Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau has reaffirmed South Africa’s position as a competitive global investment destination, declaring that the country has “turned a corner” despite a volatile global economic environment.
South Africa’s long-standing economic partnership with Europe continues to play a pivotal role in driving trade, investment, and infrastructure development, with leaders highlighting the need to sustain momentum and deepen collaboration to unlock growth.
South Africa’s skills pipeline should be seen as a growing investment asset, Deputy Minister in the Presidency Nonceba Mhlauli said on Tuesday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has intensified efforts to attract strategic investment into South Africa’s key growth sectors, holding a series of high-level bilateral meetings with global and local industry leaders on the sidelines of the Sixth South Africa Investment Conference (SAIC) in Sandton.
Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has called for urgent reforms to unlock investment in South Africa’s agricultural sector, warning that persistent constraints, including weak infrastructure, biosecurity failures, and policy uncertainty, are limiting the industry’s full growth potential.
Government’s push to build tourism infrastructure has begun to yield results, with eight investment-ready projects worth more than R1 billion now unveiled.
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana says government’s decision to introduce a temporary R3 per litre fuel levy reduction is aimed at cushioning South Africans from what he describes as a significant economic shock driven by global oil price pressures.
Government has welcomed the latest Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES) for the fourth quarter of 2025, which reflect a modest increase in total employment and continued growth in gross earnings across the economy.
South Africa recorded an increase in employment in the fourth quarter of 2025, with total jobs rising by 18 000 or 0.2% to 10.55 million in December from 10.53 million in September.
The Department of Petroleum and Mineral Resources (DMPR) has announced that petrol and diesel prices will increase by between R3.06 and R7.51 from midnight.
National Treasury and the Department of Petroleum and Mineral Resources have announced a temporary R3 reduction to the general fuel levy to mitigate the effects of rising fuel prices – bringing some relief to motorists.
The South African government is implementing “far-ranging changes” to support improved economic performance through implementing reforms in key sectors, including electricity, the visa regime, water and at Transnet.
The sixth annual South Africa Investment Conference (SAIC) comes at a time when the South African government is poised to accelerate economic growth, turn pledges into shovel-ready projects and improve the lives of all South Africans.
South Africa is positioned to rise to the challenges posed by the complex task of attracting investments that are set to further propel the country’s development trajectory, says Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau.
The beauty of South Africa lies in our identity as a champion of peace, with the spirit of ubuntu serving as our defining signature to the world.
