Ease of Doing Business

Cape Town’s transformation into a business-friendly hub marks an important milestone in its developmental journey. The launch of its Ease-of-Doing-Business programme is a clear indication of the city’s commitment to creating a conducive environment for businesses and foreign direct investment in South Africa to succeed. With a key focus on delivering tangible results, the programme aims to entrench a culture of business-friendliness, establish public and private growth partnerships, and ensure the delivery of quality services. This also means leveraging the latest technologies to improve service delivery on all levels for efficiency. With these measures in place, the city of Cape Town is projected to become Africa’s most business-friendly destination.  

Enhancing Ease of Doing Business to Foster Start-ups in Cape Town 

The city recognises that many small and informal businesses face numerous constraints when it comes to business expansion, and is committed to creating the right conditions for all businesses to flourish. Since 2016, the city has implemented reform action plans to enhance service delivery, ensure regulatory compliance, and improve the overall ease of doing business for residents and workers, positioning itself on a world-class stage.   

According to the Global Start-up Ecosystem Index 2024, Cape Town leads South Africa’s rankings and has made remarkable progress, jumping 8 spots to rank 128th globally among the top 150 leading start-up ecosystems. Cape Town has established itself as a leading force in Africa’s entrepreneurial landscape, recognized for its innovative initiatives and vibrant business environment that attract start-ups and investors alike.  

This dynamic atmosphere fosters creativity and collaboration, positioning Cape Town as an attractive destination for entrepreneurial talent and investment opportunities. With ever-expanding industries at the forefront of innovation—such as finance, community services, trade, manufacturing, and transport—the city is now recognized as a significant hub for start-ups in Africa.     

Deliverables for the Future 

We believe that businesses and the entrepreneurs who start them are the lifeblood of any thriving society. They are the producers, innovators, employers, and service providers that grow economies and lift people out of poverty and into opportunity. 

We believe that to truly support businesses, we need to ensure that our people, processes, regulations, and systems are all geared towards this goal; that they are committed to a journey of cultural change that ensures our city stands out as Africa’s most business-friendly destination.

Ease-of-Doing-Business Programme Goals : 

• Create a culture of business-friendliness
• Establish public and private growth partnerships in priority industries or around specific opportunities, and leverage resources to grow businesses in areas where Cape Town is competitive
• Create a sustainable supply of well-positioned commercial and industrial land to develop a quality-built environment that meets the needs of businesses and supports their operations  
• Delivery of quality services that are efficient, cost-effective, and reliable
• Offer business support services that are readily available across all the city’s business-facing departments
• Deliver consistent messaging about Cape Town being Africa’s business destination of choice
• Leverage the latest technologies to improve service delivery to businesses
• Establish an efficient regulatory regime, ensuring that regulations align with business interests  
• Ensure that business owners receive transparent processes and consistent communication from City officials regarding services, regulations, and their rights, fostering trust and enabling informed decision-making. 

Collectively, these aims and aspirations constitute the city’s ease-of-doing-business ecosystem (depicted below) 

The Built Environment Value Chain 

Establishing Cape Town as a world-class city with a business-friendly environment requires focused and transparent measures. The City has implemented a comprehensive set of strategies aimed at fostering economic growth, simplifying processes, and enhancing business competitiveness. These efforts are tracked through key indicators, reflecting Cape Town’s commitment to creating an environment where businesses can thrive. 

The measures in place include:

• Transferring public land  
• Securing land-use rights 
• Obtaining building-plan approval 
• Facilitating wayleaves 
• Providing electricity   
• Connecting to the water network 
• Acquiring a revenue (rates) clearance certificate 
• Issuing business licenses 
• Granting informal trading permits 
• Digitisation 

As we track our progress towards becoming the most business-friendly city in Africa, we remain committed to implementing the necessary changes that enable businesses to grow and innovate. A thriving business community is essential to achieving Cape Town’s vision of being a city of hope for all, creating employment opportunities and services that benefit society.

For the second edition of the Ease-of-Doing-Business (EoDB) Index, the City conducted a new business satisfaction survey to gather insights from the external business community. This initiative underscores our commitment to transparency and trust, ensuring that we actively consider the perspectives of business owners. The feedback collected will not only inform immediate improvements but also serve as an ongoing mechanism to refine our services in the future. 

Complementing the Index, the EoDB Dashboard offers businesses and investors a detailed, real-time view of the City’s progress in streamlining processes and improving service delivery. Users can explore key metrics and trends that shape the ease of doing business in Cape Town. 

For a comprehensive view, download the EoDB Index and explore the EoDB Dashboard to gain insights and monitor Cape Town’s business-friendly initiatives. 

We Mean Business Bill of Rights 

The We Mean Business Bill of Rights is designed to empower business owners in Cape Town by ensuring fair treatment, professionalism, and transparency in all interactions with City officials. This initiative reflects our commitment to creating a supportive and efficient business environment.

Learn more about your rights and how the City is enhancing ease of doing business by viewing the full We Mean Business Bill of Rights.  

In addition to knowing your rights, businesses can access various platforms to address concerns and seek assistance: 

• Submit complaints regarding the performance or conduct of City officials without fear of retribution. The Ombudsman can be contacted at 021 400 5487 or via email at om**********@ca******.za. 
• Report instances of fraud through the fraud hotline at 0800 32 31 30. 
• Lodge your red tape issues conveniently at https://www.capetown.gov.za/RedTape. 
• For further inquiries, you can email us at Bu**************@ca******.za or call 021 417 4043 during business hours (8:00 – 16:00).