The overall investment environment remains encouraging. A G20 country, South Africa is considered a low-risk investment destination for investors looking for a foothold into Africa. As the continent’s largest African investor, South Africa sends more than 25% of its manufactured products into the continent.
Through investment incentives and industrial financing interventions, the government actively seeks to encourage commercial activity and attract foreign capital. South Africa earned around R42-billion in foreign direct investment in 2011, which was more than four times the amount in 2010.
Principal international trading partners of South Africa (besides other African countries) include: China, the United States, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
Chief exports are metals, minerals, chemicals, foodstuff products, agriculture products & citrus fruits and automotive components.
Machinery and transportation equipment make up more than one-third of the value of the country’s imports. Other imports include automobiles, chemicals, manufactured goods, medical instruments, fertilizers, transformers, rice, wheat, tractors as well petroleum and bitumen..
Investment sectors
- Agro-processing
- Automotive
- Banking & financial services
- Chemicals
- Fishing
- Food & beverages
- ICT & electronics
- Mining & minerals
- Property
- Tourism
- Telecommunication
- Textile
