South Africa

South Africa has a sizeable “digital divide”, with urban areas benefitting from a range of modern technologies while rural areas tend to be less connected. However, with a renewed draft broadband policy, South Africa now has a framework for developing the ICT infrastructure that will help its economy modernise and thrive. In the sphere of backhaul infrastructure, the private sector has a strong...

Despite having the smallest land area of South Africa’s nine provinces at 16,548 sq km, Gauteng is the largest contributor to the national economy contributing around $85.33bn and growing at a rate of 3%. The tertiary sector is the main driver of the local economy and makes up 71% of Gauteng’s GDP, led by finance, real estate, and business and government services. While Gauteng accounts for most...

South Africa’s construction industry has felt the impact of the post-World Cup slowdown more than any other sector of the economy. However, ongoing urbanisation trends suggest the sector may pick up in the near future, especially with regards to the social housing segment. South African construction companies have also experienced significant success in their efforts to expand into neighbouring...

Ensuring that the economy is well served by South Africa’s energy resources has become one of the government’s overriding concerns. Coal deposits are South Africa’s primary energy resource, with reserves estimated at 30.16bn tonnes as of the end of 2011. Due to an electricity deficit, the government has commissioned two coal-fired power stations, but even as new capacity is added, demand...

Home to the most developed transport network and logistics industry on the continent, South Africa ranks highest in Africa and among the best in its income group globally on a number of indices. While both freight operators and passenger service operators have been experiencing respectable growth in the past year, the long-term success of such industries will be tied to the government’s ability...

Industrial activity plays a central role in the South African economy, accounting for around 31.6% of GDP in 2011, and employing a large portion of the population in labour-intensive processes. Like many comparable economies, recent decades have seen the nation’s economic activity tilt away from traditional industry towards a more service-based economy. However, various plans are in place for...