Cape Town takes investment campaign to Johannesburg and Durban

The City has taken its investment story to two of South Africa’s biggest economic centres, with the national roadshow helping to strengthen partnerships, connect businesses and showcase the opportunities that make Cape Town one of Africa’s leading investment destinations. Read more below:

Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth at the City of Cape Town, opened the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) trading floor on Thursday, 13 August, with the ceremonial sounding of the market’s opening horn, marking the Johannesburg leg of the City’s national investment positioning roadshow.

Municipal officials from the Economic Growth Directorate joined the roadshow, as well as industry bodies and business partners including Wesgro, GreenCape, CapeBPO, UVU Africa, Atlantis Special Economic Zone, Cape Town Tourism and other sector-focused special purpose vehicles supporting investment, trade and economic development in Cape Town.

The programme marked the launch of the City’s new global investment positioning campaign, Cape Town. Built for Business., which will roll out across multiple channels in more than 60 cities worldwide. The roadshow also showcased Invest Cape Town’s new AI-powered investment facilitation tool, named Maya, that helps investors navigate municipal processes and connect with the right suppliers, partners and people.

Invest Cape Town, the business and investment brand of the City’s Economic Growth Directorate, hosted business leader engagements in both Johannesburg and Durban, bringing together senior representatives from business, investors, industry associations, investment promotion agencies and economic development organisations.

‘This was a special moment for me personally. To stand on the JSE trading floor and open the market is something I will remember. But the real purpose of being here is much bigger. We are here to connect, collaborate and build relationships that can strengthen South Africa’s economic proposition.

‘We are not here to compare Cape Town with Johannesburg or Durban. South Africa needs strong economic centres working together. We want to complement what other cities are doing and showcase the sectors and opportunities where Cape Town has a particular competitive advantage,’ said Alderman Vos.

These include technology and business process outsourcing services, manufacturing, tourism, the blue economy, renewable energy, creative industries and international trade.

The Johannesburg Business Leaders Forum provided an opportunity for the City and its partners to engage directly with companies and investors about their expansion plans, challenges and opportunities for collaboration.

‘We need to get out of our offices and into the boardrooms. We want to hear from businesses about what they need, what is holding them back and where we can work together to unlock investment and jobs,’ Alderman Vos said.

The Durban leg included a strategic visit to Dube TradePort, where the City met with their leadership team to understand its approach to developing manufacturing, logistics and industrial opportunities around its airport and trade infrastructure.

‘We were particularly interested in seeing how Dube TradePort is creating an environment where manufacturing businesses can establish new factories and operations seamlessly,’ Alderman Vos said.

The Durban programme also included an Invest Cape Town Business Leaders Forum, continuing discussions with businesses and strategic economic partners on investment, collaboration and inclusive growth.

The engagements also highlighted the City’s new Manufacturing Support Policy and Business Support Policy, as well as its Ease of Doing Business Index, which are designed to make it easier for businesses to operate, grow and invest in Cape Town.

‘Cape Town has a very clear proposition: we want to be the easiest place to do business in Africa. That means creating the right conditions for businesses to invest, expand and create jobs, but it also means working with our partners across South Africa.

‘Ultimately, when Cape Town attracts investment, creates jobs and grows its economy, it strengthens the South African economy too. That is the message we are taking to the rest of the country and, now, to the world,’ Alderman Vos said.