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.
At the opening of the sixth South Africa Investment Conference (SAIC) on Tuesday in Gauteng, Tau reiterated the country’s ability to turn investor confidence into tangible returns, framing it as an “investment destination of choice”.
“We have learned that complexity is not a reason for paralysis but rather, it is a prompt call for action. South Africa has turned the corner,” Tau said.
With improving economic indicators, including four consecutive quarters of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, a stabilising national debt and three years of primary budget surpluses, President Cyril Ramaphosa has recently reiterated the qualities that signal the country’s value as an investment drawcard for global players.
READ | New investment signals confidence as SA economy turns a corner
At the highly-anticipated 2026 edition of SAIC at the Sandton Convention Centre, Minister Tau said the progress made to turn South Africa’s fortunes around is largely attributable to steady and accelerating efforts, including expanding its footprint in external markets.
“South Africa is the continent’s leading exporter of manufactured goods and its largest outward investor.”
Tau acknowledged the impact of major economies “turning inward” in the face of global volatility – something that affects economies such as South Africa, which are characterised by “openness” and reliance on trading with others.
“When the status quo was upended in April 2025, many predicted a reckoning. The prognosis was steep. Tens of thousands of jobs in citrus, wine and vehicle manufacturing in South Africa were said to be at risk.
“Economists estimated the tariff shock could shave off measurable points of growth. It was, in the parlance of the moment, a crisis. South Africa did not reach Armageddon and instead, we demonstrated resilience,” Tau said.
Maximising existing trade relations
Tau said South Africa activated the Export Support Desk to redirect affected exporters into alternative markets.
“We accelerated negotiations with China and Thailand on agricultural protocols. What is evident is that South Africa has indeed turned the corner.
“South Africa has turned the corner. Consider the evolution of our trade partnerships over the past three years. With Europe, we did not simply manage an existing relationship; we remade it.
“South Africa is the first CTIP [Clean Trade and Investment Partnership] partner of the EU [European Union] because of who we are and what we represent -- the largest investment partner in Sub-Saharan Africa, with bilateral trade flows of R860 billion rands in 2024, offering a stable, predictable and profitable market, and representing the most industrialised gateway to the African continent and a lot more.”
Tau said the EU has mobilised a combined investment package of nearly R230 billion for South Africa under its Global Gateway initiative, covering the Just Energy Transition, critical raw materials, digital connectivity, and pharmaceutical value chains.
“Across the Middle East, new partnerships with the UAE [United Arab Emirates], Qatar and Saudi Arabia are advancing, supported by a coordinated effort between the Presidency, DIRCO [Department of International Relations and Cooperation], and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) to make inroads into high-growth markets that a decade ago barely featured in our trade portfolio,” the Minister said.
Ready to build
The ability to “turn the corner”, Tau said, is just the first chapter of illustrating South Africa’s trade abilities.
“…We have (also) demonstrated our capacity to turn investment commitments into operational projects and real economic activity.
“When President Ramaphosa launched this Investment Conference platform in 2018, we set an ambition that many regarded as both aspirational and inspirational. Eight years on, the first five-year investment mobilisation drive exceeded its target.
“Over 300 projects were initiated; 161 are either completed or in active construction. More than R600 billion of those commitments have already flowed into the real economy,” Tau said.
With the case for South Africa’s capabilities and potential clearly demonstrated, SAIC 2026 marks a shift from high-level planning to a more focused phase of implementation, as government accelerates delivery on existing investment commitments.
Government is targeting an additional R2 trillion in investment commitments over the next five years. This builds on the first five conferences, which secured a combined R1.5 trillion in pledges, with more than R600 billion already invested in the economy.
These investments have supported the establishment of new factories, mines and industrial facilities, contributing to job creation, poverty reduction and efforts to address inequality. – SAnews.gov.za
