South Africa

A new president has promised to tackle corruption.

Capital: Pretoria (Tshwane) Other towns/cities: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, Bloemfontein Population: 55.3-million (2018) GDP: $368-billion (2018) GDP per capita (PPP): $13 686 Currency: Rand

Regional Economic Community:

Southern African Development Community (SADC), Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Landmass: 1 214 470km² Coastline: 2 798km Resources: Coal, gold, chromium, antimony, iron ore, manganese, nickel, zinc, rare earth elements, uranium, diamonds, platinum, copper, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits. Main economic sectors: Mining, automotive manufacture, agriculture, tourism, financial. Other sectors: Agri-processing, chemicals, fertiliser, iron and steel, machinery, food and beverages, boat and yacht building, ship repair.

New sectors for investment: Renewable energy, water, tourism. Key projects: National Development Plan (NDP) aims to eliminate poverty and reduce inequality. Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). Chief exports: Iron ore, manganese, gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment, agricultural products. Top export destinations: China, US, Germany, Japan, India, Botswana, Namibia. Top import sources: China, Germany, US, Saudi Arabia, India. Main imports: Machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments. Infrastructure: Roads 750 000km, of which 158 124km paved (2016); railways 20 986km (2014); 144 paved airports; four crude oil refineries; multi-product pipeline from coast to inland areas; major ports at Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay and Saldanha Bay. ICT: Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 168 (2017). Internet percent of population: 54% (2016.) ICT Development Index 2017 (ITU) ranking: 92. Climate: Coastal areas range from dry along the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean in the south-west to subtropical on east coast. Interior is mostly dry and semi-arid. The Drakensberg Mountains separate the east coast from the interior. Religion: Christian, traditional, Muslim. Modern history: After an intense struggle against the racist policy of apartheid, democratic South Africa installed Nelson Mandela as its first president in 1994. Thabo Mbeki’s two terms as president were marked by efforts to connect with other African countries. He was ousted by his party, the African National Congress, before the end of his term. President Jacob Zuma was also removed by the party, amid accusations that the president and his supporters were responsible for wholesale looting of the state. President Cyril Ramaphosa was inaugurated in February 2018. Several arrests were made in late 2019.

Where the World meets Africa

What makes the Durban ICC Africa’s Leading Meetings and Convention Centre?

The 112,000m 2 Durban ICC is renowned

for 5-star service and facilities, state-of the-art technology, mouth-watering African

cuisine, and of course, its unique location on Durban’s sun-drenched shores.

What sets it apart, though, is the unique African soul that infuses and inspires every meeting, conference, exhibition and event to create truly unforgettable experiences.

*Voted “Africa’s Leading Meetings and Conference Centre” 17 times at the World Travel Awards. ISO9001, ISO 14001, ISO22000 and OHSAS18001 certified. TGCSA 5-Star Graded and AIPC Quality Standards Gold Certified.