Perhaps the most compelling reason for doing business in Gauteng is the fundamental fact that ‘nothing succeeds like success’. Gauteng is already the business centre of South Africa and the entire southern African region and has the most attractive investment climate on the continent. The gross provincial product of Gauteng accounts for about one third of South Africa’s GDP and is larger than many countries around the world. With the second largest population of any province in South Africa and the largest per capita income, consumer consumption helps drive an economy that is solidly based on highly sophisticated, mature financial, mining and manufacturing sectors.

Just as important as its existing status as the province with the largest and most dynamic economy is the fact that Gauteng’s leadership is not the least inclined to sit on the province’s laurels. Gauteng is a province on the move. The government has set high standards and goals for itself. Ambitious plans have been drawn up and infrastructure projects set in motion. Complementing this dynamic economic setting is one of the best business environments in the world – according to several international organizations and studies. For example, the World Bank ranked South Africa among the top 30 in the world for ease of doing business – ahead of Italy, France, China and India. Importantly, South Africa was in the top ten in the investment protection index.

Of overriding importance, of course, is the highly successful macroeconomic policy of the central government, which has brought the longest upward business cycle in South Africa’s history, lower taxes, lower inflation, lower budget deficits and competitive interest rates. Additionally, South Africa’s infrastructure is getting a R500 billion injection to improve roads, ports, rail and municipal infrastructure.

South Africa gets high credit ratings and international rating firms describe the business environment as positive, with “low political and security risk”. South Africa is well established in the call centre and growing BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) industry with substantially lower costs than Canada, the US and Ireland.