Gauteng is set to manufacture high-value products capable of penetrating global markets, by implementing a sophisticated, multi-tier Special Economic Zone (SEZ) strategy.

By leveraging the specific regional strengths of the five development corridors, the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA) is transforming the Gauteng City Region (GCR) into a production engine.

The OR Tambo SEZ serves as the forerunner for this export-oriented vision.

Stationed around Africa’s largest air cargo hub, it provides the infrastructure for advanced manufacturing and beneficiation. With a world-class Jewellery Manufacturing Precinct already operational and one of the world’s largest food factories driving fresh-product exports since 2019, it proves that Gauteng can dominate high-growth niches.

Further south, the Vaal SEZ is steering industrial regeneration. By attracting R2-billion in investment toward the hydrogen value chain and renewable energy components, it is building on the region’s historic steel and engineering skills base to meet the “Green Economy” demand.

The Automotive Supplier Park in Rosslyn remains the standard for OEM support, ensuring that the automotive sector retains its continental lead. In the West Rand, where mining output has slowed, new SEZ planning is diversifying the economy into bus manufacturing, agri-voltaics and pharmaceutical hemp.

These Special Economic Zones create an ecosystem where previously excluded citizens gain access to global value chains. By focusing on areas like avionics, battery energy storage, and New Energy Vehicles (NEVs), Gauteng is ensuring its re-industrialisation is tech-savvy and socially inclusive.

In addition, The Gauteng Enterprise Propeller (GEP) has launched the Manufacturing Support product, a term loan facility providing up to R5-million to help black-owned SMMEs scale their production capacity. This initiative directly supports the province’s re-industrialization strategy by transforming high-growth manufacturing businesses into competitive industrial players.

As a strategic precursor to the Gauteng Investment Conference (2026), the fund acts as a pipeline to prepare local enterprises for large-scale private and multinational investment. By focusing on this high-value sector, the GEP aims to stimulate sustainable economic growth and significant job creation across the city region.

Ultimately, the program reinforces Gauteng’s position as a critical manufacturing hub for both South Africa and the broader African continent. The transition from a passive consumption hub to an agile production powerhouse is Gauteng’s current reality.

Gauteng Investment Conference 2026

Get ready for the Gauteng Investment Conference, where ideas meet opportunity, investment drives growth, and partnerships shape the future of Gauteng’s economy.

This reputation for hosting world-class gatherings was further solidified last week at the Sandton Convention Centre during Meetings Africa 2026. As the 20th anniversary of the event, it demonstrated Gauteng’s unmatched ability to facilitate thousands of confirmed business meetings, directly linking African products to global buyers and generating significant economic impact.

To that effect, Gauteng recently attracted R27-billion in Foreign Direct Investment from key global markets like the UK and the United States. Gauteng is clearly gaining momentum, with the inaugural Gauteng Investment Conference (2025) securing R312-billion in commitments, while the province claimed the lion’s share of last year’s Presidential Investment Conference, with over R180-billion in pledges.

Global industry leaders are moving beyond talk and are physically expanding their operations in Gauteng. Microsoft is currently investing R5.4-billion into local data centre infrastructure, while Heineken Global has committed R1.9-billion to its operations in Midvaal. The automotive sector is also seeing a boost with Chery International establishing local manufacturing, and the creative economy is set for a massive leap with the R4-billion Cradle Film Studios project which is destined to be the largest production facility in Africa.

What keeps Gauteng ahead of the curve is its connectivity. International arrivals hit 3.8-million this year, supported by new strategic air routes linking the province directly to North America and Australasia. With major infrastructure projects like the Gautrain expansion and a R50-billion dry port on the horizon, the province is effectively streamlining the region’s logistics.

Gauteng it the premier meetings destination in Africa while serving as a powerful catalyst for global opportunity. The 2026 Gauteng Investment Conference (GIC 2026) will provide another opportunity to turn conversations into investment.

Investing in Gauteng

Find out more about the economic and investment environment of Gauteng Province and explore projects in progress, insights and investment opportunities in the region.

Located near De Aar in the Northern Cape, the project benefits from some of the country’s best wind resources and direct access to the main transmission corridor connecting the Cape provinces to the industrial north-east of South Africa. Castle will supply Sibanye’s South African operations via a wheeling agreement with Eskom. ACED and Sibanye-Stillwater’s early market entry secured vital grid access, avoiding current capacity constraints that limit new wind project development.

Castle Wind Farm will provide 309GWh of clean energy annually to Sibanye-Stillwater’s South African operations, reducing emissions by 321 000t CO2e per year and securing long-term energy cost savings. This project also demonstrates how private-sector-led renewable initiatives can drive energy security and economic growth.

Castle Wind Farm will provide 309GWh of clean energy annually to Sibanye-Stillwater’s South African operations…

The Castle consortium is led and cosponsored by ACED, with African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM) IDEAS Fund and Reatile Renewables as shareholders. AIIM is a division of Old Mutual Alternative Investments (OMAI) and its IDEAS Fund is one of South Africa’s largest domestic infrastructure equity funds. Reatile Renewables is a strategic empowerment investor in renewables. ACED and AIIM affiliate, Energy Infrastructure Management Services Africa (EIMS Africa), will manage the project during operations.

Castle is one of two renewable energy projects that the ACED consortium and Sibanye are executing together, with the 140MW Umsinde Emoyeni Wind Farm in the Western Cape being the other one. The latter is due to reach commercial operation in late 2026.

This project brings the total delivery by the ACED and EIMS Africa teams to over 600MW of hydro, wind and solar projects to financial close and construction in a two-year period, enhancing the consortium’s collective drive to be a leader in renewable energy development and operation in South Africa and across the continent. This builds on over a gigawatt of projects it has already developed and operates via the South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).

James Cumming, CEO of ACED, explains: “We are pleased to bring Castle Wind Farm into operation for Sibanye and the project shareholders. Projects such as these require huge amounts of collaboration and cooperation between a vast array of stakeholders and we are very grateful for the role played by all. Benefits extend way beyond ‘Buyer and Seller’, with renewables projects driving sustainable economic growth on a macro and micro level for South Africa, and we are very proud of this.”

Sunette Smith, Business Development Executive of Reatile Group, added, “Reaching COD is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the extended teams of Sibanye-Stillwater, our partners AIIM, ACED and EIMS Africa as well as our appointed contractors. We could not have done it without their commitment and expertise. We are proud to be playing our role in South Africa’s energy transition and delivering sustainable energy solutions for the country.”

Now in its 18th year, the Africa Energy Indaba has evolved into a strategic platform where government, utilities, regulators, investors, project developers and industry leaders engage in outcome-driven dialogue to accelerate Africa’s energy security and transition agenda.

Africa’s energy sector represents one of the most significant growth opportunities globally. With rapidly expanding populations, increasing urbanisation, industrialisation ambitions and abundant natural resources — including gas, renewables, critical minerals and emerging green hydrogen potential — the continent is positioned for substantial energy infrastructure expansion. Power demand is projected to rise significantly over the coming decades, requiring large-scale investment across generation, transmission, storage and regional interconnectivity. The opportunity lies not only in closing the energy access gap, but in building modern, resilient energy systems that underpin economic growth and industrial competitiveness.

At a time when infrastructure gaps remain a key constraint to economic expansion, the 2026 programme will focus on:

• Strengthening regional power markets and cross-border trade
• Unlocking gas-to-power and domestic gas market development
• Accelerating transmission and grid expansion
• Mobilising blended finance and private sector capital
• Advancing regulatory certainty and investment readiness

Unlike broad sector exhibitions, the Africa Energy Indaba is structured around curated high-level forums, ministerial engagements and targeted investment discussions designed to facilitate collaboration and tangible progress.

The programme will feature ministerial participation, regulatory authorities, power pool representatives, development finance institutions and private sector executives from across the energy value chain — spanning power, gas, infrastructure and emerging technologies.

With energy security, affordability and economic growth at the forefront of Africa’s priorities, the 2026 Africa Energy Indaba will provide a focused environment for dialogue that moves beyond rhetoric toward practical implementation.

Africa Energy Indaba 2026

3–5 March 2026
Cape Town International Convention Centre

For more information and registration details, visit: https://africaenergyindaba.com

Mobile-first trading platforms have opened doors for younger investors and first-time participants. They have also raised the bar for discipline, platform selection, and risk control. Access expanded quickly. Skill still decides outcomes.

The phone became the brokerage

The most important change is the default device. When investing moves to a smartphone, it stops feeling like a formal event. It becomes a habit that competes with social apps, messaging, and daily spending decisions. That proximity pulls new investors into markets that once felt distant.

Mobile-first platforms also reduce friction in practical ways. Account onboarding often finishes faster than traditional processes. Funding options tend to match local rails. Market monitoring becomes continuous, which suits active traders and long-term investors who prefer frequent check-ins.

This access has a cultural effect too. Communities form around shared screenshots, strategy threads, and quick reactions to news. That social layer can help beginners learn the language of markets faster. It can also amplify bad habits, especially when people copy trades or chase short-term moves without a plan.

Access scales fast, education must keep pace

Democratized access improves participation, yet it also shifts the burden onto the investor. Markets reward preparation, and mobile platforms make it easy to act before thinking. Many first-time investors start with a simple idea: “Buy something and watch it grow.” The market rarely respects simple narratives for long.

Experienced investors recognize the gap. The toolset expanded, yet the typical investor workflow still needs structure. That means defined risk, clear time horizons, and repeatable rules for entries and exits. Without that, faster access turns into faster mistakes.

Two behaviors stand out across mobile-first trading communities:

• Short feedback loops drive overtrading. Constant notifications create pressure to do something, even when the best action is to wait.
• Convenience blurs the line between investing and impulse. A one-tap trade can feel like a quick decision, even when it carries long-term consequences.
• Copying replaces understanding. Social features help discovery, yet they can encourage mimicry without context.
• Volatility becomes entertainment. Fast markets look exciting on a chart, and that excitement can override risk limits.

The opportunity sits on the other side of this learning curve. When investors pair access with process, they can build strategies that suit local realities, including income patterns, liquidity needs, and currency considerations.

Why reliable platforms matter in the middle of this shift

As participation grows, platform quality becomes a central part of investor protection. A reliable platform supports execution, transparency, and account controls. It also sets the tone for how investors behave, especially those still building instincts.

A practical example shows why this matters. A trader might plan to scale into a position during a liquid session, set a stop level, and track margin usage closely. If the platform freezes during volatility, re-quotes frequently, or makes fees hard to understand, the trading plan collapses. That is not a small inconvenience. It is a risk in disguise.

Online trading South Africa has a large base of market participants and a strong culture of trading education. Many traders also evaluate platforms with a professional lens, focusing on execution quality, clear pricing, and tools that support risk control. The same standards apply across Africa, even when local market access and funding methods differ.

Platform selection should follow the same logic used for any investment decision. Due diligence first, convenience second. Two checks provide an immediate signal:

• Operational clarity: fees, spreads, and margin rules should read clearly, without hidden complexity.
• Control features: risk tools, account protections, and reliable order handling should work consistently under stress.

A platform cannot replace a strategy. It can either support discipline or encourage chaos.

How younger investors are building portfolios differently

Mobile-first access changes portfolio building in two key ways. First, investors experiment earlier. They test small positions, explore more asset classes, and learn by doing. Second, they adapt strategies to cashflow reality. Many investors manage irregular income, so they prefer flexible sizing and frequent adjustments.

This has created a more modular approach to investing. Instead of building one large, long-term position, many investors run a “core plus satellite” style. The core might track broad market exposure. The satellite layer might include short-term trades, hedges, or currency-aware positions, depending on local needs.

Risk management becomes the separating line. Experienced investors focus less on “what to buy” and more on “how to survive bad sequences.” That means position sizing rules, predefined exit logic, and a clear view of leverage. It also means accepting that skipping a trade is a valid decision, even when the app makes trading feel effortless.

Another shift shows up in information flow. Investors increasingly learn from creators, communities, and platform education hubs. That can improve market literacy fast. It can also concentrate everyone into the same crowded ideas, which increases correlation risk during stressed markets.

What this reshaping means for the next wave of investing

Online trading across Africa will keep evolving toward better access, smoother funding, and wider product menus. The more interesting change will come from investor maturity. As the market base becomes more experienced, demand will move toward better tools, stronger transparency, and education that goes beyond basic definitions.

For investors who already know the space, the edge comes from tightening the workflow. A clear plan, a reliable platform, and disciplined risk control turn access into durable participation. Mobile-first trading opened the gate. Long-term success will come from how investors use what sits on the other side.

A global leader in AI-powered Decision Intelligence, Provenir, highlights the growing strain on organisations to strengthen fraud defenses while still delivering seamless, low-friction digital experiences that customers expect .

Executives acknowledge difficulty responding to new fraud trends 

One of the study’s most striking findings is that 50% of credit risk and fraud executives worldwide say their biggest challenge is the inability to detect and react quickly to new fraud trends. This acknowledgement points to a fundamental vulnerability in many existing fraud prevention strategies, where static rules and fragmented data often fail to keep pace with modern fraud techniques. 

As fraud schemes grow more dynamic and adaptive, companies are increasingly exposed to risks that can materialise and escalate in real time — often before traditional controls are able to respond. 

Rising anxiety around AI-enabled fraud 

Concerns are intensifying as fraudsters adopt artificial intelligence to automate attacks, mimic legitimate behaviour, and exploit digital onboarding and application processes at scale. The survey found that 77% of executives are concerned about AI-enabled fraud threats, reflecting widespread recognition that fraud has entered a new era of sophistication. 

These concerns span industries, from financial services and insurance to retail and telecommunications, as organisations contend with fraud attempts that are faster, more personalised, and harder to detect than ever before. 

Companies accelerate adoption of AI-driven defenses 

In response to these challenges, many organisations are accelerating investments in advanced fraud prevention technologies. The survey shows that 75% of respondents are deploying AI-driven, adaptive fraud prevention solutions, while 74% are leveraging real-time anomaly detection to identify suspicious activity as it occurs. 

These approaches signal a shift away from reactive, rules-based models toward more dynamic systems capable of learning, adapting, and responding to emerging fraud patterns in real time. For many leaders, AI is no longer optional—it is becoming foundational to effective fraud management. 

Defining the building blocks of a strong fraud strategy 

When asked to identify the most important elements of a comprehensive fraud strategy, executives emphasised the need for better data visibility, integration, and customer-centricity. 

• 33% said gaining a comprehensive fraud risk view of customer data was most important 
• 23% cited reducing friction in the customer experience as critical 
• 22% emphasized aligning data at the customer level rather than by channel 
• 19% pointed to breaking down data silos between fraud and credit teams 

These findings highlight a growing understanding that fraud prevention cannot operate in isolation. Instead, it must be integrated across teams and systems to provide a unified, real-time view of risk at the customer level. 

Future priorities: Automation, accuracy and fraud loss reduction 

Looking ahead, organisations are focused on strengthening both efficiency and effectiveness within their fraud and risk operations. Survey respondents identified several key areas of investment over the next phase of their fraud prevention journeys: 

• 54% aim to enhance operational efficiency and automation 
• 54% plan to improve the accuracy of artificial intelligence and machine learning models 
• 52% are focused on reducing overall fraud losses 

These priorities reflect the dual mandate facing risk leaders: manage growing volumes of transactions and data while maintaining precision and minimising false positives that can frustrate customers and strain operations. 

Fraud prevention’s expanding role in business strategy 

The study also reveals that fraud prevention is no longer viewed solely as a defensive function. Organisations increasingly see it as a driver of broader business outcomes and competitive advantage. 

Beyond reducing fraud losses, respondents said their fraud strategies are expected to help:

• 57% increase in customer retention and loyalty 
• 55% enhance customer experience and reduce friction 
• 51% improve overall profitability or risk-adjusted returns 
• 50% enable event-driven, real-time decisioning 

These results demonstrate a growing alignment between fraud prevention, customer experience, and revenue growth—areas that were once managed separately but are now deeply interconnected. 

Executive insight on the speed of fraud evolution 

“The biggest risk today isn’t just fraud itself, rather it’s the speed and sophistication at which fraud vectors are evolving, with half of institutions indicating keeping pace with this race remains their greatest challenge,” said Carol Hamilton, Chief Commercial Officer, Provenir. “AI-driven, real-time, and adaptive fraud prevention is essential to improving model accuracy and protecting customers without adding friction to the experience.” 

Her perspective reflects a broader industry shift toward viewing speed and adaptability as the defining factors of successful fraud prevention in the modern digital economy. 

About the study methodology 

The survey was conducted in early December 2025 by The Harris Poll and included 203 respondents across North America, EMEA, Latin America, and Asia Pacific.

Participants held the title of director or higher and were responsible for deploying AI-based solutions within their organisations. All respondents were involved in risk evaluation, credit approvals, fraud detection, or personalised offers across industries, including banking, credit unions, financial services, FinTech, insurance, wholesale, retail and telecommunications. 

Mpumalanga is one of South Africa’s most productive and important agricultural regions and through strategic investments in the Mpumalanga International Food Market (MIFM) and the Nkomazi Special Economic Zone (NSEZ) the province is set to become a major force in food production and distribution.

Mpumalanga’s sophisticated and well-segmented tourism and hospitality sector is ripe for investment and expansion.

Mpumalanga economy

The provincial economy of Mpumalanga is exceptionally diverse. Established industries in the province include Mining, Stainless Steel, Petrochemicals, Pulp and Paper, Ferro-Alloys, Energy Generation, Tourism, Agriculture and Agro-Processing.

Companies in these sectors include global giants in their industries such as Sasol (energy and chemicals), Sappi (paper, packaging, pulp and forests), Samancor Chrome (ferrochrome), Exxaro, ARM and Glencore (mining).

The province’s commercial farmers are among the most efficient in the world, exporting huge quantities of everything from citrus to macadamia nuts. Columbus Stainless is the only stainless-steel manufacturer on the continent.

Governance

The province has three district municipalities and 17 local municipalities. Several agencies which promote the regional economy report to the Mpumalanga Provincial Government. Large parts of the province comprises extensive rural villages that form part of areas run by traditional authorities.

Transport

Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) in Mbombela plus many airfields such as Middelburg. Extensive freight rail network, busiest in South Africa. The N4 highway (Maputo Corridor) is an east-west spine of a highly developed road system.

Mpumalanga’s strategic location makes it a valuable transport and logistics hub:

• Maputo Development Corridor enhances logistics
• Preferential access to lucrative EU market
• Proximity to South Africa’s economic heartland
• Access to regional SADC market: 360-million population
• Access to deepwater Port of Maputo

Maputo Development Corridor

The Maputo Development Corridor is South Africa’s leading Spatial Development Initiative (SDI), linking Mpumalanga Province, Gauteng Province and the Nkomazi Special Economic Zone with the deepwater Port of Maputo in Mozambique.

This efficient corridor provides investors and exporters with good access to the export markets of South East Africa, the Indian Ocean Rim and Far East Asia. The Maputo Development Corridor comprises road, rail, Special Economic Zone, border posts, port and terminal facilities.

Mpumalanga’s diverse and resource-rich economy makes it one of the most attractive trade and investment destinations in South East Africa.

The corridor runs through the most highly industrialised and productive regions of Southern Africa. The Corridor has been extensively upgraded to international standards and links the industrial heartland of South Africa to its nearest port in Maputo, Mozambique, which is one of the fastest-growing countries in South East Africa.

Unique selling proposition

• Abundant resources: minerals and agricultural produce
• Established manufacturing infrastructure: smelters, petrochemicals, food processing, paper, sugar
• Strategic location: access to regional and global markets
• Tourism hotspots: the iconic Kruger National Park, world-class reserves, adventure tourism and new UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Mpumalanga International Food Market (MIFM)
• Nkomazi Special Economic Zone (NSEZ)
• The University of Mpumalanga
• Support for Green Economy research and investment

How to invest in Mpumalanga

The Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) is the official Economic Development Agency for the Mpumalanga Provincial Government and an entity of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism.

MEGA’s primary mandate is to foster the sustainable growth and development of Mpumalanga’s economy through its operational activities of Trade and Investment Promotion, Development Funding, Equity Investments, and Property and Infrastructure Development. The Agency remains accountable to the Mpumalanga Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDT).

MEGA is the foreign investor’s or trader’s first point of contact for doing successful business in Mpumalanga Province. Through the Trade and Investment Promotion Division, the Agency provides a variety of services to potential investors and trading partners.

MEGA services

MEGA staff will go out of their way to make the process of investing in Mpumalanga
or starting a business in the province easy. MEGA is focussed on customer needs
and provides innovative solutions with a high level of service. Services include:

• Trade and Investment Promotion
• Properties and Infrastructure
• Funding

Planning the way forward

National government has articulated a Nine-Point Plan which seeks to prioritise projects that will tackle key economic issues. MEGA is aligned with the plan, which include issues relevant to growing the provincial economy:

• • revitalise agriculture and the agro-processing chain
  • advancing mineral beneficiation
  • implementing the Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) effectively
  • unlocking the potential of SMMEs, cooperatives and township and rural enterprises
  • resolving the energy challenge
  • stabilising the labour market
  • upscaling private investment
  • investment in science and technology, water and sanitation, transport and broadband connectivity

Invest in Mpumalanga — Contact MEGA 

Interested companies or individuals seeking to gain access to the vast opportunities available to investors in Mpumalanga, please send a brief message of introduction, indicating your main business or investment objectives:

More investment opportunities in Mpumalanga:

• • PPP opportunity to invest in the Blyde River Canyon Cableway Project
  • Partnership opportunity in development of hydroelectric power station
  • Hotel development opportunity in prime tourism spot
  • Investment opportunities in the Agriculture sector
  • Investment opportunities in Mpumalanga’s tourism sector
  • Invest in the development of a connected urban park in Mbombela, South Africa

Mpumalanga Trade and Investment Profile

Find more details about the economy of Mpumalanga and explore existing opportunities in the region: 

Location

• Waaihoek Precinct is located immediately to the south of Bloemfontein CBD, in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, Free State Province, South Africa.

Developer

• Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality

Project description

The precinct is near the Bloemfontein CBD and interchange zones. The area’s significant heritage value will unlock tourism potential if it is redeveloped, including:

• An urban park,
• restoration of the Old Fort Estate,
• an amphitheater,
• pedestrian walkways and links between nodes,
• hawker trading zone,
• conversion of old power station into accommodation, galleries and offices.

Project status

• R20-million spent on planning and designs of Phase 1 (St Georges Bridge)

Stakeholders

• Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality,
• Free State Provincial Government,
• National Government departments,
• Private Sector

Issues to be resolved

• Project funding

Interventions

• Design completed for Phase 1, final precinct plan completed and presented to National Treasury

Project cost

• R5.7-billion

Job creation

• 5 000 possible employment opportunities

Investment Enquiry

Interested investors are encouraged to contact the project team. Please include Waaihooek Precinct as reference.

Feature image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/south-african-tourism/20511459716/in/photostream/ 

Project background

Through the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA), public sector infrastructure investment in the form of bulk water and water distribution has increased and important issues have been tackled.

Core agricultural strategies have sought to:

• Enhance equitable access to and participation in agricultural opportunities and to unlock entrepreneurial potential.
• Enhance profitability through sustained global competitiveness in the agricultural sector’s input supply, primary production, agro-processing and agro-tourism industries.
• Enhance farmers’ capacities to use resources in a sustainable manner and to ensure the wise use and management of natural resources.

For example, assets mainly sitting in the hands of black farmers but without commercial value has been addressed through zoning and Agricultural Hubs. Through other support initiatives such as the Orange River Farmer Settlement and Development Programme, 4 000 ha Water Rights Programme and the Land and Agrarian Reform Programme, the Namakwa Irrigation Development was born.

Project description

The project will develop approximately 3 200 ha of high-potential arable land in the Namakwa District. This arable land is located in 11 distinct areas. Each of these have been described, planned and costed individually. Onseepkans has been identified as the pilot to this larger project and the bulk water system is being constructed. Of the identified land, 2 000ha has existing water licences. A further 1 200 ha will have to be secured.

The basket of products to be produced include cash crops such as lucerne and grains, but the bulk of the development is aimed at high-value crops with export potential in order to secure significant growth on the required investment.

This development will generate R521-million per annum in value of production when in full production. It will lead to an increase in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the Namakwa District. Additional value will be added through inputs such as machinery and equipment, chemicals, packing material, fuel, electricity, water, etc.

This development would add an additional R200-million to the Namakwa economy on a direct level. Adding the indirect and induced levels, the impact on GDP exceeds R272-million per annum for the entire economy.

Project finance

The project so far has been funded by government through conditional grant funding but it is expected that strategic and equity partners will be invited to participate.

The anchor project of the Namakwa Irrigation Development is in Onseepkans and over R120-million is being spent by government on the bulk water and water distribution networks to irrigate plots and new developments.

A further R30-million has been spent in the development and maintenance of vineyards to produce export raisins. Equity investors and BBBEE investors are sought.

Project status

The anchor project is currently being developed and stakeholders include the IDC and Raisins SA. Bankable business plans and feasibility studies have been conducted.

Partnerships

• Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (Provincial and National)
• IDC
• Khai-Ma Local Municipality

Invest in this project:

For more information about the investment opportunity, please contact the team here with reference: Namakwa Irrigation Project.

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• Bethlehem, Dihlabeng Local Municipality, Thabo Mofutsanyane District Municipality, Free State Province, South Africa.

Economic sectors

• Agriculture and agro-processing.

Company name

Remmoho Capital Investments (Pty) Ltd. (RCI) is a 100% black-owned entity which seeks to drive transformation in the apple industry in the Eastern Free State by establishing a greenfield apple-juice concentrate plant. Remmoho Investments in Agriculture is the main business of RCI, being the production of apples through a 74% equity acquisition of Stead Fruit Growers.

Remmoho Apple Juice Concentrate was established for the production of apple juice concentrate, which is currently in the project development phase.

Project description

• Production of apples. Manufacturing of apple-juice concentrate.

Investment value

• R396.6-million

Funding sources

• Debt and equity finance, grants and new blended finance from select development finance institutions (DFIs)

Funding gap

• R118.9-million

Incentive required

• No less than 30% of total development costs or 50% of capex (estimate)

Jobs to be created

• About 2 500 over the project development cycle

Empowerment

Of jobs at primary production level, more than 70% will be women with average age of 25. A quota system of 55% in favour of unemployed graduates during construction and post-construction phases plus in-service training opportunities for TVET college students. A set aside of 5% of skilled and specialised skills for youth with disabilities.

Project schedule

• In progress, awaiting technical stream of feasibility study∗

Project status (2024)

Primary agriculture: implementation phase is currently at 12ha, with plans to scale up to 100ha over the next three years.

Concentrate plant: feasibility phase, bankable business case in place.

Regulatory requirements

• None required

Issues to be resolved

• Water rights, market-related regulation, council permits.

Partnerships

• Thabo Mofutsanyane District farmers, Heineken Beverages.

Contact

Potential investors are encouraged to contact the investment facilitation team here. Please include reference to the project and a brief introduction to your objectives.