South Africa is finally overcoming slow growth.
Trade, Industry and Competitiveness Minister Parks Tau said on Monday that green shoots were emerging in almost all key sectors of the economy, thanks to the government's pro-growth reformist agenda.
“Sustained energy supplies, and an improved transport and logistics environment, including a 3.5% decline in inflation earlier this year, have had a positive impact on key sectors of the economy.
Both mining and agriculture have shown strong growth – factors that bode well for continued growth, Tau said in a statement.
The minister emphasized that the growth recorded in four consecutive quarters beginning in 2026 was the result of government-led interventions – the most significant of which was the government's successful investment mobilization campaign.
investment conference
He said to drive this growth, South Africa is scheduled to host the Sixth Investment Conference (SAIC) on 31 March 2026 at the Sandton Convention Centre.
In line with the President's commitment in the 2026 State of the Nation Address, the conference promises to set South Africa on even higher investment targets in the medium term.
“To date, over R600 billion has already flowed into the economy, resulting in the opening of new factories, mines and various other industrial facilities. These investments play a vital role in South Africa's national goals of socio-economic development by creating sustainable jobs, reducing poverty and addressing inequality,” Tau said.
Launched in 2018 by President Cyril Ramaphosa, SAIC has become the country's premier platform to attract global and domestic delegates to discuss emerging opportunities. The 2026 conference comes during a period of significant improvement in investor sentiment.
Over the past 18 to 24 months, several important economic challenges have been addressed, the most notable of which is improving the country's energy reliability.
Tau stressed that the upcoming conference will be based on South Africa's new future-focused economic and industrial policy, which includes the medium-term development plan, the goals of the Economic Growth and Inclusion (GAIN) program and South Africa's new industrial policy, which are being finalised.
Tau stressed that the sixth SAIC will continue to build on the achievements of the DIC family since the beginning of the seventh administration.
“In the last one and a half year, we have implemented industrial reforms in targeted sectors and incentivized industry for job creation. We have initiated market and export diversification through our Butterfly Strategy and are redesigning the transformation through the Transformation Fund and B-BBEE policy review,” he said.
Government to host sixth edition in Johannesburg as conference gains momentum Efforts to attract R2 trillion in new investment commitments over the next five years.
The upcoming summit builds on the success of the previous five-year investment cycle, which concluded in March 2023 after mobilizing R1.51 trillion, surpassing the initial R1.2 trillion target.
– sanews.gov.za