Gauteng Business 2026

GAUTENG
BUSINESS
2026 EDITION
THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT
IN THE GAUTENG PROVINCE
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AFRICA’S
UNLOCKING POTENTIAL
TOGETHER
At the forefront of Africa’s economic transformation, the Gauteng
Growth and Development Agency (GGDA) along with its stakeholder
partners both public and private has played a pivotal role in driving
industrialisation, investment, and job creation in South Africa. As part
of the GGT2030 Plan, the GGDA focuses on ten high-growth sectors to
stimulate sustainable and inclusive growth in Gauteng, South Africa’s
economic powerhouse.
FACILITATING INVESTMENT AND JOB CREATION
Over the past year, the GGDA successfully facilitated R61.2 billion
in investments across various sectors, creating more than
19 143 jobs. These investments are positioning Gauteng as a hub
for innovation, with a thriving export industry contributing
R8.6 billion in goods and services to global markets.
EMPOWERING SKILLS AND ENTERPRISES
By partnering with industry leaders, the GGDA has trained over
1 941 individuals in sectors such as advanced manufacturing
and ICT. In addition, the agency has empowered more than 1816
SMMEs through incubation and support programs, boosting local
businesses and fostering innovation across township economies.
A FUTURE OF GREEN GROWTH
The GGDA is poised to accelerate growth in renewable energy,
clean technologies and other key sectors, aiming to facilitate
R28 billion in investments by 2026.
To learn more about how the GGDA re-ignites, builds and
grows Gauteng, visit www.ggda.co.za

THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT
IN THE GAUTENG PROVINCE
CONTENTS
Gauteng Business 2025/26 Edition
Introduction
Foreword 2
A unique guide to business and
investment in Gauteng.
Special features
Regional overview
of Gauteng 4
Gauteng’s programme to encourage
investment in Special Economic Zones within
defined corridors is paying off in the automotive,
agro-processing and renewable-energy sectors
while the Jewellery Manufacturing Precinct
within the OR Tambo SEZ is growing.
The eyes of the world are
on Gauteng 6
The gathering of heads of state in
Johannesburg for the G20 Leaders Summit
gives Gauteng tourism a chance to shine.
Gauteng Growth and
Development Agency 8
Key strategies of the GGDA to boost
infrastructure and encourage investment.
Economic sectors
Mining 18
Anglo’s unbundling picks up pace.
Energy 20
A gas-emissions pilot project holds
great promise.
Agriculture 24
Potatoes earn big money at the
Joburg Market.
Oil and gas 25
Power stations are converting to gas.
Manufacturing 27
Signal Hill moves to Gauteng.
Construction and property 28
CBDs are being upgraded.
Transport and logistics 30
A R120-billion Gautrain expansion is on track.
Water 32
Water towers have been
developed, real and digital.
Banking and
financial services 33
JSE restructuring is working.
Education and training 34
Gauteng has a new SMART
Skills Centre.
ICT 35
The Innovation Hub supports
the digital economy.
Development finance
and SMME support 36
An SMME index will
provide reliable data.
GAUTENG
BUSINESS
2025/26 EDITION
ABOUT THE COVER: Top left, then clockwise: The Houghton Hotel (Boogertman + Partners);
diamond cutting at the Jewellery Manufacturing Precinct (GGDA); a famous diamond
mine (Cullinan Diamonds); the Gautrain is expanding (Gautrain Management Agency);
potatoes are a big earner at the Joburg Market (Eric Prouzet on Unsplash); street art on
Constitutional Hill (ConHill).
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FOREWORD
Gauteng Business
A unique guide to business and investment in Gauteng.
Credits
Publishing director:
Chris Whales
Editor: John Young
Managing director: Clive During
Online editor: Christoff Scholtz
Designer: Elmethra De Bruyn
Production:
Ashley van Schalkwyk
Project manager: Chris Hoffman
Account managers:
Gabriel Venter
Sam Oliver
Administration & accounts:
Charlene Steynberg
Kathy Wootton
Sharon Angus-Leppan
Distribution and circulation
manager: Edward MacDonald
Printing: FA Print
DISTRIBUTION
Gauteng Business is distributed internationally on outgoing
and incoming trade missions, through trade and investment
agencies; to foreign offices in South Africa’s main trading
partners around the world; at top national and international
events; through the offices of foreign representatives in
South Africa; as well as nationally and regionally via chambers
of commerce, tourism offices, airport lounges, provincial
government departments, municipalities and companies.
The 2025/26 edition of Gauteng Business is the 16th issue of this highly
successful publication that has established itself as the premier
business and investment guide for the Gauteng Province.
We are pleased to carry several pages covering the work of the
Gauteng Growth and Development Agency, GGDA, the premier promoter of
investment into the Gauteng Province.
This journal includes a special feature on the progress being made in the
tourism sector and looks at steps that are being taken to take advantage of the
global spotlight that falls on Gauteng with the gathering of world leaders for
the G20 Leaders Summit. Conferences and events have always been a major
strength of the province’s tourism offering, but new routes and strategies are
being planned around sports, wellness and music.
New investments in manufacturing such as the large new Signal Hill brewery
facility, together with developments in renewable energy and other important
sectors, feature in overviews of each of the province’s key industries. The
continued investment in infrastructure along designated development corridors
and the rolling out of SEZs is referred to in more than one article with the fifth
anniversary of the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone receiving special
attention. A list of all the chambers of commerce affiliated to the South African
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) is included.
To complement the extensive local, national and international distribution
of the print edition, the full content can also be viewed online at www.
globalafricanetwork.com under e-books. Updated information on Gauteng
is also available through our monthly e-newsletter, which you can subscribe
to online at www.gan.co.za, in addition to our complementary business-tobusiness
titles that cover all nine provinces as well as our flagship South African
Business title and The Journal of African Business, which was launched in 2020. ■
Chris Whales
Publisher, Global Africa Network Media | Email: chris@gan.co.za
PUBLISHED BY
Global Africa Network Media (Pty) Ltd
Company Registration No: 2004/004982/07
Directors: Clive During, Chris Whales
Physical address: 28 Main Road, Rondebosch 7700
Postal address: PO Box 292, Newlands 7701
Tel: +27 21 657 6200 | Fax: +27 21 674 6943
Email: info@gan.co.za | Website: www.gan.co.za
Member of the Audit Bureau
of Circulations ISSN 1990-0621
COPYRIGHT | Gauteng Business is an independent publication
published by Global Africa Network Media (Pty) Ltd. Full copyright to the
publication vests with Global Africa Network Media (Pty) Ltd. No part
of the publication may be reproduced in any form without the written
permission of Global Africa Network Media (Pty) Ltd.
PHOTO CREDITS | Andres de Wet, Wikimedia Commons; APPA on
Unsplash; BMW Group South Africa; Bombela Operating Company;
CNG Holdings; CSIR; BT Steel; CHIETA; ConHill, GGDA; Ga-Rankuwa Hotel
School; GGDA; Harith General Partners; JDA; Joburg Market; Mall Ads;
Mandela Mining Precinct; Menar Group; Steyn City; The Innovation Hub;
TASEZ; Uni-Span.
DISCLAIMER | While the publisher, Global Africa Network Media (Pty) Ltd, has
used all reasonable efforts to ensure that the information contained in Gauteng
Business is accurate and up-to-date, the publishers make no representations as
to the accuracy, quality, timeliness, or completeness of the information. Global
Africa Network will not accept responsibility for any loss or damage suffered as a
result of the use of or any reliance placed on such information.

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OIN ONLINE US ONLINE
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| | 10 REASONS
WHY YOU SHOULD INVEST IN SOUTH AFRICA
01.
HOT EMERGING
MARKET
Growing middle class, affluent consumer
base, excellent returns on investment.
02.
MOST DIVERSIFIED
ECONOMY IN AFRICA
South Africa (SA) has the most industrialised economy in Africa.
It is the region’s principal manufacturing hub and a leading
services destination.
LARGEST PRESENCE OF MULTINATIONALS
ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT
SA is the location of choice of multinationals in Africa.
03.
Global corporates reap the benefits of doing business in
SA, which has a supportive and growing ecosystem as a
hub for innovation, technology and fintech.
05.
FAVOURABLE ACCESS TO
GLOBAL MARKETS
ADVANCED FINANCIAL SERVICES
& BANKING SECTOR
SA has a sophisticated banking sector with a major
footprint in Africa. It is the continent’s financial hub,
with the JSE being Africa’s largest stock exchange by
market capitalisation.
The African Continental Free Trade Area will boost
intra-African trade and create a market of over one
billion people and a combined gross domestic product
(GDP) of USD2.2-trillion that will unlock industrial
development. SA has several trade agreements in
place as an export platform into global markets.
07.
YOUNG, EAGER LABOUR FORCE
09.
SA has a number of world-class universities and colleges
producing a skilled, talented and capable workforce. It
boasts a diversified skills set, emerging talent, a large pool
of prospective workers and government support for training
and skills development.
04.
06.
08.
PROGRESSIVE
CONSTITUTION
& INDEPENDENT
JUDICIARY
SA has a progressive Constitution and an independent judiciary. The
country has a mature and accessible legal system, providing certainty
and respect for the rule of law. It is ranked number one in Africa for the
protection of investments and minority investors.
ABUNDANT NATURAL
RESOURCES
SA is endowed with an abundance of natural resources. It is the leading producer
of platinum-group metals (PGMs) globally. Numerous listed mining companies
operate in SA, which also has world-renowned underground mining expertise.
WORLD-CLASS
INFRASTRUCTURE
AND LOGISTICS
A massive governmental investment programme in infrastructure development
has been under way for several years. SA has the largest air, ports and logistics
networks in Africa, and is ranked number one in Africa in the World Bank’s
Logistics Performance Index.
10.
SA offers a favourable cost of living, with a diversified cultural, cuisine and
sports offering all year round and a world-renowned hospitality sector.
EXCELLENT QUALITY
OF LIFE
Page | 2
719
SOUTH SOUTH AFRICAN AFRICAN BUSINESS BUSINESS 20232020

A REGIONAL OVERVIEW OF
GAUTENG
The Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ) celebrated a significant milestone in 2025.
Gauteng’s programme to encourage investment in Special Economic
Zones within defined corridors is paying off in the automotive,
agro-processing and renewable energy sectors while the Jewellery
Manufacturing Precinct within the OR Tambo SEZ is growing.
By John Young
Investment in infrastructure is paying off in terms
of attracting investment to specific areas where
the benefits of clustering can be leveraged.
A case in point is the Tshwane Automotive
Special Economic Zone (TASEZ), which in 2025
reached its five-year anniversary and celebrated
the attraction of more than R26-billion in that
period. A collaboration between the Department
of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic), the
Gauteng Provincial Government, the City of
Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality and Ford
South Africa, the TASEZ has spurred ancillary
investment, most notably in the automotive
components sector which has also encouraged
the growth of small businesses.
Another notable success has been the OR
Tambo SEZ where the Jewellery Manufacturing
Precinct within Precinct 1 has attracted private
companies such as Pluczenik of Belgium, a
precious metal refinery, other diamond traders,
polishers and cutters and bodies such as the South
African Diamonds and Precious Metals Regulator
and the State Diamond Trader. The precinct is
also home to one of the world’s largest fresh-food
factories, taking advantage of the proximity of
the country’s busiest airport. Precinct 2 will
support the production and export of timesensitive
exports and a Pharmaceutical Cluster
will be created.
The above-mentioned SEZs are the anchor
developments of the Northern and Eastern
Corridors respectively, providing the sectoral
focus and infrastructure that attracts investment
in related fields. Other areas of focus in the north
include agriculture and agro-processing, defence,
the aerospace and aviation industries together
with the innovation, research and development
cluster centred on The Innovation Hub, universities
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026 4
PHOTO: TASEZ

SPECIAL FEATURE
and research institutes.
In the east, rail and bus manufacturing
(including the PRASA-Gibela rail manufacturing
hub in Nigel), defence, aerospace and food and
beverages expand the focus beyond the obvious
logistics focus which the airport brings.
The Western Corridor encompasses the
economy of the West Rand and has been targeted
for the creation of new zones for development,
housing and industry. The aim is to diversify
away from mining towards renewable energy,
tourism, bus manufacturing and agro-processing.
The release of 30 000 hectares of land by mining
company Sibanye-Stillwater has unlocked the
potential for a large solar-park project. A Smart
City is envisaged for Lanseria and the area to its
west. Where steel used to be the anchor industry
in the Southern Corridor, today the aim is to
build new industries through an SEZ that will
cover both sides of the Vaal River and thus extend
into the Free State Province.
The Central Development Corridor is
essentially the City of Johannesburg which has
a strong suite in financial services, information
and communication technology, services and
pharmaceutical sectors. Constitution Hill is a place
(that houses a museum, a military fort and a court
that adjudicates on the country’s most important
matters) and a body, ConHill, that aims to preserve
the place and to support and elevate creative
talent in the city and the province. New
investments are planned for the Joburg Inner
City and the South, from Soweto, N12 which
includes Masingita City, Southern Farms to
Orange Farm.
The Provincial Government of Gauteng has made
a commitment to revitalise 10 central business
districts (CBDs) in cities and towns across the
province as part of a pilot project. Randburg is one
such town, and the Johannesburg Development
Agency (JDA) has been active in developing plans
for that area and other sites.
Gauteng accounts for 45% of South Africa’s
manufacturing capacity and the sector makes up
14.5% of formal sector output in Gauteng, making
it the fourth-largest. One in nine jobs in the province
is created in the sector. According to the Gauteng
Growth and Development Agency (GGDA), six out
of 10 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in
Gauteng have flowed to the manufacturing sector
and its subsectors. The GGDA is an implementing
agency which aims to facilitate business
enablement, develop small, medium and micro
enterprises (SMMEs) and promote investment and
job creation.
Growth engine
Gauteng is South Africa’s smallest province in terms
of landmass but in every other respect it is a giant.
At 18 176km², the province makes up just 1.5% of
South Africa’s territory but its economic impact
is disproportionately large. In 2023 the provincial
economy was valued at R2.4-trillion and the
province was responsible for 34% of South Africa’s
gross domestic product (GDP).
Gauteng is a leader in a wide range of
economic sectors: finance, manufacturing,
commerce, IT and media among them. The Bureau
of Market Research (BMR) has shown that Gauteng
accounts for 35% of total household consumption
in South Africa.
The leading economic sectors are finance, real
estate and business, manufacturing, government
services and wholesale, retail, motor trade and
accommodation. The creative industries (including
advertising and the film sector) contribute
significantly to the provincial economy.
In Johannesburg, financial services and
commerce predominate. The JSE, Africa’s largest
stock exchange, is in Sandton and several new
stock exchanges have recently received licences.
Tshwane (which includes Pretoria) is home to
many government services and is the base of the
automotive industry and many research institutions.
Both of these cities are educational centres of note.
The Ekurhuleni metropole has the largest
concentration of manufacturing concerns, ranging
from heavy to light industry, in the country. The
western part of the province is concerned mainly
with mining and agriculture, while the south has a
combination of maize farming, tobacco production
and the heavy industrial work associated with steel
and iron-ore workings.
The biggest Gauteng cities contribute to the
national GDP as follows: Johannesburg (15%),
Tshwane (9%) and Ekurhuleni (7%). ■
5
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026

The eyes of the world are on Gauteng
The gathering of heads of state in Johannesburg for the G20
Leaders Summit gives Gauteng tourism a chance to shine.
With the eyes of the world firmly on
South Africa and Johannesburg
because of the country’s presidency
of the influential G20 in 2025,
Gauteng is taking full advantage of the potential
spinoffs for tourism that such attention brings.
The November 2025 date of the G20 Leaders
Summit was far from the only event associated with
G20, with meetings being held of foreign ministers
and specialists attending gatherings such as Labour
20, Judicial 20 and the Science 20 Summit.
Conferences and events make up a big part
of Gauteng’s tourism offering, with event venues
ranging from the huge to the intimate. Gallagher
Estate has 27 venues of its own, on 32 hectares,
while the Sandton Convention Centre is close to 30
hotels with more than 1 300 four- and five-starred
rooms. The Gauteng Convention and Events Bureau
(GCEB) works to attract events and conferences,
informs planners about what is available and on
offer and provides support services.
The Gauteng Tourism Authority’s stated
goal was to use the G20 Summit to reaffirm the
province’s status as Africa’s premier economic
and investment centre. To underscore that
commitment, Constitution Hill hosted national
celebrations of World Tourism Day in September
2025. Another way of putting Gauteng in the
global spotlight is the first LIV Golf South Africa
event, which will be played at Steyn City, pictured,
in March 2026.
At the other end of the scale in terms of crowd
size, more than 190 000 people saw R&B singer
Chris Brown at the FNB Stadium over two days
in December 2024, an event that contributed an
estimated R900-million to the provincial economy.
The DStv Delicious Festival and Standard Bank
Joy of Jazz Festival are regular events that draw
tens of thousands. The Provincial Government
of Gauteng is intent on spreading opportunity,
which is why seven high-impact events were
held in townships in the 2024 financial year,
generating R814-million in economic activity and
R13.5-million in revenue for small businesses.
Gauteng’s tourism performance in 2024/25
was outstanding and indicative of a further
strengthening of the sector since the turmoil
of the global pandemic. Of the foreign revenue
figure of R107-billion that accrued to South
Africa, R41-billion was generated in Gauteng. The
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026
6
PHOTO: Steyn City

SPECIAL FEATURE
province’s more than 3.8-million international
arrivals constituted 42% of South Africa’s total.
In 2024, 74% of arrivals into South Africa were
from SADC countries with another 2% visiting
from other parts of Africa. Domestic travellers
spent R430-billion within the country.
New flights and improved visa regulations
have led to some specific upticks in arrivals, for
example from Brazil and Ghana, respectively by
126% and 248%. LATAM and SAA started flying
directly to Brazil in 2023 and visa waivers were
introduced for Ghana in the same year.
The Gauteng Air Access Network has been
reestablished and is paying off in terms of
securing direct flights to OR Tambo International
Airport. Airlines such as Eswatini Air, Air Algérie,
Air Belgium and Air China have either added new
flights or increased frequencies.
Airlink, which ended its franchise agreement
after SAA went into business rescue, has signed
deals with Qatar Airways, Emirates and United
Airlines, giving travellers easy access to a range
of Southern African destinations and St Helena.
Single-ticket arrangements and one-stop
baggage check-ins will facilitate easier travel
in a difficult time. Airlink also has a service
that connects travellers with certain game
lodges. Airlink boasts an on-time performance
consistently better than 95%.
Plans for growth
The Gauteng Tourism Authority (GTA) is focussed
firstly on Africa with regard to its strategy,
followed by our other source markets like the
United States, United Kingdom, Germany, China,
India, Middle East and Brazil.
In reporting on the positive trends for the
province’s tourism, GTA also presented the key
points of its plans for the future, noting that the
sector and its sub-industries needed to “adjust,
be agile” to ensure future growth. Key elements
include: exploring aggressive partner marketing
and co-creation initiatives in music, sports and
wellness tourism; participate in the development
of digital technologies; support sports academies
and coaching development initiatives for longer
stays; use the power of the creative sector
and leverage “its sports and cultural icons
and legends”. Specific proposals include the
development of two new routes:
• Gauteng Tourism Sports and Wellness Route
• Gauteng Music Tourism Route
The Ga-Rankuwa Hotel School, pictured, is to
be redesigned and improved with the cooperation
of the private sector and several SETAs.
Tourism is seen as a key industry in driving
growth and creating jobs and the aim is to align
tourism policies with the Gauteng Employment
Growth and Development Strategy (GEGDS), the
National and Gauteng Tourism Sector Strategies
and the New Growth Path (NGP). More broadly, the
promotion of Brand Gauteng is something that the
GTA will collaborate on with its “sister agencies”,
the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency
(GGDA), the Gauteng Film Commission (GFC)
and the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site
(COH WHS) and the Dinokeng Project.
The 2025 State of the Province Address
projected that R180-billion will be added to
Gauteng’s economy over the five-year term of
office of the provincial government. Of that,
Premier Panyasa Lesufi pledged that R200-million
would be “injected into SME businesses across
supply-chain management, hospitality, transport
and emerging entrepreneurs”.
The idea, said the Premier, was to cement “our
position as South Africa’s economic powerhouse
and Africa’s leading travel destination”. ■
7
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026

PROFILE
A catalyst for growth
The Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA)
drives economic growth, promotes exports and facilitates investments.
The AIDC manages the Automotive Supplier Park (ASP) in Rosslyn, Pretoria.
The Gauteng Growth and Development
Agency (GGDA) is guided by principles and
policies aligned with provincial and national
goals.
VISION
To be the premier catalyst of innovative,
sustainable and inclusive growth and socioeconomic
development within the Gauteng
City Region (GCR).
GGDA’s vision is to become the:
• Best agency to work for, in terms of personal
growth and a caring culture
• Most agile agency with highly motivated and
skilled employees
• Centre of excellence for infrastructure
development and trade and investment
promotion
In achieving the above vision, the GGDA aims to
create an enabling environment for economic
growth and development. The above is
achieved through microeconomic intelligence,
trade, exports, investment facilitation and
economic infrastructure development.
The Gauteng Growth and Development
Agency (GGDA) is committed to creating
an inclusive and transformed Gauteng
economy that attracts foreign and domestic
direct investment, develops sustainable enterprises
and strategic economic infrastructure, and enables
the growth of exports to the continent and beyond.
As the implementing arm of the Gauteng
Department of Economic Development (GDED), the
GGDA provides a seamless one-stop shop service
aimed at unlocking investment and expansion
opportunities for local and global businesses, while
facilitating the ease of doing business.
Subsidiaries
GGDA’s mission is carried out through a range
of subsidiaries that strategically drive growth in
identified sectors.
• The AIDC manages the Automotive Supplier
Park (ASP) and provides services to the
automotive sector and the automotive original
equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The AIDC
provides assistance through automotive
investment facilitation, skills development and
training, incubation programmes and supplychain
development.
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026
8

PROFILE
• The Innovation Hub (TIH) is the first Science and
Technology Park (STP) operated to international
standards in Southern Africa, established with a view
to spurring the development of smart industries
(high-technology sectors) in Gauteng. TIH’s role in
the provincial innovation ecosystem is to be a
catalyst for innovation and a key knowledge
economy driver, in line with the Gauteng Growth and
Development Strategy.
• The core purpose of Constitution Hill (ConHill) is to
add to the rejuvenation of the Johannesburg Inner
City through the development and promotion of
the ConHill Heritage Project.
• The Gauteng Industrial Development Zone (GIDZ)
is the agency which operates and controls the
Special Economic Zone set up around the OR Tambo
precinct. This SEZ was established to support
industrial development in Gauteng Province with a
specific focus on mineral beneficiation and exportoriented,
value-added industry, concentrated around
OR Tambo International Airport, in Ekurhuleni.
• The Vaal Special Economic Zone (SEZ) will develop
a multi-sector, multi-site SEZ in the Vaal Region
(Sedibeng District) with the aim to regenerate the
area, support new economic activity and build on
the historic competitive strengths and skills base of
the area.
GGDA GROUP
Economic opportunities within the five development corridors
of the Gauteng City Region
NORTHERN CORRIDOR
The Innovation Hub (smart industries, green economy, bio-economy); Automotive
Supplier Park; automotive hubs across province; automotive skills training; supplier
development; SMME incubation
NORTHERN CORRIDOR
WESTERN CORRIDOR
Bus manufacturing; solar energy; green hydrogen; cannabis; commercial
agriculture; expansion of Lanseria Airport; logistics; planned hi-tech SEZ
CENTRAL CORRIDOR
CENTRAL CORRIDOR
Constitution Hill precinct development; inner-city regeneration; creative
industries; Transwerke Studios; education; heritage; tourism
EASTERN CORRIDOR
EASTERN CORRIDOR
OR Tambo SEZ; jewellery precinct; minerals beneficiation; high-value exports;
logistics; aerospace; avionics; advanced manufacturing; agro-processing
WESTERN CORRIDOR
SOUTHERN CORRIDOR
Vaal SEZ; hydrogen; renewable energy component manufacturing; battery
energy storage systems; blue economy; agro-processing; cannabis
SOUTHERN CORRIDOR

FOCUS
Promoting manufacturing
and boosting exports
A vital part of the strategy for Gauteng is to establish, promote and support
Special Economic Zones (SEZs)
The OR Tambo Special Economic Zone (OR Tambo SEZ) offices.
The Provincial Government of Gauteng has
decided that each of the province’s five
development corridors should have an
SEZ that draws on the specific strengths of
that region and promotes growth that will deliver
employment opportunities and access to markets
for previously excluded citizens.
The GGDA is introducing SEZs to boost
manufacturing, increase exports and employment
and add momentum towards turning the Gauteng
City Region (GCR) into a single, multi-tier integrated
SEZ. A related initiative seeks to promote the
growth of agro-parks and industrial parks as a way
of boosting township economies and integrating
their economies in the GCR.
Automotive Supplier Park
The Automotive Supplier Park (ASP) is an industrial
park based in Rosslyn in the northern corridor of
the GCR and although it is not classified as an SEZ,
it shares all the good qualities that attract tenants.
It is run by the Automotive Industry Development
Centre (AIDC). The ASP is modelled on leading
international supplier parks, spans 160ha and
houses a tenant pool of automotive component
manufacturers and suppliers to Original Equipment
Manufacturers (OEM).
OR Tambo Special Economic Zone (OR Tambo
SEZ)
The OR Tambo SEZ was established to support
industrial development in Gauteng with a
specific focus on export-oriented, value-added
industry, concentrated around OR Tambo
International Airport (ORTIA) and situated in
Ekurhuleni. The SEZ is administered by the
Gauteng Industrial Development Zone (GIDZ).
The value proposition of the OR Tambo SEZ is
centred around ORTIA, Africa’s largest airport with
the capacity to handle 650 000 tons of cargo and
many regional and international flights on a daily
basis. With easy access to various transport
modes and in the heart of South Africa’s industrial
and manufacturing engine which is the City of
Ekurhuleni, OR Tambo SEZ is the perfect value
proposition for advanced manufacturing and
beneficiation. Africa’s first Jewellery Manufacturing
Precinct is running efficiently and one of the largest
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026
10

food factories in the world has been operating in
the zone since 2019, providing a platform for the
increased export of fresh food products. Medical and
pharmaceutical clusters are in the process of being
established and sectors such as metal components
and avionics are being planned.
West Rand
In the context of declining mining output, a multisectoral
and multi-site potential West Rand SEZ is
planned to diversify the West Rand’s economy.
New investment will promote an eco-industrial
cluster, develop industrial infrastructure, promote
coordinated planning among key government
agencies and the private sector and guide the
deployment of development tools to enhance
industrial acceleration.
The sector focus includes bus manufacturing,
solar farms, agro-processing, hemp and cannabis
processing, green hydrogen, biogas (agri-processing
waste), large-scale agricultural and dairy farming and
light-bulb manufacturing.
The Lanseria node is one of Gauteng’s most
significant regional development opportunities. The
Lanseria Smart City is envisioned as a high-impact,
compact, complex, mixed-use urban development.
An important aspect is the potential of an expanded
Gautrain bus and rail system. Apart from promoting a
Gautrain Station at Lanseria Airport (which would link
it to Sandton and OR Tambo International Airport),
an additional station at the core of the Smart City
would drive mixed-use activity. Discussions with the
Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) is ongoing.
A hi-tech SEZ is envisaged in the Greater Lanseria
Area to promote industrial agglomeration and
mixed-use development. The Lanseria Smart City,
at the core of the Greater Lanseria Master Plan,
responds to the need to absorb the rapid growth of
the Gauteng City Region. In doing so, it seeks to grow
a mixed-use activity node around Lanseria Airport,
using infrastructural investment and policy support
to drive sustainable urban consolidation in the N14
and Malibongwe Drive development corridors.
Automotive skills are the focus of the Chamdor Hub
on the West Rand.
Vaal Special Economic Zone (Vaal SEZ)
The Vaal SEZ will be a multi-sector, multi-site SEZ
in the Vaal Region (Sedibeng District). The goal
for the planned SEZ, which has already attracted
R2-billion in investments, is to regenerate the area,
support new economic activity and build on the
historic competitive strengths and skills base of the
area. In 2025, bulk infrastructure work on the 35ha
Heidelberg X24 site was initiated.
Targeted sectors include end-to-end hydrogen
value chain; localisation of manufacturing of
renewable energy components; agrivoltaics; new
energy vehicles; battery energy storage systems;
blue economy; ST agro-processing P (including medical
HEIDELBURG EXTENSION 24: LESEDI LOCAL MUNICIPLAITY
cannabis); aviation; defence; and logistics. ■
1.26Ha
3.91Ha
1.22Ha
1Ha
5.3Ha
1.71Ha
1.19Ha
0.88Ha
EXISTING LCS LOGISTICS
1.1Ha
1.39Ha
Work has begun at Heidelberg Extension 24, Lesedi
Local Municipality.
1.20Ha
1.17Ha
➤
N
11 GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026
SCALE
1 : 1 500 (A1 F
1 : 3 000 (A2 F
1 : 6 000 (A3 F
1 : 12 000 (A4 F

FOCUS
Turning pledges into action
Gauteng Investment Conference sends a R312.5-billion signal of
investor confidence.
The 2025 Gauteng Investment Conference
(GIC) in April represented a significant
breakthrough for the province, securing
an exceptional amount of R312.5-billion
in investment commitments across 60 projects.
This impressive outcome marked an essential
step towards Gauteng’s R800-billion investment
target and sent a clear signal of growing investor
confidence in the province as both a key economic
hub and Africa’s gateway for global investment and
growth.
Since the conference, work has been underway
to translate these commitments into action. As at
November 2025, 13 projects spanning multiple
sectors have moved into implementation,
representing 22% of all pledges and 19% of the
pledged value.
One notable example is the R2.2-billion Soufflet
malting plant in Sedibeng, a significant agroprocessing
investment slated for completion
in 2027. An artist’s impression of the planned
germination facility is shown.
At the same time, the Gauteng Growth and
Development Agency (GGDA) and its partners
are engaging closely with investors to address
implementation challenges. Some projects,
Investment by Country
South Africa
China
Estonia
India
USA
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026
12

particularly those linked to the Vaal and West Rand
Special Economic Zones (SEZs), remain dependent
on the readiness of bulk infrastructure and formal
designation processes. In a move towards progress,
the Vaal SEZ’s Heidelberg site will commence with
bulk infrastructure by the end of November 2026.
In other cases, progress is shaped by regulatory
approvals such as water use licences, environmental
impact assessments, zoning and financing
arrangements.
To accelerate delivery, the GGDA has
implemented a structured facilitation process.
This includes direct one-on-one engagements
with investors, escalation of bottlenecks to senior
An artist’s impression of the Soufflet malting plant.
government levels for resolution and ongoing
coordination with national departments.
These steps demonstrate that the GIC is a true
catalyst for real investment. By actively supporting
investors, we are ensuring that commitments made
in Gauteng translate into jobs, infrastructure and
inclusive growth. ■
Scenes from the 2025 Gauteng Investment Conference.
Projects implemented
IMPLEMENTATION
TIMELINES
PROJECTS IMPLEMENTED UP TO 12 MONTHS 13-24 MONTHS
MORE THAN
24 MONTHS
Number of Projects 13 Projects 15 Projects 17 Projects 15 Projects
Projects value R59-billion R81.2-billion R114 billion R58 billion
• 13 Projects out of 60 implemented (22% implementation)
• Percentage of total value implemented (19%)
13
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026

FOCUS
Wellness meets wealth
A new opportunity for future-fit advisors.
In a world where wellbeing is seen as the measure
of success, financial advisers and healthcare
consultants are positioned to offer more than
investment guidance.
The wellness economy presents new opportunities
for South African advisers managing multiple product
lines. In today’s environment of rising pressure and
shifting client expectations, successful advisors are
broadening their role from financial strategists to
wellness partners supporting holistic wellbeing.
This shift aligns well with the Old Mutual and
Medihelp collaboration, enabling advisors to offer
integrated financial and wellness solutions that meet
complex client needs. The advisor’s role expands
beyond financial strategist to a wellbeing partner.
From product provider to purpose partner
Today’s clients, particularly millennials and Gen Z,
want more than performance graphs. They’re looking
for purpose, peace of mind, holistic support and
financial wellness.
A wellness advisor:
• Builds strategies around client values and longterm
goals.
• Helps clients budget for self-care, therapy or
preventive health.
• Understands how emotional, physical and financial
wellness intersect.
• Recommends complete solutions, like integrating
medical aid with wellness and financial strategies
Advisors don’t need to become therapists or fitness
experts, but should understand how burnout,
financial anxiety or retirement concerns affect overall
wellbeing and support with empathy and insight.
Why now?
The wellness economy is not a trend, it’s the future.
Post-pandemic priorities have shifted. Gen Z already
shows habits: 70% have savings accounts. Many invest
through platforms like SatrixNOW, where over half of
all new accountholders are under 40. These are key
financial planning indicators.
Tech-savvy and optimistic, younger generations
are financially engaged, but often struggle to keep
money “sticky”, leaving investments untouched for the
long term. Advisors can bridge this gap by fostering
education around risk, medical aid, investment
strategy and mental wellbeing – basically being
financially fit and smart.
Clients today want advisors who offer empathy and
life context; help budget for joy, not just retirement,
recognise values like freedom, purpose or security
alongside net worth. The advisor of the future listens
as they analyse.
How to position yourself as a wellness advisor
The future of financial advising isn’t just financial – it’s
emotional, physical and personal.
1. Start with values
Use value graphics by asking: What matters most to
you? What brings peace of mind? What does success
mean beyond money?
2. Incorporate behavioural science
Help clients overcome emotional spending, financial
paralysis or scarcity thinking. Future-fit advisors may
collaborate with life coaches and psychologists.
3. Partner strategically
Collaborate with mental health professionals; fitness
and nutrition experts; values-aligned service providers;
medical schemes offering wellness-driven benefits.
4. Share content that cares
Build trust through resources on budgeting for selfcare,
managing anxiety and navigating transitions.
5. Walk the talk
Show authenticity by living your own wellness values.
?
DID
YOU KNOW? Medihelp’s plans offer
benefits such as preventive care, mental health
support, parenting guidance and post-hospital
care – strong talking points for advisors helping clients
prioritise health. Through our Old Mutual collaboration,
Medihelp is the preferred medical-scheme partner, enabling
advisors to offer integrated financial and wellness solutions.
Advisors can also recommend gap cover to bridge shortfalls
and strengthen financial resilience.
The takeaway: relevance through resonance
Advisors can support clients beyond investments by
helping them live well, not just retire well. Becoming
a wellness advisor means stepping into the role of
guide, sounding board and a partner in life.
When you lead with values and support the whole
person, not just their portfolio, you future-proof your
business and create meaningful, lasting impact. ■
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026
14

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Schools of Specialisation have been established to allow for specific skills to be focussed on and to ensure
more relevant qualifications for graduates. In 2025, BMW Group South Africa handed over a computer centre,
a kitchen and an auditorium, pictured, to Lethabong School of Specialisation in Soshanguve, Tshwane.
The event which marked the handing over of the facilities reinforced the BRIDGE partnership with UNICEF,
aligning with the BMW Group’s global educational ambitions.
PHOTO: BMW Group South Africa

KEY SECTORS
Overviews of the main economic
sectors of Gauteng
Mining 20
Energy 22
Agriculture 26
Oil and gas 27
Manufacturing 28
Construction and property 30
Transport and logistics 32
Tourism 34
Education and training 36
ICT 37
Development finance and SMME support 38
Banking and financial services 39

OVERVIEW
Mining
Anglo’s unbundling picks up pace.
SECTOR INSIGHT
Menar Group has bought a
smelter complex.
The manganese alloy smelter in Meyerton.
Samancor’s Metalloys manganese alloy smelter complex in
Meyerton, near Vereeniging, has a new owner. Menar Group,
in partnership with Ntiso Investment Holdings, aims to revive
the facility and help to reindustrialise the region. To get the
smelter, pictured, going again, which last functioned in 2020, will
take an investment of about R1.8-billion and the plan is eventually
to create a vertically integrated manganese business. The group
owns and operates a manganese mine in the Northern Cape.
Harmony Gold’s acquisition strategy, including the purchase
from AngloGold of Moab Khotsong, will result in it being the country’s
biggest gold producer. It could produce an annual total of 1.7-million
ounces. Of Harmony’s eight South African underground operations,
one is located in the Klerksdorp goldfield and three in the West
Rand. Mponeng near Carletonville held the record for many years
for having the deepest level shaft in the world at 3 891m below datum
and 2 062m below sea level.
The decision in early 2024 to dig even deeper ensures that
Harmony maintains that record. The R7.9-billion project will take
the mine’s depth beyond 4km, and take average production to
260 000 ounces per year until 2040.
Gold Fields’ South Deep mine, near Westonaria 50km south-west
of Johannesburg, is one of the largest and deepest gold mines in
the world and it is still producing gold at a good rate. The company
intends ramping up production to 380 000 ounces by 2026. With
the gold price achieving highs
of $1 942/oz at times in 2023,
Gold Fields declared normalised
earnings of $900-million in 2024
from its global operations.
In 2023 a R715-million solar
PV plant was commissioned at
South Deep. The mine currently
consumes around 494GWh
of electricity annually, which
represents 10% of its annual
costs and 93% of its carbon
emissions. Named Khanyisa,
the 50MW plant will be
expanded by a further 10MW at
a later date.
Pan African Resources,
which has several operations
in Mpumalanga, also runs the
Mogale Tailings Retreatment
(MTR) project on the Mintails
site on the West Rand, which
it purchased in 2021. The
commissioning of the MTR
was achieved in October
2024. This plant will process
approximately 50 000 ounces
of gold annually for 21 years.
A new company, Shallow
Reefs Gold, has been created to
pursue projects in the shallow
reefs of the Witwatersrand
Gold Basin. The company
believes that the grade of the
deposits makes for a good
economic proposition.
Cullinan diamond mine is
engaged in two development
projects which will increase
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026
18
PHOTO: Menar Group

OVERVIEW
carat production and extend the mine plan, possibly as
far as 2040. The company runs four mines in other
provinces. Cullinan is famous for its rare blue diamonds.
Africa’s first locally produced SmartPlant has been
introduced by Sandvik Rock Processing to a fluorite mine
about 100km from Pretoria. A report in Engineering News
& Mining Weekly noted the customers are able to choose
certain elements from Sandvik’s SmartStations product to
match their needs for an individual processing site. Height
and capacity are among the variations that are available
because of the modular design.
Mine bodies
The University of the Witwatersrand started life as the South African
School of Mines. The School of Mining Engineering at Wits is the
highest-ranked school at the university in terms of the QS World
University Rankings. Pretoria University has a Department of Mining
Engineering, the University of South Africa offers three national
diplomas in mine-related fields, the University of Johannesburg has
mine-surveying courses and the Vaal and Tshwane Universities of
Technology have engineering faculties.
Gauteng is home to most of the research and training bodies
associated with mining. Sibanye-Stillwater supports the Wits
Mining Institute’s Digital Mining Laboratory (Digimine). AECI, the
explosives and chemicals company, sponsors the Virtual Reality
Mine Design Centre at the University of Pretoria. Mintek is an
autonomous body based in Randburg which receives about 30%
of its budget from the Department of Mineral Resources and
Energy (DMRE).
The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic)
has created two clusters to encourage innovation and collaboration
among all the relevant parties in mining in South Africa. These
are the Mining Equipment Manufacturers of South Africa (MEMSA)
and the South African Mineral Processing Equipment Cluster
(SAMPEC), which falls under the South African Capital Equipment
Export Council, a dtic company. SAMPEC looks for opportunities for
import replacement and local beneficiation along the value chain.
MEMSA, an industry cluster established in 2016, works to build
a competitive advantage for South African mining equipment
manufacturers by providing access to key markets and championing
ONLINE RESOURCES
Council for Geoscience: www.geoscience.org.za
Minerals Council South Africa: www.mineralscouncil.org.za
Mining Equipment Manufacturers of South Africa (MEMSA):
www.memsa.org.za
South African Capital Equipment Export Council: www.saceec.com
Underground research is part
of the mandate of the Mandela
Mining Precinct
existing and future local
technology and innovation.
MEMSA is recognised by, and
benefits from a close working
relationship with the DMRE, the
Department of Science and
Innovation (DSI) and Minerals
Council South Africa (MCSA).The
first MEMSA Manufacturing
Excellence Awards was held in
2022 and unearthed some
innovative and ambitious
projects. The awards evening
was held together with SEIFSA
Awards for Excellence. SEIFSA
is the Steel and Engineering
Industries Federation of
Southern Africa. The MEMSA
awards are supported by the
South African Mining Extraction
Research, Development and
Innovation (SAMERDI)
programme, which in turn is
backed by the DSI and the MCSA.
The Mandela Mining
Precinct, a public-private
partnership between the DSI
and MCSA, is managed by
the Council for Scientific and
Industrial Research (CSIR). ■
19
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026

OVERVIEW
Energy
A gas-emissions pilot project holds great promise.
Kelvin Power, the company that runs the power station
of the same name, believes that its site is well-suited for
the generation of gas, with the correct zoning in place
and access to the relevant infrastructure. The facility,
pictured, is rare in that it is a power station not run by the
national utility, Eskom.
Plans have been presented to build two gas-powered plants
on the site of the current facility. If the power station successfully
transitions to gas, it will not only increase volumes of available
power but it will assist the province in the planned transition
away from the use of coal-burning energy assets.
A pilot project being run at the coal-fired power station is
capturing gas emissions to create sulphuric acid, ammonium
sulphate and ammonium bicarbonate (ABC) crystals by removing
carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides and sulphur oxides. The
goal is to make diesel and fertiliser as end products.
The Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) is working
on this project together with EPCM Global Engineering and
three German entities, Carbon Process & Plant Engineering (a
private firm), GIZ (a development agency) and the Stuttgartbased
Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and
Biotechnology IGB.
Harith General Partners, a major investor in infrastructure
throughout the African continent, has made several investment
partnerships and purchases which has led to it being a significant
partner in the future of Kelvin Power Station. A consortium
which included Harith bought the Pan-African Infrastructure
SECTOR INSIGHT
Variety is the key to
energy security.
Development Fund (PAIDF) in
2024. The PAIDF was the owner
of a significant stake in Anergi,
which is the owner and operator
of the power station through
Kelvin Power. Harith had earlier
played a role in Anergi acquiring
the power plant.
Gauteng is exploring
multiple options for the
generation of energy to combat
loadshedding and to add extra
capacity to enable businesses
to grow. One example is the
installation of 45 solar-powered
mastlights in crime hotspots.
City Power is in the process of
building an 800MW solar power
plant in West Rand and the
rehabilitation of a power station
in downtown Johannesburg
will contribute 200MW when
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026
20
PHOTO: Harith General Partners

A total of 643 transformers have been replaced.
it is fully operational. A waste-to-energy scheme will generate a
further 212MW while another 100MW solar farm in Soshanguve
is to be developed by “BRICS partners”, according to the Gauteng
Provincial Government.
The West Rand project has come about through the approval
by mining company Sibanye-Stillwater of the leasing of 1 600ha
of its land to independent power producers who will develop a
photovoltaic power station in the Merafong Local Municipality. The
project is to be run by a public-private partnership (PPP) managed
and developed by a non-profit company, Bokamoso Ba Rona. The
founding partners of the NPC are the Far West Rand Dolomitic
Water Association (FWRDWA), Sibanye-Stillwater, West Rand District
Municipality and the Gauteng Infrastructure Financial Agency
(GIFA), representing the Gauteng Provincial Government.
The provincial investment in energy infrastructure has been
“over R1.2-billion”, which has had an impact on more than 43 400
households (SOPA). A total of 643 transformers in townships and
municipalities have been replaced, and a commitment has been
made to accelerate this programme. Solar solutions at provincial
sites of delivery are also being pursued.
The Diepkloof clinic in Soweto was the first provincial facility
to start using the solar panels installed on its roof, and a programme
for a further 20 health facilities and schools will be implemented.
The plan is for the provincial government to add 300MW, which,
together with the installation of smart meters, could stave off
two stages of loadshedding.
ONLINE RESOURCES
National Energy Regulator of South Africa: www.nersa.org.za
South African National Energy Development Institute: www.sanedi.org.za
South African Photovoltaic Industry Association: www.sapvia.co.za
A new research chair has
been created to study climate
change at the University of the
Witswatersrand. The Sappi Chair
in Climate Change and Plantation
Sustainability has been launched
by Sappi Southern Africa and
Wits. Professor Mary Scholes of
the Wits School of Animal, Plant
and Environmental Sciences,
an internationally recognised
authority on tree physiology
and climate change, is the
Research Chair of the new entity.
Developing additional capacity
in manipulating and interpreting
climate-modelling data will be a
priority. Funding is available for
one post-doctoral fellow and
bursaries for one Master’s and
one Honours student.
The two hotels of the
Marriott Hotel Group within the
Melrose Arch precinct faced a
problem when they set out to
install solar panels on the roofs
of the Marriott Hotel Melrose
Arch and the African Pride Hotel.
There was not enough space.
SolarSaver, working together
with Amdec, the developer
responsible for Melrose Arch,
came up with a solution based
on the construction of a web
of pergola-like structures above
the existing roof structures. The
installed panels are expected
to reduce costs and cut
the hotels’ carbon footprint.
Altogether, SolarSaver has
16 systems totalling over
3 281.80kWp within Melrose
Arch, all of which are managed
on a “rent-to-own” model,
with a 20-year power-purchase
agreement ensuring that the
client pays only for the green
energy produced. ■
PHOTO: APPA 21
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026

• 2500
C: 2085
■- •
2000
ca.
■-
.,
1500
1348
C:
Projects
• ■ Megawats
1000
ca.
-
0 500 278
10 6 5 21
0
0 Financial Close Construction Complete Total
459
Accelerating Renewable Energy Development: Milestones Achieved by the Energy One Stop Shop.
In 2024, the Energy One Stop Shop (EOSS} demonstrated its commitment to overcoming critical hurdles in South Africa's renewable energy sector.
Through collaborative efforts, the EOSS successfully addressed 102 challenges faced by Independent Power Producers (IPPs) across various
Competent Authorities, including the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE}, Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and
Rural Development (DALRRD}, Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE}, and others
Unlocking Energy Potential: Project Milestones.
These efforts culminated in 21 renewable energy projects advancing to the Development Pipeline, either at the Financial Close, Construction or
Operational phase. Combined, these projects represent an additional 2085 megawatts (MW} of energy capacity expected to come online by 2028.
Beyond this, the EOSS is actively monitoring 116 additional projects with a total potential of 24 963 MW, showcasing the immense growth potential
of South Africa's renewable energy sector.
Pioneering the Single Window Application Portal.
A key initiative in 2024 was the significant progress made in developing the Single Window Application Portal (SWAP}. This innovative mechanism
is designed to streamline application processes, harmonise interdepartmental systems, and provide IPPs with a centralised platform to lodge
applications, review statuses, and track progress efficiently.
Through extensive consultations with government departments and entities, the EOSS, in partnership with the International Finance Corporation
(IFC}, finalized the Functional Requirements Specification (FRS} for the SWAP. Furthermore, a comprehensive funding proposal was developed,
and the necessary funding is now being sought for the portal's development. Currently a Request for Information proposal is in the market to look
for competent service providers.
Strengthening Municipal Integration.
Recognizing the vital role of municipalities in renewable energy development, the EOSS also initiated efforts to integrate municipal processes
Into the SWAP. With support from the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO} through the UK-Pact programme, the second phase
mapping and streamlining these processes has begun. This initiative, undertaken in collaboration with the South African Local Government
ociation (SALGA) and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA}, aims to remove bottlenecks at the municipal
evel. The integration of these processes into the SWAP is expected to be completed by mid-2027.
Pathway to Sustainable Growth.
achievements of the EOSS in 2024 underscore its pivotal role in advancing South Africa's renewable energy agenda. By addressing systemic
Henges and fostering innovation through tools like the SWAP, the EOSS is not only expediting project development but also laying the groundwork
more sustainable and energy-secure future.
e dt i c
Department:
Trade, Industry and Competition
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
® !!'!!!:?
Streamlining Energy Applications
BUSINESS UNITY SOUTH AFRICA

OVERVIEW
Agriculture
Potatoes earn big money at the Joburg Market.
SECTOR INSIGHT
Gauteng is home to the
world’s largest feedlot.
The Joburg Market covers 65 000m² which makes it twice
as large as the country’s second-biggest. Between 10 000
and 14 000 daily buyers can choose from the wares of
about 5 000 farmers who stock the market five days a
week. The three trading sections are Fruit Hub, Vegetable Hub and
Potato and Onion Hub (but potatoes have their own hall within
the hub). In 2024, nearly R3-billion in potato sales was achieved.
The agro-proccessing sector is one of the province’s biggest
earners, with food and beverage manufacturing generating
more than R780-billion in revenue in 2023. In 2024, exports in
meat products topped R4-billion and the sector added 10 000
new jobs (SOPA).
Gauteng’s agricultural sector is focussed on producing
vegetables. There is commercial farming in the southern sector
of the province (part of South Africa’s maize triangle) and the
farming of cotton, groundnuts and sorghum is undertaken in
areas near Bronkhorstspruit (east) and Heidelberg (in the south).
The province is home to some of South Africa’s biggest
agricultural companies, including AFGRI. Karan Beef is Africa’s
largest processor of cattle and it has a large feedmill in Heidelberg.
The Heidelberg farm is the largest feedlot in the world at 2 330ha
and the abattoir facilities in neighbouring Mpumalanga process
up to 380 000 head of cattle annually. The Kanhym Agrimill in
Vereeniging is one of three in the company’s portfolio, which
collectively processes 250 000 tons of animal feed annually.
Kanhym Estates is the largest producer of pigs in the country.
Poultry is a big sector in Gauteng. Companies include Astral
Foods, RCL Foods and Daybreak Foods, which has operations in
ONLINE RESOURCES
Agricultural Research Council: www.arc.agric.za
South African Poultry Association: www.sapoultry.co.za
The Innovation Hub: www.theinnovationhub.com
four provinces. The Gauteng
Provincial Government and
the South African Poultry
Association have entered into
a partnership with the goal of
improving the productivity
of small-scale producers and
enabling them to scale up
their operations.
Infrastructure in the form
of packhouses and coldstorage
facilities is being
provided to support farmers
and the provincial
administration has provided
21 refrigerated trucks to
support farmers and agroprocessors.
Action Labs have
also been established to
focus on agriculture and agroprocessing
with an emphasis
on land tenure issues and
improving food security.
The planned RandWest
AgriPark will add to the
number of outlets for farmers
in all spheres. It is hoped that
within five years, this new
facility together with the
Joburg Market will be dealing
with 3 000 tons of produce
from smallholder farmers.
The Gauteng Industrial
Development Zone (GIDZ)
located at OR Tambo
International Airport has an
agro-processing plant to
encourage the export of highvalue
goods. ■
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026
24
PHOTO: Joburg Market

Oil and gas
Power stations are converting to gas.
OVERVIEW
SECTOR INSIGHT
LNG is being used in trucks.
The Provincial Government of Gauteng is taking “decisive
steps” to increase the availability and use of gas. This is
in line with national policy which is driving a switch to
the use of gas, guided by the Gas Utilisation Master Plan
(GUMP). An allocation of 3 126MW to natural gas has been made
in the national medium-term energy policy to 2030.
The major economic sectors using gas are the metals
sector and the chemical, pulp and paper sector. Brick and glass
manufacturers are also big consumers.
The provincial goal will partly be achieved by the Kelvin
Power Station making a switch from coal to gas. The provincial
administration’s partnership with City Power through the
company that runs the power station currently supplies 180MW
to the City of Johannesburg and the intention is for that to ramp
up to 600MW within five years. Part of that increase is expected to
accrue from increased capacity for generation that will follow the
switch to gas at the power station which is located in Kempton
Park near OR Tambo International Airport.
City Power, which is an implementing agent of the Gauteng
Energy Response Plan, has started delivering 50MW from a plant
located in downtown Johannesburg. At an inauguration ceremony
held in April 2024, the John Ware Plant was named for a former City
of Johannesburg mayor and the plant was officially opened.
Johannesburg-based Delta Natural Gas (DNG) Energy has
invested in a fleet of dual-fuel and dedicated LNG trucks which are
more environmentally friendly than conventional vehicles and can
ONLINE RESOURCES
National Energy Regulator of South Africa: www.nersa.org.za
South African Oil & Gas Alliance: www.saoga.org.za
South African Petroleum Industry Association: www.sapia.co.za
be run most cost-effectively.
DNG has also developed
mobile LNG refuelling stations.
The announcement by
Sasol that it will cut supplies of
natural gas from Mozambique
in 2026 has caused considerable
discussion among users of the
energy source, including the
Industrial Gas User Association
– Southern Africa (IGUA – SA),
which said that this would have
a significant impact on the
manufacturing sector.
The country’s biggest
supplier of industrial heating
fluids, FFS Refiners, supplies
this product out of a plant at
Chloorkop while the company’s
Evander site is responsible for
heavy fuel oils. Evander also has
a tank with installed capacity
of 8 500m³.
Egoli Gas has a pipeline
network that extends over
1 200km in and around
Johannesburg and the
company has 7 500 domestic,
industrial and commercial
customers. The company that
owns Egoli Gas, Reatile, has
a 30% stake in Vopak and a
stake in CNG Holdings. NGV
Gas, a subsidiary of CNG
Holdings and which operates
out of Langlaagte, pictured,
is promoting compressed
natural gas (CNG) as a versatile
alternative across all sectors. ■
PHOTO: CNG Holdings 25
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026

OVERVIEW
Manufacturing
Signal Hill moves to Gauteng.
Signal Hill Products will start making beers and ciders in a
new Gauteng facility in 2025. The focus of the R1-billion
brewery, pictured, will be on the production of Strongbow
cider, a brand that Signal Hill acquired when Heineken was
required by competition authorities to sell because the Dutch
giant had bought Distell.
With a capacity to produce 200-million litres per year, the
facility marks another big step up for the company, whose first
processes amounted to 10 cases per batch when it was based
in Somerset West in the Cape. Two moves to bigger premises
followed, both of which remained in sight of Signal Hill, before the
move to the current site with no mountain view. The company’s
co-founder told the Sunday Times that the new brewery will do
about 100 000 cases per batch. Apart from its own brands such as
Devil’s Peak, Signal Hill also makes and distributes for big brands
such as Miller and Bavaria and smaller local brands like St Francis
Brewing Company. The company has 500 employees.
The 2025 State of the Province Address was held on the site
of the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ) to
celebrate the five-year anniversary of the establishment of an
initiative which Gauteng Premier Panyasa Lesufi declared was,
“proof that Gauteng is the driver of Africa’s automotive revolution”.
TASEZ is a partnership between the Department of Trade, Industry
and Competition (dtic), the Gauteng Provincial Government, the
City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality and Ford South Africa.
The launch of the zone coincided with the production line
SECTOR INSIGHT
Phase 2 of the TASEZ will
attract R10-billion.
of Ford being converted to
the making of a new range
of Ford Ranger SUVs, which
now amounts to 200 000
vehicles annually, or 725 per
day. The Premier reported
that the five-year life of TASEZ
has “yielded a combined
investment of over R26-billion,
creating over 8 000 jobs, of
which 3 300 are permanent
jobs”. A total of 229 SMMEs
have received R1.7-billion
in procurement associated
with the zone and the TASEZ
Training Academy has been
actively preparing job seekers
in new skills. With the second
phase in the development of
the SEZ underway, more than
4 000 construction jobs and 2
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026
26 PHOTO: BT Steel

150 permanent jobs are expected to be created, on the back of
expected investments of R6.1-billion from the private sector and a
state contribution of R3.9-billion.
The decision by Metair to establish a new logistics facility
at Silverton is typical of the type of associated investments
that followed the establishment of the SEZ. Metair is an auto
component and battery manufacturer and several of its
subsidiaries, including Hesto Harnesses, Unitrade, Automould and
Lumotech, have signed agreements to supply Ford with a wide
range of products.
All of Gauteng’s large automobile manufacturers are investing
in new model production. Nissan is spending R3-billion on
production of the Navara pick-up vehicle. Other major investments
include R6.1-billion by BMW at Rosslyn and R260-million by BMW
on an expanded campus at Midrand. UD Trucks, a part of the
Volvo group, will assemble the Croner heavy commercial vehicle
at Rosslyn.
Manufacturing variety
More than half of the companies operating in the food and
beverage sector in South Africa are in Gauteng, including Nestlé,
Tiger Brands, Pioneer Foods, RCL, AVI and Astral. There are
approximately 4 000 food-processing companies in the province,
employing more than 100 000 people.
The food and beverage manufacturing sector generated over
R780-billion in revenue in Gauteng in 2023 and employment in the
sector rose by 10 000 in 2024.
Although there are more than 200 pharmaceutical firms in
the country, large companies dominate the field, with Aspen
Pharmacare (34%) and Adcock Ingram (25%) the two key players,
followed by Sanofi, Pharmaplan and Cipla Medpro. Among the
other big international brands active in Gauteng are Merck, which
has a 55 000m² plant at Modderfontein, and Pfizer SA, which runs a
laboratory in Sandton among its facilities in South Africa.
The Eastern Corridor of Gauteng is consolidating its position
in manufacturing by leveraging the advantages of hosting the OR
Tambo International Airport and related Special Economic Zones
and industrial parks. Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality has the
greatest concentration of manufacturing enterprises, especially
between Wadeville and Alrode, south-west of Alberton. Germiston
is the country’s biggest rail junction and Transnet Engineering has
invested heavily in new equipment at its facility there.
ONLINE RESOURCES
Centre for Advanced Manufacturing: www.cfam.co.za
Chemical and Allied Industries’ Association: www.caia.co.za
Manufacturing Circle: www.manufacturingcircle.co.za
The Tshwane Automotive
Special Economic Zone is
attracting investors.
Packaging company
Nampak has metals, plastic,
paper and glass operations
at various locations. It is the
market leader in beverage
cans. Ardagh Glass Packaging
has facilities in Clayville,
Wadeville and Nigel. Household
products manufacturer Unilever
represents an example of the
lighter industrial capacity of
the East Rand.
The southern portion of
Gauteng around Vanderbijlpark
and Vereeniging was for many
years synonymous with steel
production. Flat iron was made
at the ArcelorMittal plant but
the company announced
that it wouldl shut down that
facility in September 2025. Scaw
Metals has a chain-making
factory in Vereeniging and in
2024 the company invested
R5-billion in a new steel mill
to reduce dependency on
imported product. The first
hot-rolled coil (HRC) rolled off
the new mill in Ekurhuleni in
October 2024.
There are 35 aluminium
processing firms in Gauteng,
involved in both secondary
processing to produce foils,
cans, bars, rods and sheets,
with final fabrication in the
form of die-casting and sheet
metal work. Within Gauteng,
the automotive and packaging
industries are the chief
consumers of these products. ■
PHOTO: TASEZ
27
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026

OVERVIEW
Construction and property
CBDs are being upgraded.
SECTOR INSIGHT
The Title Deed Programme
aims to redress past wrongs.
The Menlyn Park Shopping Centre in Tshwane is now home to an
890m 2 advertising site. At the busy intersection of Lois Avenue
and Atterbury Road, the mall wall is said to have 1.5-million
viewed impressions monthly. The centre itself houses 400 retailers
and is visited by an average of 1.6-milion shoppers every month.
Central business districts (CBDs) across Gauteng are being
reimagined and revitalised as part of a plan to boost
inner-city economies.
The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) has
installed new infrastructure and repaired existing facilities in
the Randburg CBD as part of a plan to promote land use that
will attract businesses and property developers, enhance the
pedestrian experience, improve transport connectivity and
increase the density of the area, allowing for more economic
activity. Specific interventions included widened sidewalks,
new paving, public lighting and street furniture, landscaping
and electrical upgrades to the famous clock tower. Roads were
also resurfaced and a substation was moved. Another initiative,
the Re-imagine Randburg cleaning operation, brought together
the private and public sectors.
The Johannesburg CBD has been the focus of attempts to use
heritage and the arts as a means to stimulate growth. Constitutional
Hill is a mixed-use heritage site that encompasses a museum that
was a prison and the current Constitutional Court. The organisation
that runs this site, ConHill, is a subsidiary of the Gauteng Growth
and Development Agency (GGDA) and it promotes the creative
arts through a series of projects and festivals.
A huge new shopping mall has been developed in Langlaagte,
a short distance west of the Johannesburg CBD bordering
Mayfair. Provincial Premier Panyaza Lesufi says that the 2 400m
square metres of floorspace for
retail, warehouse and other uses
will bring “fresh life to the CBD”.
In his 2025 State of the
Province Address, Premier
Lesufi said that 10 pilot CBD
revitalisation projects would be
undertaken, with “Johannesburg
at the forefront”. The City of
Johannesburg is making progress
in reclaiming hijacked buildings,
both in terms of physically
securing the buildings and
gaining court orders.
One of the most consequential
CBD developments is the Park
Station Precinct Transit-Oriented
Development (TOD). This
project aims to integrate several
modes of transport, allowing
passengers to move seamlessly
between taxis, buses and trains
and between major routes. The
initiative is a multi-stakeholder
process, with the involvement of
PRASA, Intersite, Transnet, the City
of Johannesburg, the Council for
Scientific and Industrial Research
(CSIR) and JoziMyJozi.
A further boost to the
Johannesburg CBD, which for
years suffered a drain of company
head offices to areas such as
Sandton, is the commitment
of the Provincial Government
to maintain its presence and to
further enhance its Government
Precinct Development.
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026
28
PHOTO: Mall Ads

OVERVIEW
Transwerke Studio is a creative hub with affordable space for
artists, part of the revitalisation of the Johannesburg CBD.
A provincial government programme has been launched to
give skills to unemployed people living in townships. The aim is
to provide the skills that can be applied to upgrade the quality
of housing where people live. The “iCrush le Lova” programme
aims to create qualified bricklayers, electricians and plumbers. A
complementary programme will improve and expand a database
on township architects, hardware stores, building suppliers and
contractors, all professionals and businesses that can work on the
design and construction of upgrades to township housing stock.
A further group of unemployed people will be trained to
assist in compiling the database. There are about 700 informal
settlements in Gauteng, and there are provincial plans to upgrade
68 in the short term.
The Title Deed Programme aims to redress past injustice and to
give people living in homes greater security. Owning a title deed
also makes it easier to gain access to the formal economy through
bank loans because surety is often linked to property ownership.
Certain areas have been prioritised to reduce a backlog that has
built up, and the Provincial Government wants more than 45 000
title deeds to be issued by the end of its five-year term of office.
The Ikageleng Rapid Land Release, a form of housing subsidy, is
aimed at the so-called gap market, those who do not qualify for
a full housing subsidy but who are also not eligible for bonds.
People on this programme must be willing to build for themselves
on allocated land. In the 25 years since South Africa has been a
democracy, more than 1.2-million subsidised houses have been
ONLINE RESOURCES
Construction Industry Development Board: www.cidb.org.za
Gauteng Partnership Fund: www.gpf.co.za
Green Building Council SA: www.gbcsa.org.za
Johannesburg Development Agency: www.jda.org.za
built by government entities in
Gauteng. Provincial government
has pledged to release 10 000
serviced stands and it intends
finishing incomplete housing
projects in Alexandra, Evaton,
Kliptown, Bekkersdal and
Winterveldt.
Bodies such as the National
Housing Finance Corporation,
Indlu and Umastandi (social
capital entrepreneurs) are
working with provincial
authorities to find ways to
formalise and monetise the
township market so that
sustainable incomes can be
generated and affordable
housing and rental stock
become more readily available.
The Gauteng Partnership
Fund (GPF) has attracted more
than R3.5-billion in private
sector funding for affordable
housing in the province since
2012. The Brickfields housing
and rental development in
Newtown was funded by the
GPF and implemented by
the Johannesburg Housing
Company (JHC) as one of the
first inner-city rejuvenation
projects. JHC is a leader in
converting bad buildings to
usable rental space.
By 2030 Gauteng will have
two huge new cities, socially
diverse, digitally connected
and ecologically responsible
and sustainable. That’s if the
Provincial Government of
Gauteng brings to fruition its
plans for the west (Lanseria to
Hartbeespoort Dam) and the
south, where Vaal River City
will stretch from Vereeniging to
Sasolburg in the Free State. ■
PHOTO: ConHill, GGDA
29 GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026

OVERVIEW
Transport and logistics
A R120-billion Gautrain expansion is on track.
In February 2025, the publication of a “Notice of Route
Determination of a Railway” marked a concrete step towards
the expansion of the Gautrain network.
The current network has 10 stations spread over 80km and
the extension will add 148km and 19 new stations. Sometimes
mistakenly thought of as exclusively serving as a link to the OR
Tambo International Airport, the Gautrain expanded network, on
which the Provincial Government of Gauteng will spend R120-
billion, will include Soweto via Fourways, Mamelodi, Atteridgeville,
Lanseria and Springs. Property values have tended to rise along the
Gautrain route and it is thought that the extension will boost retail
and logistics activity.
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has
developed a system for mapping and identifying potholes in the
province’s roads which is being deployed in the hope of fixing
potholes within 72 hours of their being reported. Sedibeng District
Municipality received help from the province in repairing the 40
most important roads in the area. Major provincial routes such as
the Golden Highway, Malibongwe Drive, Garsfontein Road and key
interchanges in Tshwane and Johannesburg will all receive new
surfaces and upgrades in the course of the 2025/26 financial year.
The health of the transport and logistics networks of the province
is key to any economic growth plans. The provincial government
has identified logistics hubs, the road network, intermodal
facilities, rolling stock, and buses and taxis as key components of
SECTOR INSIGHT
The CSIR has created a
pothole-monitoring system.
the drive to transform,
modernise and reindustrialise
the regional economy.
Road infrastructure projects
are intended to bring in
other major investments and
connect new economic nodes
such as the Tambo Springs
Logistics Gateway, the planned
new megacities (Vaal River
City and Lanseria), and the
new Special Economic Zones
with current economic nodes
and existing townships. Of the
18 major roads identified for
rehabilitation, upgrade and
construction, especially in
Sedibeng and the West Rand,
seven had been completed
and handed over. The K73
Allandale Road and Hendrik
Potgieter Road in Roodepoort
were among those completed.
Waterfall City and Kyalami
are the next target areas for
road improvements while
the planned Vaal interchange
is set to be a major boost to
economic development in the
Vaal region.
The Gauteng Department
of Roads and Transport has a
pipeline of 67 projects with a
combined value of R23-billion.
Of these projects, 13 – valued at
R6.6-billion – are private-sector
initiatives and the various
road, construction and design
projects are expected to be
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026
30
PHOTO: Bombela Operating Company

OVERVIEW
implemented in the years to 2031. Among the private companies
that will be involved in projects are property companies Attacq
Waterfall Investment, Steyn City and Century Properties and mining
company Cullinan.
A specific goal of the Provincial Government of Gauteng is to
make the Transnet Tambo-Springs Logistics Gateway the biggest
inland logistics hub and dry port in Africa by 2030.
Two regional rail plans have been in the news, with national
government announcing its approval of a high-speed rail link
between Johannesburg and Durban to alleviate the congestion
that frequently occurs on the busy N3 highway. Another scheme
that is often referred to is to bolster rail connections from Gauteng
into Limpopo Province, where the N1 highway is overburdened.
However, discussion of neither of these plans has been accompanied
by a reference to budgets.
The Gauteng Provincial Government has entered partnerships
with companies such as Diageo to provide learner’s licence
opportunities to young people. In one such campaign 40 000 people
benefitted, of which 10 000 were reserved for motorbike licences to
support the Last-Mile project. The Last-Mile project is a collaboration
between the provincial government, the Transport Education and
Training Authority (TETA), Radah Skills Academy, UberSA, BoltSA
and Takealot. The intention is to make it easier for young people in
townships to earn incomes.
The Provincial Government of Gauteng is stressing the
importance of digital competence (“smart mobility”) in the transport
sector as ever-more complex transactions take place across
international borders. This will only grow as the effect of the African
Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) comes into effect, allowing for
greater and freer trade across the continent.
Airports and aviation
OR Tambo International Airport caters for more than 20-million
passengers every year and a total of 82% of South Africa’s air cargo
is transported through it. Gauteng also has several cargo and freight
handling facilities well-equipped to deal with rail and road deliveries
and despatches.
Lanseria Airport to the north of Johannesburg has grown in
importance as a secondary airport for the country’s busiest business
and commercial hub. It is a convenient landing point for travellers
bound for regional centres like Rustenburg in the North West.
Gauteng has several smaller airports that host mostly commercial
ONLINE RESOURCES
Airports Company South Africa: www.acsa.co.za
South African Association of Freight Forwarders: saaff.org.za
South African National Roads Agency: www.sanral.co.za
An app has been developed to
make reporting potholes easier.
aircraft: Rand Airport in Germiston,
Grand Central Airport in Midrand,
Wonderboom Airport in Pretoria
North and Waterkloof Air Force base,
south of Pretoria.
The Commercial Aviation
Manufacturing Association South
Africa (CAMASA) reports that 50
companies are active in the sector,
employing more than 3 000 people
in highly skilled jobs. Almost all the
activity is around Johannesburg and
Cape Town and the sector (which
encompasses aero-structures and
systems, manufacturing, design
and engineering) is responsible for
R3-billion in exports every year. ■
PHOTO: CSIR 31
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026

OVERVIEW
Water
Water towers, both real and digital, have been developed.
Gauteng has always been a water-scarce province, from
the earliest days when thirsty Johannesburg miners
and the mines they worked in needed more water than
was readily available.
Various water-transfer schemes have served the province well
over the years, most notably the Tugela-Vaal Scheme and the
Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), both of which divert
water to the Vaal River system. A complex network of dams,
reservoirs and tunnels funnel the precious resource to the urban
conurbation that makes up most of the Gauteng province. The
LHWP is a massive scheme that has been tackled in multiple stages
over many years. However, the critical second phase of the project
is expected to be completed in 2028, meaning that the province
is going to have to manage its water carefully in the years
between now and then.
The latest schemes to alleviate water shortages involve towers.
Two physical storage towers at Kempton Park in the City of
Ekurhuleni, pictured, and Brixton in Johannesburg will bring relief
to citizens of suburbs who have been experiencing water shortages.
The Kempton Park tower, where Uni-span provided formwork
and scaffolding support to MLK Engineering and Construction,
will store 2.5-megalitres of water. Both projects are part of a
national Strategic Integrated Projects programme where critical
infrastructure is being expanded.
In 2024 the Platform for a Water Secure Gauteng (PWSG) was
established to coordinate the efforts of the public and private
sectors. Another grouping known as the Strategic Water Partners
Network (SWPN) aims to support the PWSG. As its contribution to
the SWPN, telecoms company Vodacom has come up with a Digital
Water Tower as part of a possible solution.
The idea is to integrate geospatial consumption data, networktopology
maps and demand management reports, allowing for
a better flow of information about the state of water losses and
supply issues. The solution, developed by Vodacom Business
in partnership with Mezzanine, is designed to deliver, support
and maintain critical water services for suppliers, municipalities
and consumers.
SECTOR INSIGHT
Data analysis is being
deployed to tackle shortages.
The most significant water
utility in Gauteng is Rand Water,
which celebrated 120 years of
existence in 2023 and spends
around R3-billion per year on
maintaining infrastructure and
carrying out its duties to supply
water across four provinces to
more than 11-million people.
Water is one of the key
sectors where savings, reuse,
recycling, filtration, storage,
efficiency (non-leaking pipes)
and new solutions are
vital to progress towards a
greener future. Rand Water’s
environmental brand, “Water
Wise”, attempts to make users
aware of the need to value water
and to use it wisely. ■
ONLINE RESOURCES
Association of Water and Sanitation Institutions of South Africa:
www.awsisa.org.za
Water Institute of Southern Africa: www.wisa.org.za
Water Research Commission: www.wrc.org.za
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026
32
PHOTO: Uni-span

Banking and financial services
OVERVIEW
JSE restructuring is working.
The approval by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority
(FSCA) of amendments to the requirements for listing
is working well for the JSE, pictured. The 137-year-old
institution and the largest stock exchange in Africa had
experienced a downturn in activity over several years, with several
large companies delisting.
The JSE’s Market Segmentation Project has created two
distinct segments, Prime and General, a tailored level of regulation
that aligns with the size and liquidity of issuers. More than 22
companies have transitioned from the Main Board since the
change was introduced in 2024. Other changes at the JSE include
the introduction of new exchanges, bringing the total number
available to investors to 14, and new technologies and simplified
rules, which are improving the process of listing. Trading in
new bonds more than doubled in 2024 compared to 2023 and
the possibility of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) listing could
generate increased activity on the JSE.
Several banks have indicated that they want to garner a
larger share of the small, medium and micro-enterprise (SMME)
market. Headlines in the Sunday Times in successive months in
2025 pointed to this trend: “Nedbank gears up to take on ‘the
streets’” and “Capitec sets sights on township SMEs”. Capitec’s 2019
purchase of Mercantile Bank was a first foray into the businessbanking
market. It was renamed Capitec Business Bank in 2024.
The Competition Tribunal has unconditionally approved
TymeBank’s purchase of Retail Capital, a fintech SMME funder.
TymeBank, which is majority owned by Patrice Motsepe’s African
Rainbow Capital, has been moving beyond its basic banking
model recently and this purchase indicates another broadening
of the scope of the bank’s ambitions. TymeBank has also signed a
deal with TFG to expand its retail operations.
Financial services company Old Mutual has been granted
approval by the Prudential Authority to establish a bank. With more
than 30 000 employees in 14 countries, Old Mutual is best known
for insurance, but it is now on the path to establishing a full-service
bank. Three other new banks are in the pipeline and have received
SECTOR INSIGHT
Banks are targeting the
SMME sector.
regulatory approval: the Young
Women in Business Network
(YWBN) Mutual Bank, Postbank
(a state entity) and the SA
Innovative Financial Services
Cooperative (SAIFSC), which
will be run by the Department
of Women, Youth and People
with Disabilities.
While South Africa’s
Big Four – Absa, FirstRand,
Nedbank and Standard Bank –
continue to play a big role in
the banking sector, a feature
of the 21st century has been
the expansion of the financial
services sector, driven by
digital offerings from smaller
banks. Capitec was one of the
first, followed by Discovery
Bank and Zero Bank. ■
ONLINE RESOURCES
Association for Savings and Investment South Africa: www.asisa.org.za
Chartered Institute of Government Finance, Audit and Risk Officers:
www.cigfaro.co.za
Financial Sector Conduct Authority: www.fsca.co.za
PHOTO: Andres de Wet, Wikimedia Commons
33
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026

OVERVIEW
Education and training
Gauteng has a new SMART Skills Centre.
SECTOR INSIGHT
The top matric pupil in
2024 was from Zimisele
Secondary School.
The Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority
(CHIETA), in partnership with PG Group, has launched a
new SMART Skills Centre in Gauteng.
CHIETA’s stated ambition is to have a centre in every
province and it has rapidly been rolling them out since the first
was launched in 2022 in Saldanha Bay. The initial emphasis has
been on rural areas as a primary goal is to bridge the rural divide
between urban areas and less-populated places. By July 2025,
R26.6-million had been invested in seven centres. The latest will
be housed on the premises of glass manufacturer, PG Group.
Yershen Pillay, CEO of CHIETA, and Charles Bromley, PG Group
CEO, jointly opened the new facility, pictured. The centre is equipped
with advanced digital tools and resources to empower unemployed
youth and emerging entrepreneurs with job-ready, future-focused
skills. Other facilities include virtual reality (VR) technologies for
artisan training to smart boardrooms for business incubation.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi made a special note in his
2025 State of the Province Address to highlight the achievement of
Msawenkosi Buthelezi, a matric candidate from Zimisele Secondary
School, who finished top of the class of those writing the National
Senior Certificate. The premier said this was the first time since 1994
that a township school had produced the top NSC pupil. He further
highlighted “the exceptional achievement of Lufhereng Secondary,
a school in Soweto” for obtaining a 100% pass rate in matric, of
which 97% were achieved at the Bachelor level.
In 2023, the Gauteng Provincial Government introduced a
three-year tertiary bursary for the pupils who finished in the
ONLINE RESOURCES
CHIETA: www.chieta.org.za
Gauteng Department of Education: www.education.gpg.gov.za
National Research Foundation: www.nrf.ac.za
top three positions in every
township school.
The Schools of Specialisation
programme will grow from
21 schools to 35 schools. The
Lethabong School of Specialisation
(SOS) in Soshanguve, which has
a focus on automotive skills, is an
example of a particular emphasis
on one sector. In 2025, BMW
Group South Africa handed
over upgraded facilities at this
school. A photograph of the
new auditorium appears at the
introduction to this section, Key
Sectors. The project is the latest in
the Gauteng-based automotive
manufacturer’s programme of
investment in education.
Eighty percent of the 1 230
lecturers and researchers at the
University of the Witwatersrand
(Wits) have post-graduate
degrees, and 27 A-rated
scientists work there. The
university offers studies in more
than 40 schools in five faculties.
Three of South Africa’s
top five business schools
are in Gauteng: the Wits
Business School, the University
of South Africa’s (Unisa’s)
Graduate School of Business
Leadership and the Gordon
Institute of Business Science,
on the Sandton campus of the
University of Pretoria. ■
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026
34
PHOTO: CHIETA

ICT
Gauteng supports the digital economy.
The Innovation Hub, an entity of the Gauteng Growth
and Development Agency (GGDA), has a programme
called eKasiLabs which supports entrepreneurs and
young people with good business ideas, pictured.
The Innovation Hub also does work related to the bioeconomy
and the green economy but much of its work relates to
the digital economy.
One of the provincial government’s stated goals is to get
several ICT initiatives to work together. If the work of The
Innovation Hub, several eKasi laboratories, the Tshimologong
precinct, universities and research institutes could be integrated,
a more powerful ecosystem would be the result.
Making broadband connectivity and free WiFi available to
poor households in the province is another task.
Both Johannesburg and Tshwane have free WiFi
networks with Tshwane providing 1GB of data
every day to its citizens at various TshWi-Fi
locations, at speeds up to 15Mbps. There are 68
Wi-Fi hotspots around the province and investment
and maintenance of the Gauteng Provincial
Network is ongoing, with a planned rollout of 157
public hotspots across 26 priority townships.
The “Tshepo 1 Million” campaign links the
provincial government with the successful Harambee Youth
Employment Accelerator and more than 40 large companies.
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in
Pretoria hosts a new body aimed at preparing South Africa for
the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), the South African Affiliate
Centre of the World Economic Forum.
Africa Data Centres, with large and expanding facilities in
Johannesburg and Cape Town, has become the latest datacentre
company to construct a solar farm in order to secure a reliable
source of power.
A 20-year power-purchase agreement has been signed
with DPA Southern Africa, a joint company of Distributed Power
Africa and the French utility, EDF. Africa Data Centres is part of
the Cassava Technologies group of companies which has built a
ONLINE RESOURCES
eKasiLabs: www.theinnovationhub.com
Independent Communications Authority: www.icasa.org.za
Technology Innovation Agency: www.tia.org.za
OVERVIEW
SECTOR INSIGHT
More public WiFi hotspots
are planned.
73 000km fibre network across
Africa. The company’s first data
centre in Midrand is being
consistently expanded, with the
first phase of growth delivering
an additional 20MW with another
10MW of additional capacity
planned for the end of 2025.
The biggest data centre
on African soil is under
construction in Ekurhuleni.
Teraco Data Environments
secured a R2.5-billion loan to
build the 50 000m² JB4 data
centre on 6ha. The company
already runs four data centres
and a teleport on four
campuses. The new 30MW
facility, JB5, will join JB1 and JB3
on the Isando Campus.
With several other global
companies choosing to
station their South African
headquarters in Gauteng, the
province is well connected.
Johannesburg is also one of
two South African cities to host
a Microsoft Azure data centre. ■
PHOTO: The Innovation Hub 35
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026

OVERVIEW
Development finance and
SMME support
An SMME index will provide reliable data.
The launch of the Absa/SACCI Small Business Growth Index
(SBGI) is a significant event in the SMME sector. Supported
by Absa and South African Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (SACCI) and with the Bureau of Market Research
(BMR) as the research partner, the SBGI will provide accurate and
up-to-date data on the state of small business in South Africa by
garnering responses from active business owners.
The first report, issued on the basis of a survey done in
April 2025, highlighted what it classified as “pain points” for
businesses and suggested remedies. Findings included the fact
that many businesses were in a precarious position and that
funding was difficult to find. Despite these conclusions, the
survey also found that many entrepreneurs remained positive
and determined to succeed. Future phases for the SBGI will
include publishing guides based on the findings.
Through Enterprise and Supplier
Development Roadshows, the Provincial
Government of Gauteng has identified
30 local products, from detergents to
beauty products and food, which have
gone on to be tested and purchased
by retailers. A further 14 manufacturers
are in the process of qualifying for ISO
certification, which will expand their
potential markets. A Township Economic Development Bill aims to
do away with restrictive bylaws and rezone taxi ranks to allow for
the growth of retail outlets and services such as mechanics and
panel-beaters. As part of the programme to support township
businesses, staff at bakeries in Eldorado Park, Toekomsrus and
Westbury were trained in standardisation and quality control.
The launch of the Jewellery Manufacturing Precinct, pictured,
within the OR Tambo SEZ has not only been a boon to the big
companies that have located to the site, but 14 SMMEs in the sector
ONLINE RESOURCES
Gauteng Growth and Development Agency: www.ggda.co.za
Small Business Growth Index: www.bmr.co.za
Small Enterprise Development Finance Agency: www.sedfa.org.za
SECTOR INSIGHT
SMMEs are active in the
new Jewellery Manufacturing
Precinct at OR Tambo SEZ.
have taken up residence within
the precinct. The Gauteng Growth
and Development Agency
(GGDA) is linking large companies
with small businesses at Special
Economic Zones (SEZs). The aim is
to create a pipeline for SMMEs.
The eKasiLabs programme is
an extension of The Innovation
Hub’s service offering. Facilities
are spread across the five
economic corridors of the
province and a culture of
innovation and entrepreneurship
in townships is promoted.
The facilities are located
in Mohlakeng, Sebokeng,
Garankuwa, Soweto, Tembisa,
Alexandra, Mamelodi, Kagiso,
Kathorus and Mabopane.
Gauteng has 14 registered
co-operative banking
institutions serving more than
16 000 member-owners, with
over R100-million in savings
and R150-million in assets.
About half of South Africa’s
formal SMMEs operate in
Gauteng and more than half
are in the wholesale and retail
sector and the accommodation
sector. The next most popular
sectors are community, social
and personal services. ■
GAUTENG BUSINESS 2026
36
PHOTO: GGDA

SACCI member
chambers, Gauteng
The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
SACCI, has several member chambers in Gauteng.
SACCI contact details
Tel: +27 11 446 3800
Email: info@sacci.org.za
Website: www.sacci.org.za
Diamond Chamber of Commerce
Based in Cullinan, serving Region 5
of Tshwane
Tel: +27 12 305 2501
Email: info@diamondchamber.co.za
Facebook: CullinanChamber
Eastern Gauteng Chamber of
Commerceand Industry
General Manager
Tel: +27 11 815 5750/1/2
Mobile: 082 450 1130
Email: manager@easterngautengchamber.co.za
Website: www.easterngautengchamber.co.za
Greater Boksburg Chamber of
Commerce and Industry
Tel: +27 10 285 0313
Email: admin@gbcci.co.za
Website: www.gbcci.co.za
Small Business Chamber Africa
Mobile: 084 852 5304
Facebook: SmallBusinessChamberAfrica
South Africa-Nigeria Business Chamber
Business development and events
Mobile: 082 323 5346
Email: office@sa-nigeriachamber.co.za
Visas and administration
Mobile: 082 331 4225
Email: info@sa-nigeriachamber.co.za
Website: www.sa-nigeriachamber.co.za
Soweto Enterprise Chamber
Tel: +27 10 109 1422 | 060 791 3097
Email: info@sowetoenterprisechamber.co.za
https://sowetobusinesschamber.my.canva.site/
the-voice-township-business
West Gauteng Chamber of Business and
Tourism
Tel: +27 11 953 3727
Email: thewestrand@mweb.co.za
Website: www.westrand.co.za
Pretoria Chamber of Commerce
and Industry
Tel: +27 12 342 3236
Email: services@pretoriacci.co.za
Website: www.pretoriacci.co.za
Randburg Chamber of Commerce
and Industry (RCCI)
Tel: 086 101 9218
Email: admin@rcci.co.za
Website: www.rcci.co.za
SACCI regularly hosts and holds meetings with
business delegations from foreign countries.

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investSA is South Africa’s investment promotion agency,
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provides One Stop Shop services across South Africa’s
nine provinces. Gauteng is the smallest province by
geographical size but has the highest economic activity.
The Place, 1 Sandton Drive, Sandton,
Johannesburg 2196
www.investsa.gov.za
zamanselem@ggda.co.za
+27 10 001 8650