South Africa

As South Africa’s visitor numbers pick up, revenues are returning to a tourism industry that suffered a post-World Cup dip compounded by the effects of a tough global environment. Tourism performance, particularly in the higher-value segment of the market, remains somewhat muted – however, as traditional target markets continue...

As is the case in many markets elsewhere, allocation of spectrum in South Africa is controlled and regulated by the government, and heavily demanded by a variety of end-users, including mobile operators, television broadcasters and emergency services. Spectrum scarcity is not a uniquely South African challenge, as the uptake and usage of...

The cement industry looks set for a shake-up in the coming 12 months. With new supply coming to market and the major local players regrouping following the Competition Commission’s cartel ruling against them, pricing may begin to head in a more positive direction for the construction industry.

The case for developing solar energy in South Africa is a strong one. The vast majority of the nation’s interior terrain has an average insolation in excess of 5000 Wh per sq metre per day, while the annual 24-hour solar radiation average for the nation stands at 220 W per sq metre, compared to 150 W per sq metre in some parts of the US and 100...

The current global financial woes have hit property around the world as hard as any other sector. Weak export markets, a sluggish local economy, as well as poor business and consumer sentiment have all hindered the performance of local property activity in many markets, including South Africa.

The natural gas profile of South Africa shows an obvious imbalance. According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), the country produced 1.27bn cu metres of natural gas in 2011, but consumed more than three times that amount – some 4.5bn cu metres. Imports from Mozambique made up the difference between domestic demand and supply,...