Programme Directors, Ms Nozipho Tshabalala and Mr Mpho Tsedu;
The Honourable Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Parks Tau; 
Ministers and Deputy Ministers present; 
Business Leaders and Investor Representatives; 
Directors-General and Senior Government Officials; 
Distinguished Guests; 
Ladies and Gentlemen;

Good Evening, 

It is my honour to welcome you to this gala dinner after what has been a truly remarkable day of dialogue, partnership, and vision at the Sixth South Africa Investment Conference (SAIC). 

This Conference has once again affirmed that South Africa’s growth and recovery depend on robust partnerships between government, business, labour, and society.

What made this day truly exceptional was the unity we witnessed among our partners, and the way our nation spoke in one voice. A voice of reform, a voice of resilience, and a voice ready to explore new frontiers of investment.

As we gather here tonight, we are anchoring that voice even deeper. We are not only celebrating the commitments announced today, but we are also committing ourselves to the journey ahead.

The steps that we took this afternoon are the results of a journey that began in 2018 under the leadership and vision of His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa when we launched the first South Africa Investment Conference. 

His vision positioned this Conference not as a talk shop, but as a delivery focused platform to mobilise investment, unblock constraints, and drive implementation. 

Ever since, the Investment Conference has been anchored in a practical social compact that recognises the government as a creator of an enabling environment, while the private sector brings capital, skills and innovation.

In his keynote address this morning, the President reminded us that innovation and credibility are the foundations of confidence, and that our economy has remained financially stable. He noted that investors seek strong, resilient, and reform-oriented destinations, which South Africa embodies. "As investors, you are looking to investment destinations that have strong fundamentals, that are resilient, credible, and reform-oriented and the South African economy meets this criteria".

As President Ramaphosa noted, South Africa Investment conference stands at the crossroads of opportunity and ambition, ready to turn pledges into projects on the ground. This is why our focus has shifted decisively from commitments to implementation, from policy intent to measurable outcomes. 

Similarly, Minister Parks Tau framed the scene, reminding us that reform is not abstract policy but the lived reality of investors, workers, and communities. Minister Ramokgopa and our telecommunications partners showed how energy and digital infrastructure serve as catalysts for competitiveness, and how the power and data grid together form the backbone of our future economy.

Through a series of panel discussions, the opportunities in energy and critical minerals were examined, emphasizing South Africa's strategic advantages in platinum, manganese, and chrome within the global clean energy transition. 

Additionally, sessions addressed topics such as innovative financing, agritech, tourism, high-value manufacturing, and institutional oversight, reinforcing the message that South Africa is open for business and ready to deliver. Regional economic diplomacy sessions showcased South Africa as a gateway to Africa, while TED-style talks highlighted themes of digital transformation, green skills, creative industries, and health-tech innovation.

All the sessions we had were not a collection of standalone sessions. Rather, they built a coherent narrative: reform credibility, investor confidence, deployable opportunities and global partnerships.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Allow me to echo that message tonight, that without an inch of doubt, South Africa is a premier investment destination, offering high returns through its role as Africa's most industrialised, diversified economy and a gateway to the continent.
In other words, as Minister Tau has said, “South Africa does not ask you to take a leap of faith”. 

We invite you to join a journey already in motion, with results already unfolding. Partner in our digital economy, and you will connect Africa’s youth to opportunity.

As a nation, we are experiencing a resurgence characterised by the integration of reforms, enhancement of institutions, and the restoration of stability in critical economic sectors.
Our country remains one of the most diversified economies on the African continent, and we see our economic future as inseparable from that of Africa. 

Of the more than 50 countries represented here, the majority are African. This reflects our shared understanding: African cooperation and integration are essential to sustained growth. 

This is the essence of our theme: Invest. Partner. Prosper.
Our engagement aligns directly with the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which seeks to create a single African market, deepen industrialisation, and build regional value chains. 

Through the AfCFTA, investors gain access to a continental market of 1.4 billion people, while our partnerships span Europe, Asia, the Americas, and the Middle East.

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

In the context of shifting global geopolitical and economic dynamics, Africa’s unity presents a strategic opportunity. As global value chains are re-organised, Africa offers scale, resources, a growing consumer base, and a youthful population. To harness this potential, we must strengthen regional integration, beginning with our immediate region.

South Africa is committed to consolidating SACU and deepening integration within SADC, a region of more than 150 million people, with significant potential for industrial expansion, infrastructure development, and cross border investment.

I must also indicate that South Africa is a nation that has proven resilience. Against global headwinds, from the pandemic to energy constraints we mobilised R1.5 trillion in commitments between 2018 and 2023, exceeding our target. More than R600 billion has already flowed into factories, mines, call centres, and technology hubs. Jobs have been created, communities uplifted, and industries modernised.

This is the indication that we are committed to policy reform and certainty, to improving the ease of doing business, and to ensuring that investment supports transformation, localisation and sustainable development.

Through Operation Vulindlela, we have unlocked grid access, streamlined water licensing, opened freight logistics to private participation, and reformed visas to boost tourism. 

Our financial governance has been strengthened, earning us our first sovereign credit rating upgrade in nearly two decades and removal from the FATF grey list.

Through continued partnership, we will ensure that investment commitments are translated into projects, projects into productive activity, and productive activity into decent jobs and shared prosperity
South Africa is expanding opportunities through an accelerated energy transition, with renewable generation, green hydrogen, and battery storage becoming realities. Moreover, the nation is advancing its digital transformation with broadband expansion, fintech innovation, and AI infrastructure, establishing itself as Africa’s digital portal.

Additionally, the announcements from platinum and gold clusters to agritech, manufacturing, and services confirm that capital is not waiting for reform to begin. It is flowing into projects already underway. The investment pipeline of R284.8 billion across 66 projects is not a promise; it is a plan in motion.

Tonight, as we share this dinner, let us anchor our message in partnership. Let us commit not only to investment, but to building industries, creating jobs, and shaping futures. Together, we can turn commitments into factories, agreements into technologies, and announcements into livelihoods.

Let us leave here tonight with a shared pledge that the voice we spoke with today will echo tomorrow in boardrooms, in communities, and in the lives of millions of South Africans. Working together, government, business and our African partners, we can shape a future defined by growth, stability and opportunity for all.

In a nutshell, South Africa is implementing reforms. South Africa is building partnerships. South Africa is open for investment.

Let us invest. Let us partner and let us prosper together.

I thank you

Programme Directors,
Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr.Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile,
Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition of the Republic of South Africa,
Mr Parks Tau,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Premiers of the provinces,
Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, Mr.
Wamkele Mene,
Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Cllr Dada Morero
Ambassadors and High Commissioners,
Business leaders,
Representative from labour, civil society and political formations,

Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning,

Welcome to South Africa and to Gauteng, the Place of Gold – our country’s largest economic hub.

A hundred and forty years ago, the discovery of gold beneath the soil here set in motion an industrial boom that would shape South Africa’s economic destiny.

Today, Gauteng is a financial and industrial powerhouse that contributes the largest share to our national GDP.

The City of Johannesburg is Africa’s financial capital and home to Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the largest and most advanced bourse on the continent.

It had started somehow in Kimberley when diamonds were discovered, when one of those who looked at that shiny stone and said: “it is on this stone that the future of
South Africa will be built.”

That was in 1867, in 1888 they moved further north and found gold in this place. Today Gauteng is a financial and industrial powerhouse that contributes the last
share of our GDP as a nation.

The city of Johannesburg is South Africa's financial capital and home to Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the largest and most advanced boss on our continent.

The story of Johannesburg, a city founded on the promise of opportunity, is a reflection of South Africa itself.

They came here to mine gold. It was in some ways boom and bust. Boom for those who made it good and bust for the majority of black people who were not given the opportunity to really benefit from that boom.

We are a young nation, just 32 years old. The dawn of democracy in 1994 secured our freedom. Our freedom from exclusion, and freedom from oppression.

But it also unleashed our potential.

It set out an irreversible path towards progress and a shared prosperity.

Today, South Africa has the largest, most industrialized, open and diverse economy on the African continent.

Our economy is dynamic. It's enterprising, finally calibrated for growth and powered by innovation.

We have an economy that has proven itself to be remarkably resilient.

It has weathered the transition from apartheid and going even further back, from colonialism; the global financial crisis; the years of state capture that we went through; a debilitating energy crisis; and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Even amidst these strong headwinds, the South African economy has maintained core financial and institutional stability.

This year’s South Africa's investment conference takes place against a backdrop of growth as well as recovery.

Investment conferences such as this are an opportunity for us to showcase the attractiveness of investment opportunities in our country to domestic and international investors.

We are able to connect investors with local opportunities. We are also able to attract foreign direct investment. And these conferences help to facilitate strong partnerships by bringing together governments, business banks, development finance and finance institutions.

They also bring together people - ordinary people, who are able to move from contact to contact and are able, even during their tea breaks or coffee breaks, to have a conversation, exchange cards and to talk about each other's businesses.

Under the National the Government of National Unity that was formed after the 2024 elections, we have recorded four consecutive quarters of growth into early 2026 and our economy is creating more jobs.

Inflation, as we have heard, is stable and is converging towards our 3 per cent target.

Our sovereign rating has been upgraded, and last year we were removed from the Financial Action Task Force grey list.

Last year, South Africa hosted the first summit of the G20 on African soil.

Our G20 Presidency elevated South Africa's global profile and deepened bilateral relationships that are today reflected in investment commitments from 15 source markets across the five continents.

We are meeting at a time of uncertainty for the global economy.

Geopolitical fragmentation, supply chain disruptions from conflicts and wars and trade tensions are radically impacting global capital flows.

In such conditions, South Africa presents what I would call a favorable proposition as a resilient, credible and reform oriented investment destination with strong fundamentals.

Your presence here as businesspeople and investors and bankers today signals that as investors, you see what we see - real and enduring potential, long term value and untapped opportunity.

Today we have with us more than 1 200 delegates from more than 50 countries around the world who believe in South Africa's potential and see this as a favorable place to invest and to do business.

You are here because you want to be part of our growth story.

Between 2018 and 2023, having set a target of attracting R 1.2 trillion in investments – we attracted 1.5 trillion in credible, verifiable investment commitments in energy, in telecommunications, in infrastructure, property, mining, advanced manufacturing and across a range of other sectors.

This proved that South Africa is an investable market, but more importantly, it also showed that South Africa is ready to do business.

Our investment strategy is anchored in sectors that will drive growth and create jobs at scale, including manufacturing, mining, beneficiation, digital infrastructure, agriculture and the green industrialization sector.

This sixth South African investment conference is being convened under the three D’s framework that we have crafted for to label our investment drive.

These are decarbonisation, digitization and diversification, and talk to the direction we want our investment drive to take place - with the ease of doing business being a cross cutting theme.

We know that as investors, you tend to reward execution and not just commitment and not just talk.

You are here because you value ambition and you value a clear vision.

As investors, you are looking to destinations that have strong fundamentals, that are resilient, credible and reform oriented. And the South African economy meets these criteria.

The sixth South Africa Investment conference stands at the crossroads of opportunity and ambition, ready to turn pledges into projects on the ground.

The shift in our economic trajectory that are that we are witnessing now is the result of deliberate, sustained structural reform that we have embarked upon as a government.

And to do this, we set up a facility; a structure that we call Operation Vulindlela, meaning to open the way in isiZulu, one of our 12 official languages.

It is a joint initiative of the Presidency the National Treasury, bringing together all the other key departments in our government.

It is helping us to get rid of the silo mentality that often prevails in government, and this has enabled us to implement far reaching economic reforms for rapid growth.

Its mandate is simple, to reduce the cost and the risk of investing in South Africa, not through speeches like what I am doing now, but through measurable implementation.

The twin pillars of structural reform and policy responsiveness have enabled us to bring about far reaching changes that are supporting our improved economic performance.

A key priority for Operation Vulindlela from the onset was the crucial building block of solving our visa challenges. And this came about because a number of businesspeople had been experiencing challenges in that regard.

We know that investors aren’t just deploying capital. You need to establish a physical presence without undue bureaucratic delays. This is particularly critical for multinational firms that require seamless movement across borders.

We have implemented reforms to the visa regime to attract new skills and promote tourism, creating more flexible pathways for skilled immigrants through a points-based system and introducing a Trusted Employer Scheme to provide a fast-track visa process for major investors.

The electricity sector has undergone the most significant transformation since the advent of our democracy.

We have restructured national power utility, Eskom, established a National Transmission Company as an independent operator, and created a transparent, rules based framework for grid access that private investors require.

We know that as we are restructuring our energy architecture, there are a number of generators using solar, wind and many other sources of energy.

As they do so, they need to have the hope and the trust that their generation and input into the transmission is going to be well managed.

Through the National Energy Action Plan that I announced in 2022, we have brought an end to load shedding and ensured a reliable supply of electricity.

This is essential to allow businesses to operate and make decisions to invest.

Regulatory reforms in the electricity sector have already unlocked a significant and growing pipeline of investment, with more than 220 gigawatts of renewable energy projects in development, and 36 gigawatts already in the grid connection process.

Over the next five years, we will add massive new solar, wind and battery storage capacity to transition our economy towards cheap green energy and sources at scale.

We are now moving rapidly to establish a competitive wholesale electricity market and to complete the unbundling of Eskom through the establishment of a fully independent transmission operator.

At the same time, we are moving to enable private investment in expanding our transmission network through independent transmission projects.

The Minister of Electricity and Energy is working diligently to make sure that this happens.

Transitioning to a low-carbon climate resilient economy and a society remains a priority and is in line with our international climate commitments at the United

Nations, as well as our ambitious Nationally Determined Contribution to combat climate change.

Decarbonisation is the pillar of our investment strategy. It will create new investors, new industries, new jobs and new opportunities in green hydrogen, battery storage vehicle, electric vehicle manufacturing and in the manufacture of components and infrastructure that is decarbonizing the world.

The R 29 billion in confirmed renewable energy investments today is really a vote of confidence in our rapidly transforming energy sector.

South Africa's abundant mineral reserves make us uniquely placed to leverage the growing global demand for critical minerals needed for clean energy, for hybrid
electric and new energy vehicles (NEV’s), technological applications, and by other heavy industries.

As the producer of more than 70 per cent of the world's platinum group metals and with some of the world's largest manganese and chrome reserves, we are well
positioned as a strategic partner in this rapidly growing sector.

We have been firm that the energy transition must be just, and that it should leave no one behind.

This is important for us, because there are communities and workers who could be left behind as we transit to renewable energy, and our view is that we need to take them along.

They must find new jobs. They must be retrained. They must be “up trained“ and upskilled.

Our Just Energy Transition Investment Plan of 2023 - 2027 is a blueprint for decarbonising our economy and achieving energy security, whilst at the same time supporting affected communities and industries.

Efficiency in the network industries is the backbone of a competitive economy.

As we have done with the electricity sector, we are driving a series of reforms in the logistics sector to build world class rail networks and ports that are efficient, that are competitive and that will support our exports.

The cornerstone of our reform program is the National Rail Policy, complemented by the National Freight Logistics Roadmap that has been crafted.

These policies enable private investment in port and rail operations.

We have crafted an environment where the public sector and the private sector can

work together side by side to create value for our country.

Last year, we also signed a 25-year concession for the Durban container terminal, representing R 11 billion in private investment in one of South Africa's and most critical logistic notes.

A transparent and effective regime for third party access to the freight rail network is now in place. This is a demonstration by South Africa that we are willing and open to working with the private sector so that there can be mutual benefit for all.

Forty-one freight rail slots have been allocated to private train operating companies, and we expect the first private operator to commence operations in 2027.

By ending inefficient monopolies and introducing competition, we will reduce the cost of electricity and transport over time, enabling manufacturing, mining, agriculture and other industries to thrive and to compete, rather than just to continuously rely on one monopoly.

With one monopoly, innovation is quite lacking. With one monopoly, there are inefficiencies that come in.

So, with diverse operators, we find competition actually has greater benefits.

Digital Transformation holds significant potential for economic growth and investment.

South Africa already has world class digital infrastructure, near universal Internet access and smartphone penetration and a regulatory environment that enables
innovation.

We are implementing reforms that will create a digitally enabled economy and position our country as a leading hub for digital and financial services.

In these ways, we are positioning South Africa to become a major player in the economy of the future, combining the lowest cost solar and wind power in the world
with advanced digital infrastructure and a skilled workforce that can compete at a global level.

The water sector is another area where we need to focus more intently.

Reliable water access, governed by an equitable, transparent regulatory regime is key for business stability.

We have put in place a set of interventions to transform the provision as well as the management of water services across the country.

We are a water scarce country and therefore needed to pay closer attention to water supply challenges.

We are prioritizing reforms at the provincial and local government level in both the immediate and long term that will create a sustainable, well- functioning water system.

Firstly, we are establishing professionally run water utilities in all of our eight metropolitan cities with water revenues ring fenced properly and invested back into maintaining and expanding water infrastructure.

Secondly, we are establishing a robust regulatory framework to ensure that water service providers do perform their functions effectively.

We have embarked on a massive water infrastructure build program, including dam construction, distribution infrastructure upgrades, bulk water expansion and desalination.

One such project is phase two of the Lesotho Highlands water project that is targeted for completion by 2028.

These projects will be overseen by a new National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency.

The water sector is ripe for investment, and we have set up a dedicated Water Partnerships Office to facilitate private sector participation in areas such as reducing
non-revenue water investing in waste, water treatment, water desalination and reuse of water, with more than R 50 billion rand in projects already in development. So great opportunities are abundant.

Our structural reform agenda has laid the foundations, and now we are harnessing its momentum.

We are embarking on the largest and most ambitious cycle of infrastructure investment in our country's history.

Infrastructure, as I often say, is the flywheel that propels economic growth. It boosts productivity. It propels trade and reduces the cost of doing business. It creates immediate and meaningful employment opportunities at scale.

With this unprecedented investment, we are kick starting the cycle.

Over the next three years, the state has budgeted for will be investing more than R1 trillion or approximately USD 58 billion in modernising and expanding public infrastructure across South Africa.

This includes R 950 billion rand in planned infrastructure investment spending.

As much as R 375 billion has been allocated to state owned enterprises to support, maintain and upgrade and also expand infrastructure facilities.

In addition to this, our state owned enterprises have budgeted for major infrastructure projects for the medium term.

The South African National Road agency will be investing between R 300 and 400 billion for upgrading and maintaining our national road infrastructure.

Up to R 250 billion is being invested in ports and logistics and modernization, which is driven by our state owned enterprise, Transnet.

The Port of Durban, one of the busiest ports on the continent, is being expanded to handle high container volumes and to improve efficiency - with similar upgrades in Cape Town and the Port of Ngqura in the Eastern Cape.

A combined total of approximately R420 billion will be utilized by the Passenger Rail Agency for rebuilding corridors and a multi-year rolling stock programme, and to Transnet for network expansion.

As I indicated earlier, the water sector has been earmarked for substantial public investment, with projects in the pipeline, including the Olifants River Management Model and to UMkhomazi dam that is linked to Phase Two of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project.

Over the next three years, we will be investing more money in energy generation to support the Department of Energy's roadmap for long term energy security. 

Other projects in the investment pipeline are to upgrade our airports to ensure that they have sufficient investments and are also able to improve their own logistics.

And in doing so, we're moving forward one project at a time.

One project of which we are particularly proud is the R 5 billion rand investment to extend the capacity of the Square Kilometer Array, the radio telescope project in the Karoo in the Northern Cape.

The SKA is currently building two supercomputers that, once completed, will be the most and will be amongst the fastest computers in the world.

This isn't just a statement to the value of strategic public investment in digital infrastructure.

It is also the reflection of South Africa's scientific excellence and world class scientific research output.

This showcases South Africa, showing that we are up there with many other countries.

To get this facility, we competed with countries such as Australia, the UK, Canada, and a number of other countries. In the end it was brought here.

It is a true wonder to see, and it is in none other place than South Africa, one of the smallest countries in the world. We are proud of that.

The location of the SKA is like the desert, the hottest place in our country. These magnificently big telescopes scan the whole universe and keep on producing some of the most outstanding photographs of what happens and continues to happen in the outer space.

For them to be building one of the biggest and fastest computers is something that possibly could never have been thought of to come out of Africa.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In my State of the Nation Address last month, I said that we will be utilizing innovative funding methods that will reduce and attract investors to fast track investment infrastructure projects.

One of these is the infrastructure fund that we established out of the need to deploy blended finance to infrastructure development.

Last year, the Fund approved blended finance projects with a combined value of approximately R 38 billion in water sanitation, student accommodation, health, energy and transport.

Last year, we also issued regulations for public private partnerships in support of attracting more private sector participation investment in the national infrastructure build.

We are also deploying innovative instruments such as the Credit Guarantee Vehicle to de risk private investment in infrastructure.

As South Africa, we remain committed to staying the cause on fiscal discipline and to accelerating momentum of the reform agenda.

The Minister of Finance in announcing his budget this year focused on the issue of fiscal discipline, and that is what we are irrevocably committed to. But also, to leverage investments to build an economy that is inclusive, that is transformed and that benefits all South Africans.

Unlike the economy that we had under apartheid that just benefited a few, the transformation of our economy is necessary to drive sustained growth, reduce inequality and correct the imbalances and injustices of the past.

We are undertaking a review to refine, to realign and strengthen our Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment framework, to ensure that it supports transformation, while at the same time enabling investment and growth.

There are those who say it is an impediment to investment, and we say it is actually one of the key ingredients that will enhance investment and growth as well.

Black Economic Empowerment provides a foundation for inclusive growth by expanding participation in the economy, enabling us to harness the skills and contribution of all South Africans.

What makes South Africa's empowerment laws distinct is that they are practical and innovative. They are inclusive, and they give a clear guarantee to everyone that growth should be shared.

In addition to pure equity participation measures, we have also, we also have what we call an Equity Equivalent Investment Programme, the EEIP.

It was created to accommodate multinational companies whose global practices or policies prevent them from complying with our empowerment laws of ownership. It enables them to invest in socio economic and skills development as well as enterprise development without having to sell equity in their local subsidiaries.

Since its inception, the EEIP has onboarded some of the world's leading multinational firms who have leveraged the program to direct investment in local development, to incubate black, youth and women owned businesses and to fund skills development.

What they have done through this it to make themselves a truly South African corporate citizen.

Our overriding objective is to support firms with compliance and to embrace empowerment as a meaningful investment in South Africa's long term economic stability.

Ladies and gentlemen,

As I conclude, we would like that investments that are made should, in the end, deliver measurable benefits, not only to one segment, the stakeholders in business, but to all investment projects.

They must include clear local content plans, formal skills transfer initiatives, community development commitments and transparent environmental safeguards.

The skilling of our people, especially young people, is critical as we embark on the skills revolution, which is underpinned by a dual training system that we are embarking on now.

We are expanding programs that will link training with universities and colleges and companies to create the pipeline of technicians and project managers and engineers
that are needed in our economy.

This is but an overview of the scale of the deep transformative changes that are taking place in South Africa in our economy, as we seek to position ourselves as an investment destination.

Our progress continues to be acknowledged by our international and continental development partners.

During our G20 Presidency we concluded a clean trade and investment partnership with the European Union valued at approximately EUR 12 billion, which amounts to
about R 237 billion. This was around the Just Energy Transition, infrastructure, skills, pharmaceutical manufacturing and other sub industries.

The African Development Bank has also confirmed R 20 billion for the 2026 financial year directed at infrastructure, energy transition, human capital and governance.

In addition, the SA–Afreximbank Investment Facility anchored by Afreximbank’s R176 billion commitment to South Africa is a structural instrument that will channel
concessional capital into the sectors where this Second Drive requires it most.

The New Development Bank, the BRICS Bank has also indicated that they will make approximately R 34 billion rand available for 2026-2027 period.

At standard leverage ratios, the development finance institution commitments alone can mobilise between R393 billion and R786 billion in additional private investment over the drive horizon.

This is what partnerships at scale looks like, and this is the type of partnership that we appreciate here in South Africa.

This year’s South Africa investment Conference marks the formal transition from recovery to expansion, from rebuilding confidence to accelerating growth in our economy.

I have laid out just some of the sectors of our economy that are ripe for investment. 

More extensive opportunities also exist in agriculture, in agro- processing, in professional and financial services, in property, in digital technologies, advanced
manufacturing and other high-growth industries across the breadth and range of the South African economy.

Today, we are formally launching the second Presidential Investment Mobilization Drive with a target of R 2 trillion in new investment over the next five years.

The last time we said R 1.2 trillion which I think was being too modest. Now we are saying we want R 2 trillion.

I think it could and should be a lot higher, but I want to hear what your thoughts are, and your thoughts will be exemplified to me by making commitments that will just top the R 2 trillion mark.

In the maths of what South Africa requires to achieve growth meaningfully, we need to address the challenges that we face, mainly unemployment and to industrialize our country at scale. We aim to lead Africa's green transition and to build the infrastructure on which our people's future depends.

We do so with a keen appreciation of the current state of the foreign direct investment climate across the continent.

Africa as a whole accounts for only 4 per cent of global FDI, and recent increases have been driven largely by once off mega projects such as the USD 35 billion development in Egypt and also the Lubito Corridor investment.

Although we remain a significant continental player, accounting For between 15 and 20 per cent of Africa's total FDI, our growth depends heavily on domestic investment.

The opening position of the second drive is the R415 billion confirmed fixed investment and R 474,8 billion in DFI being announced in this room today. That brings the total to R 889,8 billion. That’s 81 projects. 9 provinces. 22 source markets. Over 230 000 permanent jobs.

Now, the mathematics that I was taught at school in an apartheid education school always taught me that you round up, you round up, and you don't round down. If a figure is closer to being rounded up, you rounded up. So, my rounding up, then brings this to R 900 billion that will be announced today.

That will be in 81 projects, nine provinces, 22 source markets, and over 230,000 permanent jobs that will be created that will have an impact on our economy. It has an impact on our people.

This is only the start of an era of new growth and dynamism for the South African economy.

The Accountability Framework is unchanged from the first drive.

Every investment announcement that will be made here will be vetted and signed and will represent a firm commitment by business leaders in this room.

Every year we will report back on what has been promised and what has been delivered.

As we seek to deepen our trade and investment relations as South Africa, we remain committed to maintaining policy certainty and to accelerating the momentum of the structural reform agenda that we are on.

A question is often asked, Is this momentum of reform sustainable? Will we see it being sustained into the future?

And my simple answer is yes.

The the reform process that we are on now is irrevocable and irreversible, because it is in the interests of our economy and of our people.

We have to transform and reform our economy so as to make it inclusive, so that all South Africans can benefit – and to enable key stakeholders to invest and make profits.

Labour must benefit. Workers should be well paid and get living wages.

Communities must feel it when businesses invest in their environments, and those businesses become good corporate citizens and be part of the community.

As for government, we are the enablers.

We will continue enabling businesses to grow for we have one interest, grow the economy, get tax revenues and continue to advance the interests of our people.

We are creating the conditions for investment led growth that is broad based, inclusive and durable.

So let us all move forward together with confidence, with partnership and with a shared commitment to enhance South Africa's future.

For as you invest, you advance the interests of our country.

As you invest, we know that you make profits, and South Africa is ready for business.

We are open for business, and we have positioned South Africa as a more conducive place to invest your money.

You can depend on South Africa.

We are reliable. We are dependable, and we are a good investment destination.

Thank you very much.

The Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Nonceba Mhlauli, will moderate a high-level panel discussion on “Skills for the Digital and Green Economy” at the South Africa Investment Conference.

The session will explore how South Africa’s skills pipeline is emerging as a key investment enabler, with a focus on workforce development, coding education, cloud skills, and digital infrastructure. The discussion will bring together leaders from technology, investment, and employment sectors to examine how talent is being developed, matched to opportunity, and scaled to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving economy.

The panel will follow a TED-style talk that frames South Africa’s skills ecosystem as a competitive advantage for investors, highlighting the shift from a perceived skills shortage to a challenge of access and matching talent to opportunity.

Panelists include:
Nyari Samushonga, CEO of WeThinkCode_
Laura Fitoussi, Director at Prosus
Busi Khaba, Amazon Web Services
Sandile Dube, Managing Director, Equinix South Africa
Ravi Naidoo, CEO, Youth Employment Service (YES)
Event Details:

Event: South Africa Investment Conference 2026
Session: Session 19 – Skills for the Digital and Green Economy
Date: 31 March 2026
Time: 16:00 – 17:00
Venue: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg
Room: Room 3

Key Discussion Themes:
Positioning South Africa’s skills pipeline as an investment asset
Expanding access to coding and digital skills development
Building cloud and digital infrastructure capabilities
Aligning workforce development with investor needs
Unlocking youth employment through scalable partnerships

Accredited Media are invited to the session.  

Media enquiries: Mandisa Mbele, MandisaM@Presidency.gov.za / 082 580 2213

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Tuesday, 31 March 2026, address the Sixth South Africa Investment Conference (SAIC) at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

Launched in 2018 by President Ramaphosa, the South Africa Investment Conference has become the country’s premier platform for attracting both domestic and international investors, and for showcasing South Africa’s investment potential and sustained economic reforms.

The South Africa Investment Conference is the country’s flagship platform to position South Africa as a credible, competitive and forward-looking investment destination in a rapidly changing global economy.

Anchored in the theme “Invest. Partner. Prosper.”, the Conference brings together government, global investors, development finance institutions and strategic partners to advance investment-led growth and strengthen South Africa’s role as a gateway for investment into the African continent.

The Investment Conference is structured as a coherent investment platform that moves from reform credibility to investor confidence, to deployable opportunities and long-term global partnerships, ensuring alignment between South Africa’s domestic development priorities and international investment interests.

The 2026 conference marks a strategic transition from high-level planning to a focused phase of delivery, as government accelerates the implementation of investment commitments.

The conference aims to mobilise investors as South Africa targets an additional R2 trillion in investment commitments over the next five years, building on the success of the first five conferences which collectively secured R1.5 trillion in commitments, with over R600 billion already invested in the economy.

These investments have contributed to the establishment of new factories, mines and industrial facilities, playing a critical role in advancing South Africa’s socio-economic development through job creation, poverty reduction and efforts to address inequality.

Held under the framework of the “3Ds” — Digitisation, Decarbonisation and Diversification — the conference positions South Africa as a competitive, reforming and future-focused economy, while highlighting opportunities in technology, clean energy and expanded trade partnerships across the African continent.

The conference also serves as the formal launch platform of South Africa’s Second Investment Drive and is aligned with the priorities of the 7th Administration, including inclusive economic growth, employment creation, infrastructure development and economic reform.

The conference takes place at a time of improved investor confidence, underpinned by progress in key structural reforms, including enhanced energy reliability, infrastructure development and economic recovery initiatives.

President Ramaphosa will address the conference as follows:
Date: Tuesday, 31 March 2026
Time: 09h00
Venue: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

Programme Director, 
Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr. Velenkosini Hlabisa,
Premier of the Free State, Ms. MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
MECs,
Executive Mayors,
Officials,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning and thank you for availing yourselves for today’s engagement. 

Allow me to begin by commending Premier Letsoha-Mathae and the provincial leadership on the ambitious, future-facing and outcomes-oriented State of the Province address last month.

I was particularly struck by the attention to detail given to the initiatives planned for the year ahead, particularly around youth job creation, vocational training for young people, support for the agricultural sector, township economy revitalization and others. 

This is what the District Development Model we initiated in 2019 is all about – namely the finer, granular details of not just what is being done to localize development, but also the ‘how ‘and the ‘when.’

Timeous implementation is the yardstick by which we are measured, and also by which we will be judged.

We look forward to the presentation from the Premier on the priorities, challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the Free State.

We also wish to congratulate the Free State for achieving an 89,33 per cent pass rate in the 2025 matriculation examinations, the second highest in the country. 

Naturally this came as something of a damper because the province had been on a six-year streak with the highest pass rate. Nonetheless this is a fine achievement, and we certainly look forward to the province reclaiming the first place crown next year.

This is the eighth engagement between the National Executive and provincial leadership, with the first having commenced in late 2024. We will be meeting with the leadership of all nine provinces in due course. 

The purpose of this engagement is to see how we can work smarter and in a more integrated manner to drive inclusive growth and job creation; to reduce poverty and tackle the high cost of living; and build a capable, ethical and developmental state. 

Achieving our collective strategic goals necessitates that we deepen cooperation between the different spheres of government as mandated by our Constitution.

With the State of the Nation address having given the line of march, as it were, we are here to offer our support, and also our counsel.

Being agile and responsive is a hallmark of the capable, ethical and developmental state we are striving to build, and we are also here to listen.

Having members of the National Executive here today offers you an opportunity to raise the urgencies requiring their attention directly.

This engagement is really opening an additional channel of communication beyond what already exists within the intergovernmental relations framework, like the President’s Coordinating Council (PCC)

Colleagues,

The DDM model acknowledges the direct correlation between delivering on our mandate, and the state of local government.

When local government is effective, capacitated, and professional, service delivery is improved. With effective financial management and strong, accountable leadership in local government, we are responsive to the needs of citizens and enjoy their trust. 

When there are weaknesses or failings at local government, it isn’t just service delivery that suffers, but the trust between government and citizens becomes frayed. 

To put it quite bluntly, across much if not most of the country, local government is in crisis.

As of 2025, 35 of our country’s 257 municipalities were classified as distressed, and approximately 63 per cent were classified as being at risk. 

The number of municipalities across the country being placed under administration is growing, including seven here in the Free State.

We are alive to the realities and to the magnitude of this problem. 

Underfunding, lack of capacity, high debt and struggling revenue generation models are just some of the challenges. At the same time, many municipalities are practically paralysed by poor governance, financial mismanagement and corruption.  

Premier, in your State of the Province address you characterised fixing local government as regaining our pride, and I wholly concur.

In this year’s State of the Nation address I outlined the steps we will be taking to strengthen local government, including reviewing the funding model for municipalities and establishing ring-fenced utilities for water and electricity services.

We will also be undertaking extensive consultations around the updated White Paper on Local Government during the course of this year.

Restoring the fortunes of local government must be at the center of our efforts if we are to attract investment that creates jobs and boosts the provincial economy.

Next week we will be hosting the sixth South Africa Investment Conference in Gauteng, and I will be making the point, as I have done every year, that all our nine provinces are ripe for foreign and domestic investment.

The Free State is uniquely positioned to be at the heart of our country’s economic growth story. 

It is strategically located, making it a natural logistics and distribution hub linking major economic centers.

The province has extensive agricultural capacity, contributes significantly to our nation’s food security, and has a growing agro-processing sector.

Mining is well-established here, with increasing opportunities in manufacturing and beneficiation. The province is also leveraging its natural resources to generate renewable energy and for battery storage.

The Free State’s urban centers that are already administrative hubs are well-positioned to attract investment in professional services, education and sectors.

These endowments and advantages must be leveraged to drive inclusive growth and create jobs. 

With the necessary support, focus and direction, guided by the provincial One Plan developed under the DDM, the Free State’s full potential must be unleashed.

I have said, colleagues, that we are also here to listen: not only to what is not going well, but also to hear from you what is being done well and what lessons can be drawn.

For example, the Free State is leading the way in providing comprehensive agricultural support to emerging farmers and in implementing food security initiatives in vulnerable communities. 

During the last financial year, the province also exceeded its work opportunities targets through the Expanded Public Works Programme, reaching more than 46 000 beneficiaries. 

The Free State also continues to register successes in the provision of health services, notably around HIV/Aids and TB. There has also been notable progress in fighting crime. 

In your State of the Province address, Premier, you indicated that by the end of June 2025, that 93 per cent of Municipal Infrastructure Grants (MIG) had been spent on providing and maintaining public infrastructure. 

Considering the well-known problem of municipalities underspending on conditional grants for municipal infrastructure, this is truly commendable.  
As National Treasury forges ahead with plans to reform the way in which local government is currently being funded, we look forward to hearing more on the  
Free State’s experience with the MIG and other grants.

As you build on the progress made over the past year, be assured of our full support as the National Executive.

This year marks 30 years since our democratic Constitution was signed into law. The Constitution enjoins on us to work together to free the potential of and improve the lives of every citizen, to advance the Bill of Rights.

As much as introspection is necessary and critical, let us at the same time cast our horizons to the future we aspire to. 

Inasmuch as we need drill down what the challenges, obstacles and bottlenecks are, this must be matched by solutions, and timelines for implementing them. This would be time well and effectively spent today.

We are one government, united by One Constitution for One People, and it is in this spirit of cooperation that I would like our deliberations today to proceed. 

So welcome once again and I look forward to our discussions.

I thank you.
 

Programme Director, Ms Lin Honghong, Director General of CCPIT 
Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, His Excellency Mr Han Zheng;
Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition of the Republic of South Africa, Ms Alexandra Abrahams, Deputy Minister of International Relations, Ms Thandi Moraka and all Deputy Ministers here present;
Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Zhang Li and all Assistant Ministers here present;
Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Mr Ren Hongbin;
Business Leaders from China and South Africa;
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a privilege to address this Economic and Trade Forum, convened in the wake of the 9th Session of the Bi-National Commission, which I had the honour of co-chairing yesterday with His Excellency Vice President Han Zheng.

The conclusion of the Commission’s work marks a significant milestone in South Africa’s journey of a thousand miles with China. This is a journey that began with a single step in the year 2000, when our two nations agreed to establish the Bi National Commission on the founding principle of equality, mutual respect, and shared progress.

Together, we have built bridges of trade and investment, strengthened the pillars of cooperation, and opened doors of opportunity for our peoples.

We have also expanded sectoral collaboration in broad areas of tourism, mineral resources, environment, science & technology, education, and culture.

Economic cooperation remains central to government collaboration. Efforts are focused on restructuring trade to enhance value-added exports to China. 

This has positioned South Africa as China’s largest trade partner in Africa and its top global partner. As a result, bilateral trade grew by 6.4%, rising from USD 34.2 billion in 2024 to USD 36.4 billion in 2025.

The work that we have done as Governments has also paved the way for China to invest USD8.11 billion in 103 FDI projects, creating a total of 5 694 jobs in South Africa.

On the other hand, there is a group of South African companies that collectively invested USD 689 million into China in the health, ICT, financial services, manufacturing, and services sectors.

However, there is still much work to be done to diversify our exports from raw commodities and to strengthen South Africa’s industrial base in electric vehicle and battery manufacturing.

South Africa is keen to draw investments across various sectors, particularly in mineral beneficiation, the hydrogen economy & clean energy, ICT technology, textiles and leather. 

Over and above what we have achieved in our government deliberations, the signing of the Framework Agreement for the China Africa Economic Partnership Agreement (CAEPA) will cement South Africa’s status as an attractive sourcing destination.

This agreement will effectively lower costs for Chinese companies importing South African goods while opening new avenues for our industries to expand their reach and competitiveness. In many ways, CAEPA is the natural outgrowth of the founding principle of our BNC.
Deputy Minister Abrahams reported on the advancements regarding the Early Harvest Agreement aimed at ensuring that South African exports destined for China will receive permanent zero-tariff treatment, contingent upon consultations with domestic trade partners in the Customs Union.

We also believe that the CAEPA solidifies South Africa’s status as a preferred destination for Chinese investment. Duty free access for South African exports not only makes it more profitable for Chinese firms to source semi processed and finished goods from South Africa, but it also makes the prospects of building local processing plants more viable.

This is aptly demonstrated by the incoming delegation who operate in the sectors of Biotechnology, Renewable Energy, Food and Beverage, Engineering and Construction, Oil and Gas, Utilities as well as banking and finance. These companies are regarded as innovative leaders in their sectors. We welcome that you have chosen South Africa as a home for your investment and that you are simultaneously investing in government supported priority sectors and initiatives.

For those considering South Africa for the first time, be assured that our nation offers exponential returns. Companies such as Hi-Sense have not only expanded their product lines here but have also unlocked access to the African market of 1.4 billion people. Original Equipment Manufacturers, through their investments, have discovered that South Africa is more than a gateway; it is a launchpad into continental opportunity, innovation and growth.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
South Africa opportunities that are available for investment include but are not limited to agriculture, energy sector, mineral beneficiation and infrastructure.

Our agriculture and agro processing sectors showcase South Africa’s fertile land and diverse produce, which can ultimately be transformed into high value exports to China and other regions. 

By deepening cooperation in this sector, we not only strengthen food security but also create jobs across rural communities, ensuring that prosperity reaches every corner of our nation.

Of critical importance is investment in mineral beneficiation and infrastructure development. South Africa’s mineral wealth is widely recognised, but our goal is to go beyond raw exports by processing minerals, adding value, and developing the infrastructure that supports industrial growth.

Here, Chinese investment and technology can help us unlock the full potential of our resources, while building sustainable industries that will last for generations.

In the energy sector, we see great potential in renewable energy and baseload electricity collaborations. South Africa is committed to moving toward a greener future, and with China’s expertise, we can accelerate the deployment of solar, wind, and storage technologies. Together, we can provide a reliable energy supply while fulfilling our climate commitments.

The automotive sector remains a key part of our industrial base. By expanding manufacturing and parts production, along with investments in electronics and high-tech industries, we can position South Africa as a centre for next-generation vehicles and innovation.

This is not just about vehicles, but also about creating an ecosystem of suppliers, innovators, and skilled workers who will help drive our economy forward.

Perhaps the most transformative is the hydrogen economy. South Africa has the potential to become the lowest-cost producer and exporter of green hydrogen by leveraging our abundant renewable resources. With strategic partnerships, we can lead the way into a new energy future, positioning our country as a global leader in clean fuels and sustainable industrialisation.

Finally, Ladies and gentlemen, our Special Economic Zones and Industrial Parks provide the platforms to localise production, attract investment, and foster innovation. These zones are designed to act as catalysts, bringing together infrastructure, incentives, and skilled labour to develop competitive industries capable of thriving in global markets.

There will be presentations in the technical sessions that will help to guide you in your investment journey.
What South Africa offers you is political stability, a legal environment that safeguards and protects your investments, world-class infrastructure.

Lastly, all of this will be bolstered by a catalytic partnership agreement that, once finalised, will make South Africa your most indispensable trade and investment partner.

We firmly believe that this forum serves as a platform for aligning Government strategies with private sector engagement. The issues discussed in our diplomatic and technical sessions are expected to be implemented by private sector players, leading to job creation, industrialisation, and shared prosperity. Central to this collaboration are opportunities that directly address our shared priorities.

Today, we have an opportunity to energise momentum, to turn the commitments made here into real action.

Let us take this moment to ensure that our collaboration not only brings prosperity to both our nations but also makes a meaningful contribution to Africa’s broader development agenda.

Together, we can create a future defined by resilience, inclusivity, and shared success.

I thank you. Xiè Xiè
 

Your Excellency Vice President HAN Zheng, dear colleagues and friends,

I wish to express my profound gratitude for today’s engagements and your leadership in co-chairing this successful 9th Session of the South Africa–China Bi-National Commission.

Today’s proceedings have injected renewed momentum into our bilateral relations and reaffirmed the importance of this platform as the apex mechanism guiding cooperation between the two nations

Our deliberations today have also enabled us to take stock of progress since the 8th Session and to assess implementation under the Ten-Year Strategic Programme for Cooperation.

We have noted with appreciation the outcomes of the Foreign Affairs Sectoral Committee, which reaffirmed our shared commitment to advancing development, addressing debt sustainability, strengthening climate action, and promoting the reform of international financial institutions to better reflect the interests of developing countries such as ourselves.

South Africa further welcomes the continued strengthening of coordination within multilateral platforms, including BRICS, which is playing an increasingly important role in advancing a more inclusive, equitable and multipolar global order, as well as our shared commitment to safeguarding multilateralism and the principles of the United Nations Charter.

South Africa also notes the importance of strengthening political dialogue through platforms such as the Strategic Dialogue and the Joint Working Group, which will ensure sustained engagement on regional and global priorities, and the effective implementation of BNC outcomes.

With that being said, in the area of Trade and Investment, South Africa welcomes the progress made in advancing cooperation in key sectors, including the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (NECSA) and the China National Nuclear Corporation in April 2025, as well as ongoing engagements through the China–South Africa Mining Working Group.

We are encouraged by the growing collaboration in energy planning, gas-to-power and nuclear-to-power development, as well as the shared commitment to deepen cooperation in mineral processing, beneficiation and value addition, which are critical to strengthening South Africa’s industrial base for economic growth.

South Africa further notes the importance of expanding investment cooperation, including mobilising Chinese investment into initiatives such as the Junior Mining Exploration Fund, revitalising smelters, and strengthening South Africa’s position within global value chains.

In the Environmental and Infrastructure sector, South Africa welcomes progress in cooperation on small harbours, fisheries and aquaculture, as well as ongoing negotiations on protocols and agreements that will strengthen market access and technical collaboration.

South Africa also notes the advancement of cooperation in biodiversity conservation, ecosystem management, and environmental research, including progress on agreements relating to wetlands, desert ecosystems and wildlife.

In the area of Science and Technology, we are encouraged by the agreement to expand joint research projects and flagship initiatives, as well as the strengthening of people-to-people exchanges between researchers. To this end, South Africa welcomes the growing cooperation in Artificial Intelligence, innovation and digital technologies, which will support technology localisation, skills development and the advancement of sustainable economic growth.

In the field of Education and Culture, we commend the expansion of scholarship programmes supported by our Sector Education and Training Authorities, as well as initiatives such as the Chinese STEM Bursary Programme and partnerships with institutions such as Beijing Polytechnic College.

We are encouraged by the focus on technical and vocational education and training, which is equipping young South Africans with critical skills, including in emerging sectors such as new energy vehicle technologies, which are creating pathways into employment through partnerships with industry.

In a rapidly changing global environment, shaped by shifting leadership dynamics and rising geopolitical tensions, including ongoing conflicts in regions such as the Middle East, South Africa and China, countries must continue to work together to advance shared modernisation, deepen economic cooperation, and strengthen coordination in multilateral platforms, while promoting dialogue, stability and peaceful resolution of disputes.

Your Excellency, I once again thank you for your leadership and partnership in today’s engagements and look forward to concluding our discussions later this evening at the banquet dinner hosted in your honour in Constantia Winelands, where we will have the opportunity to enjoy some of South Africa’s finest African cuisine and hospitality.
 

Let me take this opportunity to extend a warm welcome to Your Excellency Vice President HAN Zheng, and your delegation to South Africa. Your presence reflects the enduring friendship, mutual respect and shared commitment to development that underpin relations between our two nations, as the year 2026 marks 28 years since the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between South Africa and the People’s Republic of China.

We recall with appreciation the strong momentum in our bilateral relations, including my Working Visit to China in July 2025, aimed at strengthening economic and trade cooperation, followed by the meeting held in November 2025 with Premier Li Qiang of the People’s Republic of China at the NH Hotel in Sandton which advanced South Africa’s strategic objectives in trade, investment, industrialisation, multilateral cooperation and governance.

Since the establishment of the Bi-National Commission through the Pretoria Declaration in 2000, this platform in particular has served as the apex mechanism guiding and consolidating cooperation between South Africa and China.

Over nearly three decades, our bilateral relationship has grown in depth, scope and strategic importance, contributing meaningfully to economic development and reflecting our shared aspiration to accelerate development in both our countries.

This platform remains relevant today and continues to provide strategic direction for the implementation of our partnership, particularly under the Ten-Year Strategic Programme for Cooperation (2020–2029).

Therefore, my hope for today is that this meeting will guide us in consolidating progress since the 8th session, help us identify priority areas for future cooperation, and strengthen sectoral collaboration.

While South Africa maintains strong relations with all major global partners and actively participates in multilateral platforms such as the United Nations, the G20, BRICS and the International Criminal Court, our partnership with China has become increasingly prominent and continues to compare favourably with our relations with other global partners.

As we meet under the theme of advancing shared modernisation, we are reminded that our partnership must respond to a rapidly changing global environment, while advancing inclusive growth, industrial development and technological progress.

South Africa is also encouraged by the growing investment footprint of Chinese enterprises in South Africa. Investments such as the Hisense industrial park in Atlantis, Cape Town, demonstrate the potential for industrial cooperation to drive job creation, skills development, and local economic growth.

We see significant potential to further expand cooperation in infrastructure development, particularly in the modernisation of ports, rail and road networks, which remain critical to unlocking economic growth and improving regional integration.

South Africa’s approach to international relations remains guided by its national interest, which is to advance the development of its people through inclusive economic growth.

In this regard, South Africa remains committed to ensuring that its partnership with China delivers practical outcomes that improve the lives of its people and contribute to sustainable development in both our countries.

Thank you for taking the time to meet with me. We deeply value your visit to our country and trust that you will enjoy the beauty of Cape Town, including the iconic Table Mountain and its surrounding landscapes, which stand as a proud symbol of South Africa’s natural heritage and hospitality.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will tomorrow on Friday, 27 March 2026, lead an engagement between the National Executive and the Provincial Executive Council of Free State Cabinet.

The President Cabinet engagement will includes meeting with the Premier of Free State Province, Ms MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae and the entire Provincial Executive Council.

This Joint National and Free State Provincial Executive engagement will take place at the University of Free State Centenary Complex in Bloemfontein, under the theme,“A Nation that Works for All".

The visit is aligned with President Ramaphosa’s commitment to encourage closer collaboration with Provinces and Local spheres of government to  tackle service delivery challenges.
 
This initiative accords with Section 154 of the Constitution, which mandates national and provincial governments to support and strengthen capacity of municipalities in governance.

The joint meeting will be the eighth engagement between National Executive and various Provinces. This follows interactions with provincial governments of KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and North West.

Free State Province will elaborate on the challenges and opportunities that exist for inclusive economic growth and service delivery and its envisaged proposed solutions.

Free State has solidified its position as the preferred renewable energy investment destination, currently tracking projects with a capital investment exceeding R100 billion. These projects, including Khauta Solar Project and Mulilo Battery Energy Storage Project, which are central to strengthening national grid and creating sustainable jobs.

President Ramaphosa will be accompanied by Ministers and Deputy Ministers and senior government officials.

Interested media will be able to cover President's opening address before closed session.

Note that media accreditation process are covered through GCIS platforms.

The Joint National Cabinet Meeting are arranged as follows:
Date: Friday, 27 March 2026
Time: 08h00
Venue: Centenary Complex, University of Free State, Bloemfontein, Free State Province

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za / Mpho Sikisi, Spokesperson to the Premier of the Free State on 073 828 8935 or mpho.sikisi@fspremier.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

Programme Director,
Founder and CEO of Ninety One, Mr. Hendrik du Toit,
Chairman of Ninety One, Mr. Gareth Penny,
Management and staff of Ninety One,
Guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Good Evening,

It is a pleasure indeed to be here; and thank you to Ninety One for the invitation.

Today we aren’t just opening new offices. This investment signals a long-term commitment to South Africa and its future. It is a tangible demonstration of confidence in our economy, and a step forward in our national ambition to be a global financial services hub. 

We are also here to celebrate 35 years of Ninety One as an unmistakably, proudly South African business with a global footprint. 

Ninety One was founded as Investec Asset Management in 1991, when South Africa was on the cusp of change. As our democracy has evolved and matured, the company has continued to grow. 

The Ninety One journey has been a story of innovation; of developing home-grown South African talent; and of a commitment to sustainable investing.

Ninety One’s success reflects the abundance of local expertise in our country and the strength of our financial sector as a key pillar of our economy.

The financial sector provides direct and indirect employment to nearly 3 million South Africans and contributes approximately 25 per cent of corporate income tax revenues.

It accounts for more than one fifth of our GDP, and in 2025 was one of the leading drivers of growth. 

The depth and sophistication of our financial markets is one of our most important strengths as a country, underpinned by an independent Reserve Bank and a robust, enabling regulatory environment.

The financial sector plays a key role in financing development in our economy, from investing in South African businesses to building infrastructure.

In times like these, when the global economy faces significant instability and uncertainty, we can rely on the strength of our financial system to withstand disruption and absorb shocks.

We will keep working to grow our financial sector, to modernize and strengthen our regulations, and to position ourselves as a premier global destination for financial services firms to locate their African and emerging market operations.

At last year’s Financial Sector Competitiveness Lekgotla, the National Treasury highlighted some of the ways in which we are working to reduce the cost of capital and to channel more financing towards infrastructure projects.

Despite the current headwinds, we gather here at a time of hope for South Africa.

There are many, many reasons to be optimistic about South Africa’s prospects, and to believe that the economy is turning a corner. 

We have experienced four consecutive quarters of GDP growth, national debt has stabilized, and we have generated a primary budget surplus for three consecutive years.

Across the world, investors are looking at South Africa with renewed interest, as an emerging market with strong institutions, sound policy and a solid track record of reform. 

The tangible improvements in our economic performance that we are experiencing now are the result of a sustained, multi-year effort to reform our economy and to fix what was broken.

The crippling electricity crisis has ended, investment is on the rise, and the economy is creating more jobs. 

We have implemented far-reaching reforms in our energy sector to enable private investment and are moving to restructure Eskom and establish a fully independent Transmission System Operator to create a level playing field for competition. 

We have also seen improvements in our rail network and ports, enabling us to increase exports. We have concluded the first major private sector partnership at the Durban Pier 2 Container Terminal, the largest port terminal in our country, and are on track to introduce open access to the rail system this year.

The state is on a massive infrastructure build drive, and we will spend more than R1 trillion on infrastructure over the next three years.

Through streamlined PPP regulations, budget reforms, and innovative risk mitigation mechanisms such as the Credit Guarantee Vehicle, we will use this funding to catalyse significantly more private investment.

We have brought stability to key state-owned enterprises and restored sound governance, repairing the damage wrought by corruption and state capture. 

Last year, we achieved two major milestones: our first sovereign credit ratings upgrade in nearly 20 years, and South Africa’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force grey-list.

The private sector shares credit for the economic progress we are witnessing. It is the outcome of deep and sustained partnerships between government and business to unlock growth and opportunity. 

All of our efforts have been driven by the simple conviction that we can achieve more when we work together.

We have sought to change the culture of government: to build a government that is more open, more transparent, more willing to engage, to listen, and to collaborate with others.

Institutions like Ninety One are key partners in our drive to mobilise capital for our nation’s development.

The economic progress we have made signal to the world that South Africa is not only open for business but firmly on the path to recovery. With its long and established presence at home combined with a global footprint, Ninety One can play a leading role in elevating the prominence, stature and scale of our financial sector.

This company stands as proof that we more than have what it takes, that our local talent is world class, and that our ambitions are well-placed. 

And so, we say once more congratulations on the opening of your impressive new offices. With this opening you bring our aspiration of becoming a leading financial hub for Africa and the world all the closer to becoming reality.

I thank you.