President Cyril Ramaphosa has positioned South Africa as a trusted and competitive global investment destination, while reaffirming government’s commitment to infrastructure-led growth, job creation and economic reform.
Delivering the keynote address at the South Africa Infrastructure Investment Summit in Cape Town on Wednesday, President Ramaphosa said the country is ready to partner with global investors to build modern, resilient infrastructure that supports inclusive growth and development.
“Because it is the building block of every modern economy on earth, infrastructure is the next great frontier of investment,” the President said.
The summit, convened by Global Infrastructure Partners and BlackRock, brought together government leaders, investors and business representatives to explore opportunities for infrastructure investment in South Africa and the African continent.
President Ramaphosa said infrastructure development in Africa presents one of the world’s largest untapped investment opportunities, noting that private capital and expertise are critical to accelerating development on the continent.
“It is in this context that institutional investors are increasingly looking to South Africa as a strategic, long-term investment destination,” he said.
The President highlighted South Africa’s sophisticated financial sector, deep capital markets, industrial capacity, renewable energy potential and digital infrastructure as some of the country’s competitive advantages.
He said government remains focused on creating a predictable and stable policy environment to encourage investor confidence and support long-term growth.
“We are firmly committed to sustaining a stable macroeconomic framework, understanding that it is essential for faster inclusive growth and job creation,” President Ramaphosa said.
He noted that government’s structural reform agenda, driven through Operation Vulindlela, continues to improve the efficiency of network industries, expand private sector participation and strengthen public-private collaboration.
“Through Operation Vulindlela we have reduced regulatory bottlenecks, expanded private sector participation, improved the efficiency of our infrastructure pipeline and strengthened public-private collaboration,” the President said.
President Ramaphosa said government is accelerating project preparation and execution through strategic public-private partnerships and blended finance models aimed at unlocking investment and scaling infrastructure delivery.
Through the Infrastructure Fund, government has committed R100 billion in fiscal support over 10 years to crowd in private capital into strategic infrastructure projects.
“Our goal is to mobilise public-private partnerships to deliver these projects, recognising that the scale of our ambition requires the full participation of private capital, development finance institutions and institutional investors,” he said.
The President announced that South Africa will spend more than R1 trillion on infrastructure over the next three years across all spheres of government, public entities and state-owned enterprises.
This includes investments in ports, freight rail, roads, electricity generation and transmission infrastructure.
President Ramaphosa said water and energy infrastructure remain immediate national priorities, particularly as government works to improve efficiency, lower costs and strengthen service delivery.
Over the past two years, government has implemented reforms aimed at stabilising the country’s electricity system and expanding generation capacity.
“A debilitating energy crisis is largely behind us. We have been able to improve the performance of our coal-fired power plants, expand private generation capacity and stabilise the system,” he said.
Government is also expanding transmission infrastructure, accelerating renewable energy deployment and advancing gas-to-power solutions as part of efforts to build a more competitive and sustainable energy market.
The President said South Africa’s improving economic outlook and reform momentum continue to strengthen global confidence in the country.
“We are now seeing signs of recovery. We have recorded four consecutive quarters of growth into early 2026, although we are yet to see this translate into a meaningful rise in employment.
“Inflation is stable. Our sovereign rating has been upgraded, and last year we were removed from the Financial Action Task Force grey list,” the President said.
He added that South Africa had secured R1.5 trillion in investment commitments during the first five years of the country’s investment drive, while the recent South Africa Investment Conference secured pledges worth R890 billion.
“This has encouraged us to set a new investment goal of R3 trillion – or $180 billion – over the next five years,” he said.
Calling for stronger partnerships between government and investors, President Ramaphosa said infrastructure development would play a critical role in driving economic growth, industrial expansion and job creation.
“We are not merely building infrastructure. We are building a new growth path for South Africa, one defined by resilience, competitiveness and shared prosperity.
“Together, we can convert ambition into action and action into lasting impact,” the President said. – SAnews.gov.za
