Programme Director;
President of the Board of the American Chamber of Commerce, Mr Kuseni Dlamini;
Members of the Board of Directors;
CEO of the Chamber, Ms Michelle Constant;
Representatives of US and South African business;
Distinguished guests;
Ladies and gentlemen. 

Thank you to the American Chamber of Commerce South Africa for this invitation. 

I welcome this opportunity for engagement as we work together to strengthen economic ties between South Africa and the United States.

The American Chamber of Commerce in South Africa has been a constructive, committed and valued partner for close to half a century.

It remains a credible voice for US business in South Africa.

Importantly, it is a firm advocate for strengthening trade, investment and commercial ties between South Africa and the United States.

Since the Government of National Unity came into office, we have been focused on our apex strategic priority to drive inclusive growth and create employment. 

We see US business as integral to achieving this priority.

At the same time, the growth of our economy and the creation of jobs is good for US companies doing business in South Africa.

It creates more opportunities, expands potential markets, introduces more suppliers and expands the pool of talent from which companies can draw.

The United States has long been a major source of foreign direct investment in South Africa. 

There are more than 600 American companies operating here. 

It is estimated that US companies employ more than 250,000 South Africans.

These companies invest in South Africa because they achieve valuable returns.

They invest because South Africa has significant resources. We have large reserves of critical minerals, abundant renewable energy sources and a young and capable workforce.

This is underpinned by stable institutions, the rule of law, advanced infrastructure and deep capital markets.

Not only do these companies have access to the South African market, but they see great potential for expansion into the vast African market.

There are a number of South African companies operating in the US market, which create jobs for Americans and contribute to the US economy.

Both sides see the clear gains to be made from investing in each other's markets. 

We were encouraged by the presence of more than 600 US business leaders at the B20 Summit in Johannesburg in November last year.

This show of force on the part of US business was a resounding signal of confidence, trust and friendship. 

We also see significant opportunities for expanding bilateral trade between South Africa and the United States.

Our trade relations have historically been complementary in nature.

South Africa’s exports to the United States support the development of US industries and provide American consumers with choice.

The goods and services we import from the US in turn support the development of our economy and are helping to equip South Africa for a changing global economy.

We recently held a critical minerals forum in Washington, with key US government departments and business. 

We will continue work to develop a critical minerals framework that can ensure that we continue to be a strategic supplier of critical minerals to the US. 

At the same time, we want to develop collaborative programmes that increase investment in this important sector in our economy. 

We appreciate that our trade relations face several challenges.

The US administration has been forthright in its assessment of our trade relations and we welcome its willingness to engage with South Africa to address concerns.

Recently we have had several positive signals from the United States. 

We are actively engaged with various committees both in the House and the Senate on the renewal of AGOA.

At the same time, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition remains engaged with the US Trade Representative.

We are committed to working together more closely and with greater focus to achieve a trade agreement that is mutually beneficial.

There is a great deal that we can offer each other and there is no reason why we can’t reach agreement on areas of difference. 

As we continue the work to strengthen economic ties, we are committed to rebuild political and diplomatic relations between our two countries.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of receiving the credentials of the new US Ambassador to South Africa, Ambassador Bozell.

Through the engagements that have taken place since his arrival in the country, I believe we have made progress in developing a common understanding of the issues that continue for the moment to define our relationship.

Ambassador Bozell has made deepening our commercial trade a priority. 

I understand that the Ambassador wants to double the amount of US companies operating in South Africa. 

This is an ambition that we wholeheartedly support and that we hope to work together to achieve. 

South Africa is at an important moment of economic renewal. 

The measures we have undertaken over the last few years to rebuild our economy are bearing fruit. 

Electricity supply has stabilised and Eskom has been returned to operational viability. 

Together with market reforms and substantial private investment in renewable energy, we are laying the foundation for a competitive energy market that will reduce costs for households and businesses.

Through Operation Vulindlela, we have seen improvements in the efficiency of our ports and we are enabling access to our freight rail for private operators. 

We have seen a decline in the cost of broadband data alongside an improvement in access.

Far-reaching changes to our visa regime will enable the country to attract greater investment, skills and tourism.

We have embarked on a second phase of Operation Vulindlela, focusing on local government, digital transformation and reducing spatial inequality.

A particular area of focus now is on ensuring reliable access to water for households, businesses and agriculture. 

Through a National Water Crisis Committee, we are undertaking interventions to transform the provision and management of water services across the country. 

Our commitment to macroeconomic stability and prudent fiscal management has resulted in the stabilisation of public finances and has seen our sovereign risk profile improve. 

We are reforming our criminal justice system and tackling crime and corruption, so that businesses can invest and operate without fear. 

We are establishing a new criminal justice reform initiative modelled on the success of Operation Vulindlela, which will focus on combating organised crime, corruption, the illicit economy and illegal firearms.

We have allocated more than R3 trillion over the next three years to modernise and expand public infrastructure across South Africa. This includes massive investment in roads, railways, ports, dams, energy generation and transmission, and housing.

We remain committed to the transformation of our economy to drive sustained growth, reduce inequality and correct the injustices of the past.

We appreciate the contribution that US companies continue to make to the transformation effort. 

The many US companies that have been in our country for decades and the many companies that are now coming here to invest not only respect and adhere to our broad-based black economic empowerment laws.

They have also invested substantially in developing local black and women suppliers, provided training to young black South Africans and invested in social development programmes.

We are grateful for the frank and constructive engagements that we have had over the years to ensure that we advance the constitutional imperative of empowerment while ensuring that companies can effectively operate.

Through working together, we have developed innovative and practical mechanisms such as the Equity Equivalent Investment Programme.

This has enabled multinationals whose global policies prevent them from complying with the ownership element of broad-based black economic empowerment to invest in socio-economic, skills and enterprise development.

The US companies that are investing in South Africa – many of them well-known Blue Chip companies – do not see transformation as an impediment to investment.

They are not deterred by the scare tactics that are often used by our country’s detractors.

Nor are they deterred by the false claims that black economic empowerment imposes onerous costs on companies while delivering no value.

As is the case in other markets where they invest, these US companies understand our need to promote local production, to build an inclusive economy and to create economic opportunities for all our people.

We look forward to continued engagement with US companies as we work to strengthen the policies that support transformation while at the same time enabling investment and growth.
 
Last week, we held our sixth South Africa Investment Conference, at which companies made investment commitments worth a cumulative total of more than R889 billion.

This is more than what was raised at any of the previous Investment Conferences.

It is significant that around three-quarters of the value of private sector commitments is domestic capital.

This shows the confidence of South African investors in their economy.

The fact that the business people who understand our country the best are now starting to invest here at a greater scale should give encouragement to international investors.

These investments should also provide direction to where the potential lies in our economy.

South Africa offers great opportunities for multinational seeking to diversify their supply chains, especially in the midst of geopolitical uncertainty.

South Africa provides a stable, rules-based operating environment at the southern tip of a continent with the world's fastest-growing labour force and some of its most underexploited mineral wealth.

We have the infrastructure, skills and growing capabilities to seize the opportunities presented by the profound technological changes that are reshaping our world.

In conclusion, and on behalf of all South Africans, I thank you for your unwavering confidence in our country. 

Despite a difficult global environment, trade and investment relations between South Africa and the United States are strong.

We are committed to deepening cooperation and opening up new opportunities. 

I wish the American Chamber of Commerce all the best in its ongoing work to champion the interests of US companies in South Africa and to champion the growth and development of our economy.

I thank you.
 

Programme Director, Ms Nozipho Tshabalala; 

Honourable Premier of Gauteng, Mr Panyaza Lesufi; 

Ministers and Deputy Ministers present; 

Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Mr Dada Morero; 

MEC for Economic Development, Ms Vuyiswa Ramakgopa; 

MEC for Education, Sports and Culture, Mr Lebogang Maile,

CEOs of State-Owned Enterprises, from national government and the province;

Members of the Diplomatic Corps; 

Leaders of Business, Finance, Labour, and Civil Society; 

Distinguished Guests; 

Ladies and Gentlemen;

Good Morning, Dumelang, Avuxeni.
 
It is an honour to return once again to address this prestigious gathering, following the inaugural Gauteng Investment Conference in 2025.

This Conference takes place at a defining moment for our country and our economy. Just over a week ago, South Africa successfully hosted the Sixth South African Investment Conference, where government, business, and our international partners secured record investment commitments of approximately R890 billion in a single day.

These are the largest pledges achieved since the investment drive began in 2018, lifting cumulative commitments well beyond R1.5 trillion, and prompting government to set a new national investment ambition of R3 trillion over the period ahead.

The significance of the South African Investment Conference lies not only in the scale of these commitments, but in what they represent: a firm vote of confidence in South Africa’s reform trajectory, policy certainty, and in our constitutional democracy anchored by the rule of law.

However, investment conferences are not ends in themselves. 
Their true value lies in delivery, in translating commitments into projects on the ground, into factories, infrastructure, energy capacity, and above all, jobs.

It is precisely at this point of delivery that Gauteng assumes its central role. As the economic heartland of South Africa, contributing the largest share to our national GDP, and serving as a gateway to regional and global markets, Gauteng stands as the primary platform through which many of these national investment commitments will be implemented, expanded, and scaled.

The South African Investment Conference set the national direction. The Gauteng Investment Conference takes that work forward by localising investment, accelerating execution, and removing obstacles at project level. This ensure that the national vision is not only articulated, but lived, in the daily realities of growth, opportunity, and jobs. 

Many of the commitments announced at SAIC, across advanced manufacturing, the energy transition, logistics, digital services, infrastructure, and industrial localisation align directly with Gauteng’s competitive strengths: its industrial base, financial system, skilled workforce, research institutions, and world‑class connectivity.

This Conference therefore serves a distinct and complementary purpose. It moves us:
· from national pledges to provincial pipelines;
· from policy certainty to site readiness; and
· from investor intent to operational delivery.

In doing so, it transforms national ambition into provincial action, ensuring that Gauteng stands as the proving ground where investment becomes impact, and where the story of South Africa’s growth is written in the lived experience of its people.

Through the Gauteng Investment Conference, we are saying clearly to investors: South Africa is open for business and Gauteng is ready for execution.

We are determined that Gauteng will lead by example in shortening regulatory timelines, coordinating across spheres of government, crowding in private capital, and supporting investors across the full project lifecycle so that commitments translate into measurable economic impact and inclusive growth.

Consequently, Gauteng will not only advance the outcomes of the South African Investment Conference but will give concrete expression to our national objective of investment‑led growth, job creation, and economic transformation.

As we reflect on the theme “Re‑industrialising Africa’s Gateway through Investment, Innovation, and Integrated Growth,” we are reminded that we must exploit the engines of industry, channel the lifeblood of investment, and ignite the spark of innovation.

Gauteng’s role as Africa’s gateway should not only be defined by economic weight, but by its ability to create opportunity for all our people.

Re‑industrialisation is a practical, forward‑looking strategy. It recognises that productive capacity is the foundation of sustained growth. 

It must result in technology‑driven factories, expanded industrial output, revitalised industrial parks and Special Economic Zones, strengthened local supply chains, and dignified jobs at scale.

But let us be clear the industrialisation we pursue today is not the industrialisation of yesterday. It is a new industrialisation, built on four critical pillars.

First: Without reliable energy, efficient logistics, water security, and modern digital infrastructure, industrialisation cannot take place. That is why government continues to invest in stabilising and expanding energy supply, improving rail and port systems, and strengthening water and logistics infrastructure. These are the foundations of industrial growth.

Second: The future of industrialisation is as digital as it is physical. Data centres, artificial intelligence, fintech, cloud infrastructure, and digital public platforms are now the backbone of modern economies. Gauteng is uniquely positioned to lead in this space—and we must leverage this advantage to build globally competitive digital industries.

Third: Africa remains resource‑rich but value‑chain poor. We export raw materials and import finished goods. We are connected to global markets, yet insufficiently integrated within our own continent.

The African Continental Free Trade Area gives us a platform to change this—to build regional value chains, expand intra‑African trade, and industrialise at scale. Its success depends on improved cross‑border infrastructure, reduced trade barriers, aligned standards, and strong support for African businesses.

Through platforms such as this Conference, Gauteng is positioning itself as a continental execution hub, a place where AfCFTA moves from agreement to implementation.

Fourth: Industrial growth must not be exclusionary. It must unlock opportunities for young people, township economies, and small and emerging enterprises ensuring that growth translates into shared prosperity.

Equally, industrialisation does not happen without investment. Investment must translate into production. Production must translate into jobs. And jobs must translate into improved livelihoods.

This is why the Gauteng Investment Conference has evolved beyond a traditional platform. It is becoming a full investment lifecycle mechanism—from deal origination and project preparation, to financing, implementation, and delivery.

Government’s responsibility in this process is clear:
· To de‑risk investment through policy certainty, regulatory efficiency, and coordination across spheres of government;
· To crowd in private capital alongside development finance institutions and commercial lenders; and
· To ensure delivery, accountability, and project tracking.

Credibility is built not on what we announce, but on what we deliver. 

And government cannot do this alone.
We need a strong partnership with businesses that invest in skills, support localisation, integrate small enterprises into value chains, and commit to long‑term resilience.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Gauteng is a region where investors can find both returns and resilience. It offers a vibrant workforce, a commitment to enterprise development, and world‑class infrastructure.

Investment here is not a risky endeavour, it is a collaborative one, where each rand invested multiplies opportunity, strengthens communities, and builds secure futures.

As I conclude, let me issue a clear call to action:

To Investors: South Africa and Gauteng in particular is open for business and open for partnership. Africa is not a risk story; it is a long‑term growth and return story.

To Business: You are not passive participants; you are co‑architects of our industrial future. Work with us to build industries and develop skills.

To Government: We must act with urgency, coordination, and accountability, removing barriers and accelerating delivery.

And to Africa: This is our moment, not to extract, not to import, but to produce, innovate, and lead.

Let this Conference mark a turning point: from commitments to implementation; towards integrated growth that is inclusive, sustainable, and transformative.

I thank you. Ke a leboga. Inkomu.
 

Ambassadors and High Commissioners,
Directors-General in the Presidency and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen, 
 
Good morning. 
 
It is my pleasure to welcome you as you begin your tenure as representatives of your respective countries to the Republic of South Africa. 
 
This is an auspicious year for South Africa, as we mark 30 years since the adoption of our democratic Constitution.
 
Our Constitution reflects the painful history from which we emerged three decades ago and the values we now cherish: human dignity, equality and freedom. 
 
It commits all South Africans, not just the state, to safeguarding our democracy, to upholding the rule of law and to protecting human rights. 
 
These principles are neither transient nor negotiable. They are enduring and binding. 
 
They shape the manner in which we govern ourselves and they shape how we engage with the world. 
 
Our international relations outlook reflects the founding principles of our Constitution. 
 
As a nation that emerged from a painful past of injustice and inequality, we seek a more just and equitable world order.
 
We seek a global order defined by peace and friendship amongst all the nations of the world.
 
We seek a world order where the gulf of inequality between and amongst nations is narrowed – where nations of the world stand united against racism, colonialism, subjugation and all forms of oppression and intolerance.
 
We strive to ensure that global peace and security is secured through dialogue and negotiation and not through force of arms – where international laws, treaties and agreements are upheld and respected.

Above all, we seek a world order that brings sustainable development and shared prosperity for all and not the few.
 
Your presence here today reflects that these are shared aspirations.
 
And in South Africa you will find a ready, willing, able and capable partner for trade, development, progress and peace. 
 
You begin your tours of duty in South Africa at a time when our economy is in the throes of recovery. 
 
The structural reform agenda we embarked on in 2018 to overcome longstanding constraints to investment and growth continues to gain momentum.
 
South Africa’s sovereign credit rating has improved, public debt has stabilised and our economy is creating more jobs. 
 
Last week we held our sixth South Africa Investment Conference, where we secured R889 billion in cumulative investment commitments. 
 
This has encouraged us to set a goal of securing R3 trillion in new investment commitments over the next three years. 
 
The state itself is at the forefront of this new, ambitious drive. 
 
We have embarked on the largest infrastructure build in our country’s history. 
 
We will be investing approximately R1 trillion over the next three years to build roads, dams, schools, hospitals and other public infrastructure.
 
A debilitating energy crisis is behind us, and we have embarked on a range of far-reaching reforms to overcome challenges in the water sector and in logistics. 
 
Our policy and regulatory environment has proven to be resilient, offering certainty to investors looking to South Africa as a favourable destination to invest and do business in.
 
As we pursue our apex priority of inclusive growth and job creation, we are firmly committed to deepen our cooperation and collaboration with all countries.
 
We hope that your time in South Africa will contribute to building meaningful, sustainable economic partnerships.
 
As South Africa celebrates thirty years of advancing peace and friendship, we further look forward to engaging with you on global matters of mutual concern.
 
Our world has become increasingly complex. Multilateral diplomacy and respect for the multilateral system has become all the more crucial. 
 
In a world beset by profound and interconnected challenges – whether they be conflicts, the climate crisis or the proliferation of poverty and inequality – we know that global solidarity and deepening cooperation are our surest means to overcome them.
 
We note the current initiatives and ongoing efforts aimed at achieving a comprehensive end to the conflict in the Middle East.
 
We welcome the announcement of a ceasefire and are hopeful that it will lay the basis for a permanent resolution of the conflict.
 
South Africa once again calls for dialogue and mediation to prevent further loss of life and destruction of property, and to ensure a just, sustainable and lasting peace. 
 
We further call on all countries to respect international law and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations.
 
Your Excellencies,
 
We thank you for your enduring commitment to South Africa and her people.
 
Where many of your respective countries once stood in solidarity with us in our struggle for liberation, today you continue to renew that commitment through trade, investment and development.
 
It was the English poet John Donne who wrote that no man is an island entire of itself, but a piece of the continent, a part of the main. 
 
So too is the fellowship of nations. 
 
I welcome you to South Africa to extend this fellowship as you represent your government and your people. 
 
Just as your Head of State has welcomed South Africa’s Ambassador or High Commissioner in your country, I extend the same warm welcome to you and wish you well in your mandate of representing your country.
 
As President, whenever I appoint Ambassadors and High Commissioners to your country I expect them to respect your country’s sovereignty and promote good relations between our two nations. I expect them to promote trade and investment opportunities in our respective countries. 
 
I also expect them to promote South Africa’s culture and value system and strengthen people-to-people relations.
 
I expect South Africa’s Ambassadors and High Commissioners to your country to exercise diplomatic tact and discretion and desist from interfering in the internal affairs of your country.
 
If they have any manner of concern, they should raise those concerns directly with officials in your country’s foreign affairs department and engage in quiet diplomacy. 
 
This I believe is what the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations promotes.
 
Whenever I send our Ambassadors and High Commissioners to various countries I always make it a point to inform them that they should never criticise their host countries publicly and in a confrontational manner but should always seek to raise issues privately and constructively.
 
They should always seek to build relationships with various stakeholders in the host country. They should always choose to preserve dignity and partnership between our respective countries.
 
It is this approach that I believe builds strong relationships between nations and helps to advance the interests of our respective countries based on mutual respect.
 
South Africa’s interest is to advance a better, more peaceful, more equal world, anchored in human rights and with respect for the dignity of all. 
 
Our Ambassadors and High Commissioners to various countries in the world are expected to advance this national objective.
 
By deepening our cooperation and strengthening our ties, I am confident that we can achieve such a world as you represent your country in South Africa. 
 
Once again I extend my warm welcome on behalf of the people of South Africa to you all. 
 
I wish you all the best as you execute your mission of representing your country and your people in South Africa.
 
I thank you.
 

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Friday, 10 April 2026, visit Eskom’s Kusile Power Station in Nkangala District Municipality, Mpumalanga.

The President will be accompanied by Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, and Eskom management. 

This visit allows the President to witness progress made in restoring the nation's energy security.

The President will be provided with a comprehensive operational briefing from Eskom’s leadership and technical teams.

The briefing will highlight the tangible advancements towards enhanced generation capacity. 

The President's visit will affirm the dedication shown by the engineers, technicians, and workers at Kusile Power Station who were instrumental in the Eskom generation recovery efforts.

The President will interact with all Eskom Power Station General Managers at the event.

Details of the visit are as follows:

Date: Friday, 10 April 2026
Time: 10h00
Venue: Kusile Power Station, Nkangala District, Mpumalanga

NB: Note that all media related queries MUST be directed at Eskom and not The Presidency.

Media Accreditation details:

Media representatives interested in covering the President's visit are invited to submit their details (Full Name, Media House, ID/Passport Number) to Eskom Media Desk at mediadesk@eskom.co.za. Deadline for Accreditation is Thursday, 9 April 2026 at 12h00.

Note to Editors:

As Kusile Power Station is designated as a National Key Point, strict safety and security protocols will be enforced. All media personnel are required to wear safety shoes or flat, closed-toe shoes. Hard hats and reflective vests will be supplied on-site.

 

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

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile will tomorrow, Thursday 09 April 2026, deliver a keynote address at the Gauteng Investment Conference 2026 (GIC 2026), a flagship provincial platform aimed at mobilisng investment, advancing industrialisation and accelerating inclusive economic growth. 

This year's conference builds on the success of the inaugural conference held in 2025, which secured R312 billion in investment pledges. It forms part of Gauteng's strategy to attract R800 billion in new investments over a three year period.

GIC 2026 will bring together global investors, African governments, municipal leaders, development finance institutions, banks and the private sector with the aim of enhancing Gauteng's position as Africa's leading investment hub.

Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the conference as follows:
Date: Thursday, 09 April 
Time: 08h30
Venue: The Marriott Hotel, Melrose Arch 

Members of the media who wish to attend are requested to RSVP to Lerato Sewpersad: leratos@ggda.co.za / 072 909 4463 or Siphiwe Hlope: siphiwe.hlope@gauteng.gov.za.

Media enquiries: Mr Keith Khoza, Acting Spokesperson to the Deputy President on 066 195 8840 or Sabelo Ndlangisa, Senior Communications Manager at GDED on 066 4860 444

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria