Industry

So much of what South Africa has to offer is all about our wildlife, our scenery, our wonderful people, outdoor adventure, our culture, and the exoticism of Africa. The uninitiated traveller might therefore imagine this to be a very lovely, but third-world, country with isolated pockets of modern comfort and luxury for the tourist. Let’s correct this distorted perception right away.

Many visitors who touch down in South Africa for the first time are astounded on disembarking to find themselves in a modern, bustling first-world environment, with superb infrastructure, state-of-the-art technology and a fully industrialised economy. South Africa was the first and remains the most advanced industrialised country in Africa. We are part of the global economy and compete effectively on the world stage.

Here are just a few examples of what we are doing on our shop floors, in our laboratories and in our executive suites:

We have a world class motor industry with a thriving export market in automotive parts and components.
South Africa is the sole producer of the Mercedes Benz C Class right-hand drive vehicles.
South Africa is about to start exporting locally assembled version of the US Hummer 3.
South Africa hosts the only BMW manufacturing plant outside Germany, and one which has beaten its German counterparts in quality surveys.
South Africa has the first, largest and most viable oil-from-coal refineries (SASOL), the technology for which is attracting renewed interest in an oil-dependent world.
South Africa has amongst the world’s largest deposits of high-quality low-sulphur coal, of iron ore and of platinum.
South Africa’s banking sector is one of the most technologically advanced and sophisticated in the world.
Foreigners invested a net R73.7 billion in South Africa’s stock exchange in 2006.
South Africa is the first country outside the European nations to gain Blue Flag status for its coastal management of unpolluted beaches.
South Africa designs and creates flight control technology for Britain’s fighter jets, and is a preferred supplier to Aerosud and Boeing – and it also made seats for Concorde.
South Africa has more than 40 listed companies with global operations. Almost 60% of our companies will be investing in new plant and machinery during 2007.
South Africa is a world leader in satellite tracking and supports satellites launched from facilities such as the Kennedy Space Flight Centre.

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