamia nuts.
The province earned $232-million in exports in
2023, $32-million of this to the US. There have
been major new investments in processing
facilities in Mpumalanga.
Mpumalanga’s rich agricultural produce is
utilised by companies such as McCain, Nestlé
and PepsiCo.
9:1
Mpumalanga’s
ratio of commercial
farmers to
small-scale
farmers
KEY SECTORS FORESTRY
Forestry is a key driver for the development of
Mpumalanga’s rural economy and a major provider
of job opportunities. About 40% of SA’s sustainable
forests are located in Mpumalanga Province.
The industry comprises logging, saw-milling, wood products, wood board, pulp and paper as
well as specialised cellulose. Specialised cellulose is a sought-after natural, renewable fibre
with a wide range of uses in the textile, consumer goods, foodstuff and pharmaceutical
industries and is produced in large quantities at Sappi Ngodwana.
R9.5
billion
Amount invested
in the foresty
industry
PG Bison has recently invested R560-million in
a new front-end dryer for its particle board plant
in Mkhondo (Piet Retief). The company is also
building a new medium-density fibreboard (MDF)
plant at its Mpumalanga plant.
SAFCOL/Komatiland is the state forestry
company with commercial and non-commercial
operations covering a land area of 187 320ha.
Sonae Arauco is an established investor and a
local BEE company, the FX Group, has established
a greenfield particle board plant in Lothair in the
Gert Sibande District.
Mpumalanga has
processing
39
out of 148 in South Africa
plants
MAIN EXPORTS
PULP
PAPER
SPECIALISED CELLULOSE
SAWN LUMBER
WOOD CHIPS
WATTLE EXTRACT
MAJOR COMPANIES
SAPPI
SAFCOL
SONAE ARAUCO
PG BISON
YORK TIMBERS
FX GROUP

KEY SECTORS MINING, MINERALS AND ENERGY
Mining is the province’s largest single sector, providing employment to 5.2% of the
province’s workforce and making up 20% of gross value added by region (GVA-R).
83%
Other minerals: Gold mining takes place in Evander, Pilgrim’s Rest and Barberton. Gold is the
of South
Africa’s
coal
production
Mpumalanga is the third-largest coal-exporting region in the world with 83% of South Africa’s
coal production and 50% of national coal reserves. Coal is the lifeblood of the provincial
economy, fuelling 11 Eskom power plants, which produce 80% of South Africa’s electricity.
Coal is Mpumalanga’s single largest export product, shipping mainly to India and Japan.
second-largest export from the province. Platinum and chrome ore mining are located in the Steelpoort
and Burgersfort areas in the north of the province and make up part of the Bushveld Igneous Complex.
The mining services and technology industry is an important subsector in Mpumalanga. With over a
century of commercial mining operations in the province, homegrown technologies are now exported
around the globe.
National utility Eskom will spend R3.3-billion on the revival of the Matla coal mine. Exxaro Resources
will manage the project and do the mining while major companies such as DRA, Worley, Sandvik and
WBHO will also be involved.
Other companies engaged in expansion of life-of-mine projects are Pan African Resources and
Evander (Elikhulu tailings), Exxaro Resources (Leeuwpan) and South32, which is spending about
R4.3-billion at Klipspruit.
Platinum is an important mineral for the modern economy. Two Rivers is a joint venture between
Implats (46%) and African Rainbow Minerals which is located on the southern part of the eastern
limb of the Bushveld Igneous Complex, 35km south-west of Burgersfort in Mpumalanga.
Lydenburg is home to the Lion ferrochrome smelter that is a joint venture between Glencore
and Merafe Resources.
KEY SECTORS GREEN ECONOMY AND JET
Mpumalanga has historically been at the heart of
the South African energy and industrial complex and
is still heavily reliant on the mining and burning of
fossil fuels.
The Mpumalanga Provincial Government has been proactive in exploring opportunities
in the Green Economy and pursuing a just transition to a low-carbon economy which
secures the future and livelihoods of workers and their communities.
• Building technologies: greener and more energy-efficient
• Transport and logistics: greener and more energy-efficient
• Established the Mpumalanga Green Energy Cluster Agency
Mpumalanga has
11
MINERALS
COAL Waste briquettes
GOLD JEWELLERY
CHROME
PLATINUM
IRON ORE
VANADIUM
MANGANESE
GRANITE Building cladding
& tombstone
CLAY Porcelain & ceramics
Electrical insulators
50%
of South Africa’s
national coal
reserves
ESKOM POWER
plants
Achieving such a just transition would require an integration of economic opportunities in sectors outside of energy and mining.
A Just Energy Transition (JET) to a Green Economy presents th
following opportunities:
• Renewable energy: solar, biomass, natural products
• Gas and associated industries
• Sustainable smart agriculture: environmentally friendly
agriculture and agricultural processing
• Circular Green Economy: waste recycling, water reclamation, land rehabilitation
• Soft infrastructure: reskilling and institutional capacity-building for a
carbon-neutral future
• Hard infrastructure: investment and expertise are needed in urban
planning, water and waste management
Specific opportunities include:
• There are plans for the decommissioning
of 11 000MW of Eskom’s coal-fired capacity
by 2030. Opportunities are presented by
repurposing land.
• The vast new fields of natural gas found off
the coast of Mozambique could have a big
impact on the Mpumalanga economy.
• A Renewable Energy Development Zone
(REDZ) is planned for eMalahleni / Witbank
where coal jobs are at risk.

KEY SECTORS MANUFACTURING
Three primary pillars of the manufacturing sector in Mpumalanga account
for more than 60% of the output of the manufacturing sector, which overall
makes up 15% of gross value added, regional (GVA-R).
MAIN EXPORTS
STAINLESS STEEL
Cutlery
Catering equipment
Surgical instruments
Automotive components
STEEL White & grey goods
Pipes & tubes
Wire
PETROCHEMICALS
Plastic products
Recycling plastics
Artificial rubber products
Paint & vanish
Inks & dyes
FOOD PROCESSING
Maize meal
Machinery
Frozen & dehydrated
VEGETABLES Preserves,
pickles & condiments
Nuts
PAPER Recycling
SUGAR Confectionery
MINING Machinery
& services
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Solar & biofuel
Biomass
Fuel, petroleum and chemical products are manufactured at the Sasol Secunda plant in Secunda, Gert Sibande
District. It is one of the world’s largest synthetic fuels facilities, producing 60-million litres of liquid fuel a day.
Products produced include petroleum, paraffin, jet fuel, creosote, bitumen and waxes.
The ferro-alloy and stainless-steel industries are based in the Nkangala District. Columbus Stainless in
Middelburg is Africa’s only producer of stainless-steel flat products. Samancor Chrome (Ferrometals),
the world’s second-largest ferrochrome producer, has two plants in Mpumalanga.
Agro-processing is mainly based in the Lowveld Region and consists of manufacturing forestry products
(pulp, paper and cellulose), sugar at the Selati RCL Foods plants in Nkomazi and processing subtropical fruit
and nuts.
The province’s flourishing macadamia nut industry has a number
of large processing facilities based around the provincial capital,
Mbombela. Subtropical fruits like mango, banana, papaya and citrus
are processed into juice concentrate or dried for export.
There is a geographical divide in the manufacturing sector. Fuel,
petroleum and chemical production occurs in the southern Highveld
Region clustered around Sasol’s plants.
The northern Highveld area, including Middelburg and eMalahleni
(Witbank), is home to ferro-alloy, steel and stainless-steel concerns.
Creative thinking kicked in when Highveld Steel’s troubles reached
a tipping point. The 1 000ha property in eMalahleni has been
re-purposed as a multi-purpose site for industry and commerce.
Called the Highveld Industrial Park, the project promotes a wide
range of manufacturing enterprises.
In the Lowveld, agricultural and forestry products are processed
while Sappi’s giant mill is close to the company’s forests south-west
of the provincial capital, Mbombela.
KEY SECTORS TOURISM
The Tourism Industry in the Mpumalanga Province
is one of the most strategic sectors and has the
potential to grow the economy and contribute to job
creation. The importance of tourism to the economy of
Mpumalanga cannot be overstated.
Despite the lacklustre global economic growth and the decline in disposable
income, foreign and domestic tourists have been steadily visiting Mpumalanga’s
shores. Over 1.1-million international tourists visited Mpumalanga in 2023 with
international tourists spending R3-billion in the province. The casino industry
2
BILLION
Income from Kruger
National Park
has enjoyed great growth and shows signs of further
potential for additional investment. Mpumalanga
boasts world-class parks and reserves, astonishing
botanical gardens, rivers and lakes. Safaris are a
major drawcard, and the Kruger National Park is the
jewel in South Africa’s tourism crown which brings
in R2-billion annually. Tourism subsectors such as
business travel (including conference facilities),
adventure, heritage and cultural tourism all hold huge
growth potential.
1.1
International tourists
in 2023
million

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES TOURISM
Selected Strategic High Impact Projects:
BOURKE’S LUCK POTHOLES HOTEL
This natural water wonder is a major tourism attraction in the
Mpumalanga Lowveld. This project presents an investment
opportunity for a five-star hotel and a top-quality restaurant.
Feasibility study: completed
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): commenced
Model: Joint Venture (JV), Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT)
BLYDE RIVER CANYON
CABLE CAR PROJECT
The Blyde River Canyon is the largest and deepest
green canyon in the world and offers a spectacular
opportunity to build a cable car transporting tourists
from the top of the canyon to the peninsula below.
Feasibility study: completed
EIA: commenced
Model: JV, BOT
GOD’S WINDOW SKY WALK
The project to build a “Sky Walk” – an income-generating
tourism attraction off the edge of the 700m God’s Window
cliffs – giving 360-degree panoramic views out and down
through a glass floor.
Feasibility study: completed
EIA: commenced
Investors: secured
Model: JV, BOT
3.6
BILLION
Age of volcanic and sedimentary rock
at Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains, a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
500+
Bird species recorded in the Kruger
National Park, including the Kori Bustard,
Martial Eagle, Southern Ground Hornbill
and Lappetfaced Vulture
13
Nature reserves are run by the
Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency
and Kruger National Park is run by
SANParks

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES PRODUCE MARKET
Selected Strategic High Impact Projects: Mpumalanga International Fresh Produce Market
MEGA is establishing a R1.2-billion fresh produce market facility
located in Mbombela, the Mpumalanga International Fresh Produce
Market (MIFPM). To date the province has invested an estimated
R540-million in the project.
Mpumalanga is one of South Africa’s most productive and important
agriculture regions. It is home to predominantly tropical and subtropical
crops and vegetables owing to its conducive climate. The tropical and
subtropical crops consist of avocado, banana, citrus, ginger, granadilla,
guava, litchi, macadamia nut, mango, papaya and pineapple.
The vegetables produced include potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkins,
sweet corn, onions, sweet potatoes, beetroot, carrots, green peas,
cauliflower, cabbages and green beans.
Site: The site is in Mbombela on a 248ha plot less than 10km
from the Central Business District. It is situated within the Maputo
Development Corridor (MDC), linking Mpumalanga, Gauteng Province
and the Nkomazi Special Economic Zone with the deepwater Port of
Maputo in Mozambique.
The market: The market will give local farmers access to local,
regional and international fresh produce markets and will aid in
ensuring food security for the region.
The infrastructure of the MIFPM will attract international as well as
the large domestic food retailers as a key processing and distribution
point. It will also secure Mpumalanga’s position in the regional export
market in fresh produce.
The market will offer:
• Open trading halls for fruit and vegetables
• A meat, fish and flower market
• Complementary cold storage, ripening facilities and pallet handling
• Processing facilities
• An export hall
• Bulk-breaking facilities for retail outlets
• Links with statutory organisations such as customs, PPEBC
and EuroGap
• Transport and logistics enterprises
• Shared collation and pack house facilities for SMMEs
• Commercial services including banks and restaurants
• A food bank for NGOs
Feasibility study: completed
EIA: completed
Bulk infrastructure: completed
Top structures: underway
Model: JV, BOT
Value: R1-billion
INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES NKOMAZI SEZ
Selected Strategic High Impact Projects: Nkomazi Special Economic Zone
The Nkomazi Special Economic Zone has been officially designated
and MEGA has been appointed to establish the entity.
SEZs are geographically designated areas set aside for specifically
targeted economic activities that are supported through special
tax incentives. An SEZ aims to be an economic development tool to
promote rapid economic growth by using various support measures
to attract targeted foreign and domestic investments and technology.
The main goal is to support the implementation of South Africa’s
industrial development programme.
Strategically positioned in the border town of Komatipoort,
the SEZ offers a multi-sector base of operations along the H
Maputo Development Corridor which provides exporters with
good access through Maputo Port to the export markets of
South East Africa, the Indian Ocean Rim and Far East Asia.
The Nkomazi SEZ will target investment from the
agriculture, agro-processing, nutraceuticals and fertiliser
production sectors, as having a strong focus on logistics and
trade services.
The NSEZ offers the investor a unique and incentivised
base of operations on the Maputo Development Corridor
running through the most highly industrialised and
productive regions of Southern Africa.
The Maputo Corridor is bound to develop even more as
the Maputo harbour improves its handling and scheduling
Recreation
capacity. In the event that a second rail line to Maputo to complement
the current rail link is developed, the shipment of mining products
and agricultural produce to and from the Limpopo and Mpumalanga
provinces will increase. MPUMALANGA – NKOMA
The NSEZ is set to provide One-Stop-Shop services, incentives,
innovation platform, a competitive and transparent market
environment, and timeous and efficient responses to investors’
market requirements.
Manufacturing
Convenience Retail
Accommodation
Centralised Facilities
Logistics

2023/07/27 15:06
FOREIGN TRADE
Mpumalanga is proving to to be be a a key player in in the the local
economy as well as internationally.
TOP 10 EXPORTS 2022 2023
1. Ferro Alloys
R40.6-billion R 35 US$ 1.9 billion
2. Coal
R9.53-billion R 16 US$ 913 million
3. Gold Stainless Steel R7.79-billion R 9.1 US$ 504 million
4. Stainless Platinum Steel R5.18-billion R 6.9 US$ 385 million
5. 5. Platinum Gold
R5.02-billion
R 5.8 billion US$ 322 million
6. 6. Macadamia Nuts Nuts
R4.17-billion
R 4.1 billion US$ 229 million
7.
7.
Chrome
Chrome
Ore
Ore
R3.73-billion
R 2.4 billion US$ 138 million
8.
8.
Manganese
Manganese
R1.97-billion
R 2.3 billion US$ 129 million
9. Fuel Wood
9. Fuel Wood
R1.02-billion
R 1.5 billion US$ 85 million
10. Citrus Fruit 2022/03/23
2022/03/23 R808-million
ZI SEZ
ZI SEZ
10. Citrus Fruit R 576 million US$ 32 million
TOP 10 EXPORT MARKETS 2023
TOP 10 EXPORT MARKETS 2022
1. Mozambique R24.1-billion
1. Mozambique R 21 billion US$ 1.6 billion
2. China R15.5-billion
2. China R 9.5 billion US$ 529 million
3. Japan
R6.5-billion
3. United States R 8.5 billion US$ 471 million
4. United States R5.3-billion
4. Japan R 5.9 billion US$ 331 million
5. Swaziland
R3.5-billion
5. Korea R 5.5 billion US$ 308 million
6. United Arab Emirates R3.4-billion
6. Netherlands R 5.2 billion US$ 291 million
7. Netherlands
R3.1-billion
7. India R 3.8 billion US$ 210 million
8. India
R2.8-billion
8. eSwatini R 3.2 billion US$ 180 million
9. Republic of Korea R2.5-billion
9. UAE R 3.2 billion US$ 178 million
10. UK R2.1-billion
10. Indonesia R 2.4 billion US$ 135 million
MTIP photo credits. Cover: Top three: Ryan Baker/Pexels; Forestry South Africa; Sasol: bottom four: SA Tourism/Flickr; University of Mpumalanga; Mpumalanga Tourism
and Parks Agency (MTPA); Enza Construction. Body: cutting wood (Ludwig Sevenster); chimney at night (Sasol); tourism opportunities (MTPA); market variety (Jacopo
Maiarelli on Unsplash); furnace (Anglo American); macadamias (SCTIE); timber (Ludwig Sevenster); coal (Thungela Resources); citrus exports (Citrus Growers Association);
truck (Nelson Gono on Unsplash); port (TNPA); fruit pickers (Chris Kirchoff/ Brand SA); red peppers (Omotayo Tajudeen on Unsplash). Outside back cover: Sasol.

THE PERFECT LAUNCH PAD FOR AFRICA
The African Continental Free Trade Area could revolutionise African trade:
Mpumalanga is the perfect launch pad for manufacturers and exporters.
CREDIT: TRALAC
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has been agreed
on by almost all African nations and holds the potential to change
the nature and size of trading on the continent in profound ways.
Mpumalanga Province, as a strategically positioned
region with a dynamic manufacturing sector and excellent
logistics and infrastructure, provides the perfect launch
pad for investors looking to take advantage opportunities
that will be created by the AfCFTA agreement.
The burgeoning African middle-class is a global trend that
economists are carefully watching. As more sophisticated
infrastructure is rolled out across Africa, having a base with
good connections to ports and with good air, road and rail
connectivity will be vital. Mpumalanga has all of that, and more.
The operational phase of the AfCFTA was launched during the
12th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union on the
AfCFTA in Niamey, Niger, on 7 July 2019. Start of trading became
officially legal under the AfCFTA Agreement as of 1 January 2021.
On 7 October 2022, the AfCFTA Secretariat launched the
AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative in Accra to allow for commercially
meaningful trade under the agreement to commence for eight
participating countries: Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya,
Mauritius, Rwanda, Tanzania and Tunisia, representing the five
regions of Africa. This initiative was used to pilot the operational,
institutional, legal and trade policy environment under the AfCFTA.
As at August 2023, 47 of the 54 signatories (87%) had
deposited their instruments of AfCFTA ratification (ordered by
date): Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Niger, Chad, Eswatini, Guinea,
Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Namibia, South Africa, Congo, Djibouti,
Mauritania, Uganda, Senegal, Togo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia,
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe,
Burkina Faso, São Tomé & Príncipe, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon,
Mauritius, Central African Republic, Angola, Lesotho, Tunisia,
Cameroon, Nigeria, Malawi, Zambia, Algeria, Burundi, Seychelles,
Tanzania, Cabo Verde, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Morocco, Guinea-Bissau, Botswana, Comoros and Mozambique.
In January 2023 South African President Cyril
Ramaphosa officiated over the first official trade shipment
under the agreement, out of the Port of Durban.

AfCFTA FAST FACTS
Africa’s exports could increase by $560-billion and some
experts predict that continental business and consumer
spending could reach $6.7-trillion by 2030.
$450
BILLION
AfCFTA could
boost regional income
by 7% or $450-billion
(Source: the World Bank)
AfCFTA could lift
30
-million
people
out of poverty, according
to the World Bank
AfCFTA
could
boost
10%
wages
by up to
* World Bank estimate
ABOUT SADC
South Africa is a member of one of Africa’s
oldest regional organisations, the 16-member
Southern African Development Community,
(SADC). This enables duty-free trade within
a growing market of more than 360-million
people. All goods shipped under SADC
Certificate of Origin receive duty-free status.
Duty-free trade
within a GROWING MARKET
of more than
360million
people

TRADE & INVESTMENT
• FACILITATING INTERNATIONAL TRADE
• PROMOTING FOREIGN INVESTMENT
• EMPOWERING BUSINESS SUCCESS
+27 13 492 5818