Southern Africa Top Companies Review by Prime Media Africa Publishing Group

SADC

ISSUE 1

Top Companies Review Magazine

THE AFRICAN POWERHOUSE SADC Unlocks Massive Economic Potential

GOING AFROCENTRIC

New Generation Marketers take on the continent

BUBBLING UNDER

Oil & Gas Hotspots To Watch

NEW GENERATION MARKETERS TAKE ON THE CONTINENT | OIL & GAS HOTSPOTS TO WATCH

MOZAMBIQUE 路 OLYMPIC VILLAGE

FOREWORD

ince its transformation from Southern African Coordinating Conference (SADCC) through a Treaty signed on 17th August, 1992, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has been committed to deepening regional cooperation and development and regional integration. In determining its priorities, SADC right from inception accorded rehabilitation, upgrading and development of the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s infrastructure the highest priority. This was in full recognition of the strategic role infrastructure plays in the development of the Member Statesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; economies and the regional economy at large. It was, also, in appreciation of the catalytic role infrastructure plays in the enhancement of productivity, promotion of trade, attraction of investments and its contribution to social development. To this effect, SADC has developed and is implementing SADC Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan (RIDM). The RIDM was conceived with the objective of establishing a strategic framework to guide the development of seamless and cost-effective transboundary infrastructure. The SADC Infrastructure Vision 2027 is anchored on six pillars consisting of Energy, Transport, Information and Communications Technologies (ICT), Meteorology, Trans-Boundary Water Resources and Tourism (trans-frontier conservation areas), which constitutes the SADC Regional Infrastructure Development Programme. The six infrastructure pillars are established on a solid foundation of harmonised

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

policies and regulations capped by a joint pool of human resource capacity development and concerted effort to engender public awareness and commitment to these goals. The competitiveness of SADC will to a larger extent, depend on joint action and joint pooling of available resources to achieve comprehensive development of infrastructure as envisioned by “SADC Infrastructure Vision 2027”. The RIDMP defines SADC’s infrastructure development strategy and constitute basis for prioritization of projects, as well as the modus operandi for implementation. The Strategic Framework forecasts both requirements and implementation roadmap over a duration of fifteen (15) with a span of five (5) years. The three phases of implementation of the PLAN will be as follows; Short-term 2013-2017, Medium-term 2017-2022 and long-term 2022-2027. It constitutes the approved SADC Regional Infrastructure Development Programme and shall guide the process of selection and implementation of regional infrastructure projects at the level of feasibility assessments, preparation for bankability and investment. It also constitutes the basis for SADC Member States commitment to a common infrastructure development programme, in the form of a Declaration, as well as the basis for review of its implementation. The launch of a Free Trade Area (FTA) in 2008 was a milestone for SADC as trade was identified as intervention with potential to achieving deeper regional economic integration. This was as planned in the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) which was formulated in 2003. The RISDP provides strategic direction in the design and formulation of SADC programmes, projects and activities over a 15 - year period. The goal is to achieve development and economic growth; alleviate poverty; and enhance the standard and quality of life of the people of Southern Africa. To facilitate the free flow of goods, trade regimes are harmonised through the SADC Protocol on Trade, effective since 25th January 2000, in order to maximise the opportunities and benefits of regional investment. Trade within Southern Africa has increased since the implementation of the SADC Protocol on Trade. Exports increased from US$5.8 billion in 2000 to US$11.7 billion in 2010. Intra-SADC trade as a percentage of SADC’s total trade is estimated at 15 per cent over the entire period of implementation. This percentage must expand further and faster. During the 34th ordinary Summit meeting held in Victoria Falls, Republic of Zimbabwe on 17 - 18 August, 2014 under the theme “Leveraging the Region’s Diverse Resources for Sustainable Economic Growth and Social Development through Beneficiation and Value Addition”, SADC Heads of State and Government placed industrial development at the core of the developmental integration agenda of SADC. Industrial development is central to Member States’ diversification of economies; effective and efficient utilisation of resources, value addition, enhancement of productive capacity; development and utilisation of science and technology, and the creation of employment in order to set SADC economies on a sustainable growth path. The SADC Secretariat appreciates the initiative taken by Prime Media Africa Publishing Group (Pvt) Ltd to produce the SADC Top Companies Review Magazine, focusing on issues regarding SADC regional trade, integration and development. Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax SADC Executive Secretary

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

CONTENTS 2 6 8 13 14 16 22 30 32 4

From the SADC Secretariat Editor’s Note SADC stirs into a well of oil & gas NMMU to research faster ADSL The dawn of medical cities All about digital Could Africa become like China? SA taxi’s cash pile opens new frontiers Country Special Reports

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

From the

EDITOR

ach time I discuss with colleagues in business about prospects in the southern region of Africa fascinating issues always come to the fore. I am yet to travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo but hey, the country hosts the most critical resource for power generation, the Inga Dam. Experts in the power industry have said the Inga Dam has potential to provide power for the whole continent. It is not just about the power by the way. How about the mineral wealth in the region? How about the coal deposits from Botswana? Does coal present an opportunity for this diamond rich SADC member country to exploit to the massive potential presented by coal, upscaling to the by-products as well â&#x20AC;&#x201C; tar, coke etc . As Zimbabwe slowly gets back to the international fold, massive potential exits in such sectors as mining and agriculture. How about the massive potential backed by a strong skilled labour force? I can go on and on regarding the potential from the region, it is fact the region is so rich in both human and natural resources. I am looking forward to the next instalment of the Southern Africa Top Companies Review. The next issue will profile some of the business leaders as well as from government. Until next time, stay blessed.

Grivin grivin@primediazw.com

PUBLISHER

Prime Media Network Publishing Group (PTY) 262 Voortrekker Road, Cape Town, South Africa Tel: +27 21 829 0259 Fax: +27 21 911 0249 Email: info@primedia.com Web: www.primedia.com SADC Top Companies is published by Prime Media Africa Publishing Group

EDITOR Grivin Ngongula grivin@primediazw.com

COPY EDITOR Tanya Waterworth

MANAGING DIRECTOR Hillary Munemo munemoh@primediazw.com

CONTRIBUTORS Sibonelo Radebe, Alasdair Muller

DESIGN AND LAYOUT Indio Design indiodesign@mweb.co.za

Edson Ngongola

PROJECT MANAGER ADVERTISING SALES Prime Media Africa Publishing Group (PTY) Ltd

ÂŠ2015. All work published in SADC Top Companies Review magazine is protected by copyright. Only with written permission from the publisher may any part of this magazine be reproduced or adapted in any form. The information provided and opinions expressed in SADC Top Companies Review magazine do not necessarily represent the opinions of this publication, the publisher or the editor. The publication, the publisher and the editor cannot be held liable for damages of any kind arising directly or indirectly from any facts or information provided or omitted in these pages or from any statements made or withheld by this publication.

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

Oil and Gas

SADC stirs into a well of

OIL AND GAS RICHES The Southern African region seems to be standing on the cusp of an oil and gas boom. SIBONELO RADEBE reports on the prospects of the new movement.

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

Oil and Gas

gas and oil boom seems to be bubbling under within the southern African region in a development that calls for better organisation and integration if the region is to avoid the age old trap called commodities curse. That is if the recent collapse of the oil prices is indeed a passing wave. Across the region of 15 countries, and mainly on the south eastern shoreline, there is visible new activity in the oil and gas fields. This is made of a considerable number of new finds which are already producing rich ore while several other fields are in the development stage. There is also massive exploration activity across a number of countries from South Africa to Tanzania. A recent report by Reuters noted that “East Africa is a new hotspot in hydrocarbon exploration after substantial deposits of crude oil were found in Uganda and major gas reserves were discovered in Tanzania and Mozambique.” The development brings a new dimension into the development hopes of the African continent. Oil and gas industries in Africa have traditionally been associated with the western and northern parts of the continent with

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

Oil and Gas

Angola as an exception. That view is changing fast. Countries like Mozambique, Tanzania and Namibia are becoming considerable players in the hydrocarbon field. Investors are taking a closer look. Jonathan Cawood, Capital Projects & Infrastructure Leader for PwC Africa, said “The shallow economic recovery in most developed markets has shifted the focus to fastergrowing regions.” “With an abundance of natural resources and recent mineral, oil and gas discoveries, demographic and political shifts and a more investorfriendly environment, the investor spotlight shines brightly on Africa,” said Cawood. PwC has flagged the southern and eastern African region as a place to watch in the oil and gas game. Steve Harley, the President of DHL Energy Sector has noted that the oil and gas activity in East Africa is creating a stir amongst exploration companies and their suppliers. He said while Angola and Nigeria have always been the most notable producers within the SubSaharan region, more recently, significant gas discoveries in Tanzania and Mozambique, has led to East Africa now receiving its share of attention from global oil companies and potential investors. Mozambique has enjoyed an extraordinary economic boost in recent years due to gas finds, mainly around the northern offshore Rovuma

basin. This has attracted interest from major global players like US firm Anadarko and Italy’s ENI. The two firms are in the process of developing multi-billion-dollar liquefied natural gas (LNG) export projects in the country. The country is expected to attract more than $30 billion in investment into natural gas sector. South African petrochemicals giant Sasol has captured a significant chunk of the gas activity in Mozambique. Sasol’s produce is used both in Mozambique and energy hungry South Africa. The Mozambican economy has been growing at levels above 7% over the past few years. According to the latest review by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Mozambique is likely to maintain strong growth in the medium term and energy related developments are the pillar of this new strength. In addition to massive coal reserves, a key development is the liquefied natural gas (LNG) production project. The IMF noted that “Completion of the contract negotiations for the production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a critical milestone for the launch of this project, one of the largest in subSaharan Africa.” In Namibia, the search for commercially viable oil reserves has gained momentum in recent times. This is after a Brazilian firm, High Resolution Technology (HRT), struck oil reserves in the Walvis Basin. The Brazilian in HRT is scientifically significant. Namibia and Brazil are thought to have been connected in prehistoric geography. And Namibia is a

next door neighbour to the oil rich Angola. This HRT find has been described as promising but not commercially viable. It has encouraged more exploration from other oil giants like Shell, Repsol, Petrobras and Tullow. Namibia’s neighbour, South Africa, has also entered the radar of oil explorers. Harley noted that “South Africa in particular is receiving much attention, mostly because of the potential of shale gas in the Karoo.” While it is premature to make a call on the Karoo shale gas, the proponents of the exploration have characterised it as a game changing potential. A look into what shale gas has done in the US is causing excitement in South Africa. Energy giants like Shell have positioned themselves. Harley noted that South Africa is also seeing some activity because it has a long and largely unexplored coastline, of which many believe large hydrocarbon fields may exist. “As a result of the region’s potential, there are several offshore drilling exploration expeditions currently being planned in South Africa by the major oil companies.” The latest South African development came via the launch of the first deep-water well, south of Mossel Bay by oil giant Total. The launch was described as by South Africa’s minister of mineral resources, Ngoako Ramatlhodi, as giving “impetus to South Africa’s nascent upstream oil and gas industry, which has the potential to contribute to economic growth and the creation of direct as well as indirect job opportunities.”

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

Oil and Gas

The drilling came shortly after President Jacob Zuma unveiled an initiative expressly designed to fast track South Africa’s exploration of economic onshore economic possibilities. Zuma said South Africa’s ocean economy has a potential to multiply into a R177bn contributor to the country’s GDP and create about one million jobs. “Marine aquaculture, marine transport, offshore oil and gas exploration and marine protection have all been identified as focus areas of the blue economy. A delivery lab has been established under each area to help resolve critical challenges,” said Zuma. Activities of other smaller companies like SacOil, listed in Johannesburg and London, is also worth watching. SacOil describes itself as “a South African-based independent African oil and gas company…” which is active in Malawi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nigeria, Botswana and Mozambique. Tanzania has housed considerable oil and gas activity over the past five years or so. Since the first discovery of natural gas in 2010, Tanzania has raised its estimate of recover-able natural gas resources to about 53.2 trillion cubic feet. Lately the country invited bids for oil and gas blocks and was expected to announce winners soon. This process is said to have attracted the interests of majors like ExxonMobil, Statoil, Gazprom and Chinese firm CNOOC. Harley has argued that “While exploration activity in Africa is at its highest level ever, the continent remains largely unexplored.” “With the ever-increasing

need for energy in Asia and in particular China, many of these countries are positioning themselves strategically in Africa as they seek to tap into new resources to support their growing energy needs. “Despite the significant developments in the renewable energy sector, the world’s dependency on hydrocarbonfuelled energy resources will continue for many years to come. According to the BP Energy Outlook 2035 report, global energy consumption is expected to rise by 41% from 2012 to 2035, and that 95% of that growth in demand is expected to come from the emerging economies.” He added that “Across the globe, existing and previously significant oil reserves are being depleted and so the need and desire to explore new

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

geographies and develop new technologies to reach and extract difficult oil and gas reserves becomes ever more apparent. These new technologies are being developed at a rapid rate, which is allowing previously challenging operations and inaccessible deposits to be economically extracted and produced.” While this new oil and gas activity in the SADC region has caused some excitement, there is some cause for concern. Lessons from elsewhere in the continent breeds sceptics. Hydrocarbon riches have caused chaos more than development in certain parts of the continent. They have been accompanied by never ending civil wars and have benefited a few individuals whilst vast majority of people

in oil rich regions remain poor. A totally different economic modelling is required as expressed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) President Donald Kaberuka. While praising Africa as a sleeping giant on its way up, Kaberuka noted that despite strong economic growth, economic transformation remains a challenge for the continent. He said Africa needs quality growth, “which is not only strong, but sustainable, fair, addresses inequalities, and leaves no one behind” There is also concern that the southern African region lacks institutional capacity to strike fair deals with the oil giants. An entity like SADC could play a pivotal role in better organising the benefits of the pending oil and gas boom in the region.

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Information Communication Technology

MMU to research faster, cheaper alternative to

ADSL BROADBAND The SKA, located in the Karoo and funded by the national Treasury to the tune of R2.1 billion, has been identified as one of the government’s strategic infrastructure projects. OUR CORRESPONDENT

elson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) will conduct pioneering research around optical fibre data transport for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope... This will be done through a partnership involving the Department of Science and Technology, Cisco, NMMU, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the SKA. Multinational networking company Cisco has already donated R68-million worth of equipment to NMMU’s Broadband Communication Centre. The partnership announcement, hosted

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

at NMMU’s south campus yesterday, saw Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor in attendance. The SKA, located in the Karoo and funded by the national Treasury to the tune of R2.1 billion, has been identified as one of the government’s strategic infrastructure projects.

A new generation of optical fibre communication The expertise of 11 students working in the centre is aimed at establishing a new generation of optical fibre communication as a faster, cheaper, more suitable alternative to ADSL broadband connectivity.

Cisco’s operations, processes and systems executive vice president Randy Pond said the north campus centre would serve as the processing hub for the SKA radio telescope. “This is the single largest donation made to a tertiary institute outside of the US. We believe that data is the new oil, and this SKA development allows for major breakthroughs.” He said Cisco’s investment demonstrated its commitment to supporting a world-class research project in South Africa. Pandor said through SKA the country aimed to become a catalyst in Africa’s IT industry.

Medical

The dawn of

MEDICAL CITIES The health and wellness of a community is a collective social responsibility and a cause for which medical technology and Business-to-Society (B2S) business models have a huge role to play. BYÂ JOHN RASPINÂ

ithin our lifetime, the global population is set to grow and change demographics at a rate unseen by previous generations. This puts enormous pressures on all industries, but specifically health care. Hospitals are already at capacity with a huge strain on resources and expertise, but there is an opportunity to adapt in order to deal with this change in a

sustainable and affordable way. The health and wellness of a community is a collective social responsibility and a cause for which medical technology and Business-to-Society (B2S) business models have a huge role to play. At Frost & Sullivan, we expect that global health care expenditure will grow to $12.7 trillion by 2020 while investment in prevention, diagnosis and monitoring will increase from 30% of total spending in 2014 to reach almost 45% by 2020, signalling

a paradigm shift from focusing on cure to prevention and diagnostics.Â Various innovations in the healthcare industry are expected to revolutionise the medicine arena, with spending on healthcare segments, such as medical imaging, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and life sciences to grow at 6.4%, reaching $2.10 trillion in 2020. At the same time, nanobots, combination devices, electroceuticals, and genome

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

Medical

and health care provision environments, the developing regions will drive new business models tailored to meeting specific patient needs in novel and cost-effective ways. This change is rolling out across the globe, for example with ‘super-hospitals’ being created in Denmark in order to increase efficiency and promote the use of e-health systems in partnership with companies like Hitachi.

biggest gains have gone not to patients, insurers or governments, but to hospitals, which have calculated that they could win more business by reversing the trend and going abroad to find patients. America’s Cleveland Clinic will open a branch in Abu Dhabi next year. It already manages Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, a 750-bed hospital in Abu Dhabi. Singapore’s Parkway Health has set up

new products and services to provide innovations that will help provide breakthrough changes for the benefit of society, improving quality of life. Where more can this make a difference than health care? When it comes to health care innovation, Hitachi deploys a huge range of technologies, systems and data management solutions to support a healthier and safer society. Innovations can be seen from proton beam

“The deployment of technology and new business models to bring about real positive change to the lives of individuals and societies, creating shared value”.

sequencing are poised to transform the global patientcare arena by enabling complex tasks on a microscopic scale and providing tailored treatments to patients’ needs.

The rise of medical cities With smarter drugs, virtual hospitals and cyber documents, the health care industry could undergo radical change. While patients in the developed world grow increasingly impatient with slow-moving regulatory

In developing regions, such as in the Middle East, India and many parts of Asia, we have also seen the emergence of ‘medical cities’ where medical facilities are centred in an urban area and provide world-class health care facilities. Several countries, including Poland and Brazil, have seen the development of specialised facilities as a result of medical tourism. In addition, high-value services are also being created for patients who are seeking convenience as they have limited time and are willing to pay out of pocket. These facilities need to look to new innovations to enhance and streamline these trends so that the services are efficient and accessible to all. But the mere possibility of medical tourism is starting to change health care in unexpected ways. The

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

hospitals across Asia. India’s Apollo Hospitals, a chain of private hospitals, has a branch in Mauritius. The health concerns of local citizens can vary drastically across regions and borders; there is a need for innovative diagnostic solutions tailored to local circumstances to deliver convenient, rapid, accurate, user-friendly and cost-effective solutions.

The business opportunity In a recent report we conducted with Hitachi, we defined social innovation as “the deployment of technology and new business models to bring about real positive change to the lives of individuals and societies, creating shared value”. Sectors that were once separated in the past are converging into

cancer treatment solutions to automated analysis systems and nursing care business solutions, from diagnostic imaging in Brazil and Egypt to using microscopy to advance STEM education in the US and IT solutions to increase hospital efficiency in Denmark. With the huge health care challenges society is facing due to population boom and shift, it is no longer solely down to governments and health care professionals to innovate in order to tackle the problems. Social innovation will see companies providing their expertise and collaborating with the public sector to tackle these challenges. It is only through embracing these new models of business and thinking that the huge opportunities of health care innovation can be realised.

In focus

It’s not about DIGITAL It’s not about MOBILE It’s certainly not about BILLBOARDS By ALASDAIR MULLER

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

In focus

o what is digital out of home (DOOH) advertising really all about? It’s about connecting brands and communities in context. It’s about connecting brands and people through content. And it’s about connecting brands and consumers with commerce. When reflecting on the scope of this article, one is struck by the similarities that the current DOOH market had with the early days of radio and television. “Really?” you ask. Well let’s expound. In the early days of radio, the medium was so new that people had no idea how to use it to communicate effectively. Advertisers and broadcasters were only learning the strengths of the medium that

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

we are so fully aware of today, so much so that many early radio programs comprised simply of people reading out newspaper articles. On reflection, it seems that the benefits of DOOH are largely not being effectively harnessed, and the majority of DOOH is being treated as traditional static outdoor. In this way we all fail to take advantage of the benefits that a connected digital channel can bring to the party. Recent statistics from the UK suggest that two out of every three DOOH campaigns are conceived and created in the same manner as traditional outdoor campaigns . No moving artwork, no real-time changing of content. For all intents and

purposes, little more than a traditional OOH campaign on a digital screen. If we look at the current DOOH market in South Africa we can discern a similar pattern. Perhaps an even higher level of incidence. As an industry, we run the risk of not embracing the full potential of the DOOH landscape and the ability to really drive consumer engagement and sales. As advertisers we all want mediums that are flexible and able to deliver content to audiences in a way that we were never able to deliver content before. So with this in mind, what does DOOH offer us, and how could we optimise our use of this medium? What is being alluded to is that when it comes to content, context

In focus

refers to the time and place that you have decided to publish, distribute and promote your content. Also known as “decision interval relevance” or “thematic relevance”. If you’re trying to connect with consumers in the wrong context, it doesn’t matter how good or bad your content is. It’s not going to be read, shared or discussed. Even the world’s best content placed in the wrong context will fail, and the real key to quality, relevance and profit is making sure your context is right. Not only does DOOH allow brands to connect with consumers in the context of space and place, but it is allowing us real flexibility to target consumers more effectively through the all-important day-part. Meeting consumers in the context of time allows advertisers to communicate with consumers when they are in the

to take advantage of the dayparts parts offered? Google Outside is a great example of contextual awareness. Google’s concept was “Contextual Stories any location, any time, any screen” and to do this Google created over 100 unique story templates and used them across 200 unique locations around London. All information was unique to that location point, the information was relevant to the environment, context and people targeted at that location. The information was actually useful, usable in real time and inspiring to people. The campaign allowed Google to connect with both tourists and residents of London in a meaningful and relevant way by providing them with utility when they need it most. On reflection it would seem that advertising agencies and

On ref lection it would seem that advertising agencies and advertisers in South Africa still have some way to go in recognising and commercially exploiting the power of context in DOOH and the f lexibility of context in day part advertising. right frame of mind to buy your products. Changing content for morning, afternoon and evening mood states and even weekend exclusive advertising. How many advertisers would acknowledge that they are using specially tailored artwork in these day parts effectively, if at all? If we all had the chance, why wouldn’t we want to tailor our creative messaging to fit the context the DOOH was found in, and why wouldn’t you evolve your content

advertisers in South Africa still have some way to go in recognising and commercially exploiting the power of context in DOOH and the flexibility of context in day part advertising. Land Rover fans were encouraged to send tweets with pictures of their winter adventures to be loaded as content across the UK. Further to this, to engage customers and specifically encourage them to embrace #Hibernot, Land Rover created a

webpage providing suggestions of activities and ways they could go out and enjoy the winter. The best pictures and winter activities were loaded on the website and the #Hibernot book for distribution at Land Rover dealerships across the country. The best pictures were also uploaded to DOOH billboards across the UK. So it’s clear that DOOH can connect with consumers in the context that matters most to them and with content that is engaging but can It help me sell products? Yes! DOOH allows us to connect brands and consumers through commerce. Firstly, Digital OOH now allows advertisers to change content regularly and quickly, so for once OOH is able to offer solutions to the fast paced FMCG industry. Prices can be updated weekly or even in real time in line with in store offerings. McDonalds, themselves leaders in the DOOH space, have developed a great concept where consumers who interact with the DOOH screens are given a coupon for their favourite meal. This not only raises awareness but also drives feet through the store and a measurable increase in sales. Tesco’s in South Korea found a way to encourage commuters to buy products using their smartphones while waiting for their trains, they did this by building virtual aisles on the platforms. Home Plus created enormous, rich images of food items and laid them out in the same way as they would be in store. Every item has a corresponding QR code, so that consumers waiting on the platform can check out the items on the huge billboard and scan the QR code of the relevant item using their mobile. This immediately adds it to their Home Plus shopping basket.

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

MINE ENTRA: Zimbabwe’s Premier Mining, Engineering and Transport Exhibition The mining, engineering and transport exhibition (Mine Entra) remains the most reputable expo of its kind in Zimbabwe, and one of the largest in the Southern African region. Having been in existence for a successful 20 consecutive years, the expo has built a solid reputation of providing an integral business and networking platform. Known for its ability to bring together the ‘who is who’ of the relevant sectors, the objective of the expo is to serve the marketing needs of exhibitors and visitors alike. MINE ENTRA 2015: The 2015 edition of Mine Entra is set for 22 to 24 July under the theme, ‘Unearthing Opportunities.’ The exhibition will highlight the potential, opportunities and growth prospects in the region’s mining industry and its related sectors. WHY PARTICIPATE IN MINE ENTRA 2015? At Mine Entra you will: • Network with more than 2,500 global professionals all with a vested interest in the African mining value chain.

• Engage with potential clients, suppliers and business partners and establish long-lasting value-adding contacts and relationships. • Gain face-to-face contact with more than 300 local and international companies both on and off the exhibition floor. • Learn about the latest developments in mining worldwide and acquire innovative technological solutions that can improve efficiency and safety. • Meet with industry experts and hundreds of investors, financiers, policymakers and other mining stakeholders at the high level, industry-driven conferences. EXHIBITOR PROFILE: We invite exhibitors from the following product sectors among others: Mining: specialised companies supplying exploration, extraction, processing or beneficiation machinery and training requirements for the mining sector. Engineering: companies and consultants supplying expertise in geotechnology, earth sciences, electrical equipment, computing, design, earthmoving machinery, chemicals, environmental management and safety devices. Transport: from raw-materials handling to delivery networks, transport is the key factor in heavy industry and commerce. Conveyers, haulers, dumpers, personnel carriers, buses, all-terrain vehicles, rail locomotives, road carriers, mass transport, private vehicles, fuel, lubricants and accessories. Building and Construction: the newest products, trends and materials in the building, construction and property management industry. VISITOR PROFILE: Statistically, 90% of all Mine Entra visitors are decision

makers from around the region with the potential to invest and engage in business ventures with local business. These include managers of industrial enterprises, heads of representative offices of international companies, chief engineers, technologists, geologists, surveyors, marketing specialists, suppliers and distributors of materials and equipment, service-sector representatives and mining media, among others. MINE ENTRA 2015 DIARY 22 July: Mine Entra Conference 23 July: Joint Suppliers and Producers Conference 23 July: Mine Entra Official Opening Cocktail Mine Entra’s growth reflects a two-decade investment in building a relevant and targeted tradeshow that has helped uncover Zimbabwe’s wealth and potential. It’s been an amazing journey of 20 years and as proud as we are of our past, we are even more excited about our future. Register to exhibit at or visit Mine Entra 2015 via our website www.zitf.net. Alternatively, contact our Marketing

Team today at zitfmktg@zitf.co.zw to discuss a customised plan to suit your unique needs and budget. THE ORGANISERS: Mine Entra is organised by the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Company, the leading international exhibitions, events and conference organiser in the country. Our exhibitions and events are the first place where industry trends, ideas and innovative products are unveiled. We bring together a diverse audience to promote trade and investment in the country. Founded in 1986, as a non- profit, limited liability private company, the ZITF Company’s vision is to be the world’s first choice in offering innovative opportunities for social and business interaction. The vision aligns with the company’s thrust to constantly reinvent itself with novel event management techniques to generate maximum benefit for our clients. Our future-oriented thinking, coupled with zeal to consolidate our market position, allows us to set new trends within the exhibition industry. While traditionally formed to organise and host the multi-sectoral exhibition, Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, our product offering has evolved over the years to reflect the new demands of the exhibition industry. For this reason, we offer digitally-enhanced services such as online meeting scheduling and an event app for all our major exhibitions, including Mine Entra.

. CONTACT DETAILS Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Company P O Famona, Bulawayo Tel: (+263-9) 884911-5 Fax: (+263-9) 884921 Email: zitfmktg@zitf.co.zw Website: www.zitf.net

In focus

Could Africa become like

CHINA

Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s changing demographic over the next three-and-a-half decades could transform the continent into the next China, but only if its youthful population is educated and entrepreneurial. BY JANA MARAIS

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

In focus

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

In focus

rojections for the next 35 years indicate 1.8bn babies will be born in Africa and its population is expected to double from 1.2bn in 2015 to 2.4bn people by 2050 according to a Unicef report released this week. By the middle of this century, Africa will be account for 41% of the world’s births, 40% of all global under-fives and 37% of all children under 18, it said. Today, almost 47% Africans are children under 18. “If you have a young, dynamic, entrepreneurial workforce with the appropriate economic models to absorb this workforce, you could see something like a China happening here,” said David Anthony, Chief of the Policy

reduced if wealth was distributed fairly,” claimed Anthony. “It will make Africa incredibly attractive not just as an investment destination for its natural resources, but also as a consumer market.”

Small window of opportunity But the window of opportunity for Africa to reap the demographic dividend is small and it is not a given. “Things will need to be done. Also, if the demographic dividend doesn’t come, it will be a disaster. We have an incredible number of people with no opportunities,” said Enrique Delamonica, Chief of Social Policy and Gender Equality at Unicef Nigeria. In the past, regions like East Asia have had much

“The continent could be transformed and poverty reduced if wealth was distributed fairly,” claimed Anthony. “It will make Africa incredibly attractive not just as an investment destination for its natural resources, but also as a consumer market.” Advocacy and Coordination unit at Unicef. Between 1981 and 2010, China lifted 680m people out of poverty. But 70% of subSaharan Africa lives below the World Bank’s poverty line of $2 (R21) a day. In East and West Africa, the proportion of poor people is more than 70%. “The continent could be transformed and poverty

success in using their changing demographics and increased labour force to drive economic growth and prosperity. “African governments must implement appropriate economic and social policies, particularly in terms of education and health, which encourages investment in children and young people,” said Unicef in its report. “If you don’t have the

appropriate models to absorb this labour, what you’ll get is a potential working-age population which is underemployed, under-skilled, frustrated and deprived, with negative implications for security and stability,” it warned. Unicef is encouraging investment in early childhood development; adequate nutrition, especially in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life to prevent stunted growth; quality education that is fit for purpose for the labour market; and the empowerment of girls. Unicef found that teenage pregnancy rates in Africa were more than double the global average and quadruple the rate in some of the other poorest countries, adding that special attention is required for Nigeria, whose population will double in the next 35 years, Nigeria is expected to account for 5% of all global births, and 136m births in that country between 2015 and 2030.

Nigeria growing rapidly, but poverty is too “Nigeria has one of the fastest-growing economies on the continent, but nearly half its population lives in poverty. It needed an estimated 2.5m to 3,0m new jobs a year, but oil, the main driver of economic growth, was not producing jobs,” said Delamonica. “About 72% of the population depends on agriculture for a living, but this is not where the wellpaying, high-productivity jobs will come from that Nigeria needs to benefit

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

In focus

from the demographic dividend,” he said. Figures indicate that the country is making progress in getting births registered and an estimated 57% of births are now officially recorded, up from 42% in 2011. Some states are also rolling out school nutrition and youth employment programmes,

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

free transport for pregnant women and mothers to access medical care, and cash transfers to encourage families to send girls to school. “Africa has this amazing opportunity. Its best assets are not its hydrocarbons or minerals but it is children - and their numbers are growing,”

said Anthony. “They really offer our best hope to consolidate the continent’s status as a global power. But what will matter most is whether or not we take the necessary steps to invest in our children,” he added. Source: Business Times via I-Net Bridge

Barclays setting the tone for African SMEs growth agenda Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply pan-African conference held in Lusaka Zambia, Barclays Africa Business Banking shared their thoughts on the conference and the SME sector across the Continent as a whole. Tezza Bryant, Regional Head Coverage Barclays Africa states, “It was a brilliant opportunity for us as Barclays to participate in this conference, as it gave us the opportunity to interact with a whole range of Corporates and SME’s and hear first-hand their challenges, allowing us to understand their businesses better.” The conference gave a platform to various businesses and professionals who shared what they believed works best as an industry, the potential of the supply chain industry and the challenges that are widely faced. The conference also sought ways and initiatives that could benefit local procurement for smaller businesses on the Continent. An emerging theme, particularly during the Q&A sessions, was the importance of access to working capital to support cash flow for smaller business. Most SMEs on the Continent need access to funding to support their day to day operations but because they often have thin capital bases and owners investments are ploughed into working capital they sometimes fail to meet the requirements that financial institutions impose to provide loan funding. “At Barclays Africa, we strongly believe that while working capital funding is a major challenge, SMEs do face a number of other challenges as well. Skills development and access to markets are two other significant challenges the SMEs face in a very challenging environment. Businesses need a wider skill sets and the ability to link into more sustainable, often Corporate led, markets to them flourish.

The build out of those skills and linkages into Corporate supply and buyer chains does help to build more sustainable businesses, support local content agendas and go some way to helping banks and their Customers mitigate funding challenges and risks.” says Bryant. Barclays Africa operates in 12 countries on the Continent and is a fully global, regional and local bank long and proud history of serving customers across the African continent. “We are in the unique and enviable position to best serve existing and prospective customers and clients by combining our global product knowledge, regional expertise and extensive, well-established local footprint,” added Bryant. Significant growth in many Economies across Africa is attracting international corporate attention especially when other international markets are still struggling to show healthy growth rates. However, many of these Corporates are still adopting a cautious approach to doing business in Africa and see the continent as ether a place to obtain raw materials or to simply sell their products. The sourcing of local materials or beneficiated inputs from smaller suppliers is still not at levels that would be found in more developed environments. Local sourcing is growing but the perceived risk of doing business with SME’s makes larger corporates wary of adopting this approach. Despite this perceived risk involved in doing business with African SMEs, Barclays Africa has a positive perception of how it can stimulate these entities to grow and contribute to the development of the continent. The group has seen and projected good growth in a number of economies in Africa in sectors such as agriculture, mining, transport, oil and gas, of which Barclays intends to take advantage of its strong expert base in South Africa to leverage its support to the rest of Africa.

ABOVE LEFT TO RIGHT: Tezza Bryant, Regional Head Coverage Barclays Africa and Regina Mulenga, Barclays Zambia Business Banking Head, Regina Mulenga speaking at the 2014 CIPS conference in Lusaka, Zambia.

In addition it does work with an number of Corporate customers across the Continent to stimulate Corporate to SME business through supply chain initiatives. The role that SME entities play in job creation and poverty reduction in Africa is critical but it is also key that SMEs are managed and operated professionally to attract institutions willing to participate in SMEs growth and sustainability. The CIPS conference adds to the SME industry by giving them a platform through a professional body to speak with one voice get the issues that they face on the table and to link up with corporate procurement world. The Bank wants to help ensure that the SMEs sector in Africa flourishes. Being small entities, SMEs sometimes struggle to get the attention multinational corporations and conversely Multi nationals often struggle to link up with SME on who they can depend. Barclays aims to build on its knowledge base of these two component parts and to help link willing buyer and seller together. The lack of a specific focus on the key SMEs market segment has made it difficult to meet the needs of these important customers. It is within this context that about nine months ago, Barclays Africa decided to separate the institution’s Business Banking from its Corporate Banking function. “We created business banking as a separate entity, away from Retail and Corporate banking so that we could develop focus and capabilities that are required by smaller business across the Continent. Our aim is to be the ‘Go-to’ Business Bank across the African continent in all the countries where we have a presence,” states Bryant. “It is central to our approach that we understand our clients’ needs, so we spent a lot of time, money and manpower in reviewing and refining our Customer Value Propositions (CVP). Based on that information we are working to build business banking with the aim of satisfying those ever changing needs for our clients from transaction, investment and debt perspective. It’s not about simply dishing out loans but more about a holistic approach to solutioning our customers” added Bryant. Barclays continues to review the market, look at large corporate clients within Africa, know who their suppliers and buyers are, then look for ways to support these companies and customers to make them more competitive and sustainable through combinations of transactional banking, investments, linking buyers and sellers and working capital or trade solutions. Barclays Africa, through its operations in South Africa it has a number of Centres of Excellence, for example its strong agriculture proposition, and intend to leverage those capabilities across the Continent. Much of this work is fully aligned with Regional and Government initiatives to support local business and stimulate Economies.

Countries in Africa do however need to continually review the ease to trade and copy best practice of how to stimulate growth in the SMEs sector. Mr Bryant noted that in countries like Rwanda and Mauritius, where it is easy for SMEs to establish and do business, governments are playing their role in stimulating sustainable small business development. Many African governments that have provided great incentives around skills, human development, streamlined company registration and have sometime tackled value added tax and other tax benefits for start-up enterprises. These are all great steps down the road to small business development and lifting economic prosperity for all. The Barclays group notes that it has been proven that there is a real multiplier effect on resources pumped into SMEs’ incentives and that for every dollar of input there is a higher rate of Economic and Social return.

“Our ultimate ambition as Barclays Africa is to help each one of our customers by putting world class banking solutions within their reach of every business in our targeted markets. The Barclays picture does not only end at SMEs development on the Continent but goes further to encompass the workforce benefits which support a wider community and family networks in many parts of Africa. In a number of African countries like Zambia, a wide range of reforms have been enacted to support SMEs growth but implementing and executing is and continues to be a challenge. Speaking at the CIPs conference, Regina Mulenga, Barclays Zambia Business Banking Head stated, “Reforms, policies and other initiatives meant to encourage and improve doing business, have been enacted and implemented in many African countries. But it’s up to various interest groups on the continent to grab these opportunities.” “Our ultimate ambition as Barclays Africa is to help each one of our customers by putting world class banking solutions within their reach of every business in our targeted markets. Our belief is that this will ultimately allow us to achieve our vision of empowering them to prosper as we continue to travel this journey together with them,” concludes Bryant.

Barclays Africa | Barclays Towers West | 15 Troye Street, Johannesburg 2001, South Africa + 27 (0) 350 4000 | www.barclaysafrica.com

Your world to a better future

The Vaal University of Technology offers a wide range of Masters (MTech) and Doctoral (DTech) degrees in which research is the major component. Each candidate proceeds under the guidance of a supervising member of staff.

COURSES AVAILABLE IN HIGHER DEGREES FACULTY FACULTY OF APPLIED AND COMPUTER SCIENCES

MASTERS  Information Technology  Biotechnology  Chemistry  Office Management & Technology  Electrical Engineering (Power, Applied Electronics and

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

Instrumental)  Mechanical Engineering  Metallurgical Engineering  Industrial Engineering  Civil Engineering

DOCTORATE  Information Systems  Chemistry  Biotechnology  Electrical Engineering  Mechanical Engineering  Civil Engineering  Chemical Engineering

(Transport, Structures, Water, Geotech, Construction, Management and Urban Engineering)  Chemical Engineering

FACULTY OF HUMAN SCIENCES

FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCES

 Ceramic Design  Fine Art  Graphic Design  Multimedia  Photography  Fashion  Food Service Management  Food & Beverage Management  Public Relations Management  Tourism & Hospitality Management  Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education (NQF8)

 Fine Art  Photography  Food Service Management

 Business Administration  Human Resource Management  Labour Relations  Logistics  Marketing

 Business, Marketing

 Cost & Management Accounting The minimum required time to complete the course will be one year and the maximum time will be 4 years for Masters and 5 years for Doctorate studies.

www.vut-research.ac.za

Vision: The vision of the Centre of Sustainable Livelihoods is to use research as a toll aimed at reducing poverty, household food insecurity and malnutrition in Africa. The Centre of Sustainable Livelihoods is a postgraduate research centre of the Vaal University of Technology Research hub, with the focus on using research as a tool to reduce poverty, household food insecurity and malnutrition in Africa. In recent years, we have focused on poverty, malnutrition and household food insecurity in rural, peri-urban and urban communities in the Vaal region, Qwa-Qwa, Eastern Cape, Soshanguve, Hammanskraal and various African countries. The close relationship that the Centre of Sustainable Livelihoods has with these communities has helped us to create a relevant research programme with a high level of implementation. This has led to the malnutrition.

Plant Molecular Genetics/Biotechnology

Technology Transfer & Innovation

The Centre of Sustainable Livelihoods

The Innovative Product Development and Advanced Manufacturing research focus area includes the technology, tools, procedures and work organisation used for the increased efficiency in industrial product development processes. Our research is focused on the use of Additive Manufacturing platforms which will increase efficiency in product development processes. We investigate key factors for competitive industrial product development and innovation by using tools and procedures, as well as organisational co-operation and parallel processes. This holistic approach includes the integration of all relevant aspects of product development processes.

The Plant Molecular Genetics / Biotechnology focus area is housed in the Department of Biotechnology and is led by Professor Michael Pillay. Current research topics in these areas revolve around genetic diversity, gene discovery, agricultural and environmental biotechnology. New avenues of research such as proteomics have also been initiated. The practicality of our research ideas and the availability of basic laboratory equipment have helped to attract students to continue with their postgraduate studies at VUT. The Department of Biotechnology will soon be offering a PhD in Biotechnology, pending final approval from DHET.

We have an excellent history of collaboration with industry, national and international academia and participation in Government Flagship programs. Our long history with government programmes also provides sufficient expertise and an established track record in obtaining triple helix-based research and support grants.

Centre for Renewable Energy and Water Vision: To be a leading global centre for renewable energy

Centre for Alternative Energy The research focus on Alternative Energy, Applied Electronics and NRF/THRIP defined focus areas: 1.   

2.   

3.  

Alternative Energy: The development of fuel cells and fuel cell membranes Hydrogen generation and storage Sustainable electricity for rural communities through solar, wind and fuel cell energy

Dielectric Heating: Radio frequency heating and drying of materials Rock comminution for mining Blood heating

Product Development: Applied electronic products for a vast number of commercial applications DC-DC converters and DC-AC inverters

Materials and Minerals Technology The aim of the Materials and Minerals Technology research focus area has always been to build research capacity covering a broad spectrum of materials science and technology. This aims to fulfil the needs of the technology Station in Process and Materials Technology while at the same time providing a research vehicle for the departments of Metallurgical, Civil and Industrial Engineering. Materials selection is central to all manufacturing and construction design and development. Therefore the importance of on-going research into materials’ properties and the development of new materials should always be underscored.

Services Offered by the Materials and Minerals Technology Focus Research Area Our work is aimed towards:

    

Contract research In-house and collaborative green-fields research in the fields of engineering materials Testing services echnology transfer Postgraduate training

and water research creating innovative knowledge that adds value to life in Africa.

Mission: To develop research cultural capital, exploit the competencies at the interface of disciplines and engage in research driven by effective teaching and learning

Background: The grand global challenges of our time include access to clean water, global warming, affordable energy and food security. Efforts to address these challenges are constrained by the fact that the natural resources are being depleted while the need continues to rise with the increase in global population. This means that as far as water and energy provision is concerned, the world has less for more. To address this problem, scientists have in the recent years adopted a strategy that is aimed at developing technologies for creating more with less. At the centre of this strategy is the use of low-cost materials and technologies based on regional or site specific conditions. This strategy must be guided by the national imperatives, with the aim of exploiting regional competitive advantages. Africa has large fresh water bodies including lakes and rivers that frequently cause disastrous floods. Rivers with large volumes of water are inevitably potential sources of hydroenergy. Further, for countries that are in the tropical regions, additional advantages include abundant solar irradiation and warm climate conducive for producing renewable energy from wastewater.

Please visit www.vut-research.ac.za for more information and contact details

Research That Matters

Your world to a better future

Transport and Communication

SA TAXIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CASH PILE

opens new frontiers

The South African Taxi Industry financier appears to be taking hid to the call to exploit opportunities that abound in Africa seriously. OUR CORRESPONDENT

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

Transport and Communication

outh Africa’s largest minibus financier, SA Taxi, is looking for opportunities to expand its minibus lending business into other African countries and could direct R100m to its domestic finance project. JSE-listed Transaction Capital, which owns SA Taxi, has about R900m in cash after selling its payment solutions business Paycorp and unsecured lender Bayport.

It plans to use the money to invest in new growth businesses. SA Taxi is the largest contributor to Transaction Capital’s profit. SA Taxi Chief Executive Terry Kier said the company is investigating opportunities in the rest of Africa, but would not say which countries were eyed. “The business is focused on SMEs (small and medium enterprises) and there’s growth in that marketplace. We will start investigating opportunities in Africa although there are still

largest lender for minibuses. SA Taxi has a total loan book of R6bn and 30% of that is considered to be nonperforming loans. Stephen Meintjes, head of research at Imara SP Reid, warned that replicating the model in new territories in Africa could prove difficult. “In order for SA Taxi to succeed in other countries, regulatory support would be required, including robust data systems that would allow the

mechanical problems, causing operators to lose income and default on payments. Meintjes said it would be expensive for SA Taxi to replicate this part of its business outside SA. Within SA Taxi there is a bakkie finance unit targeting entrepreneurs. About 18 months ago when the bakkie finance pilot project started, the company allocated R30m as an initial investment and added a further R30m, taking the total allocation to R60m. Kier said

“The business is focused on SMEs (small and medium enterprises) and there’s growth in that marketplace. We will start investigating opportunities in Africa although there are still opportunities within the local taxi industry. We have a huge role to play in Africa,” opportunities within the local taxi industry. We have a huge role to play in Africa,” he said.

company to track down vehicles that belonged to loan defaulters,” Meintjes said.

Export business model to Africa

Refurbishing repossessed taxis

The company believed it had built up enough skills and data in the local minibus sector which dominates public transport in SA with more than 16m passenger trips daily - for it to feel confident to export the funding model it uses to other African markets. SA’s national fleet is estimated to comprise about 200,000 minibuses, according to SA Taxi and the taxi business generates about R40bn a year in revenue. About 70,000 taxis are financed by lenders. Out of these, SA Taxi has financed just more than 23,000, making it the

Another division in SA Taxi is Taximart, which repairs and refurbishes repossessed vehicles. Kier said in the long-term the unit would allow the company to reduce write-offs substantially as the minibuses would not simply be auctioned at low prices, which is how the sector had dealt with repossessed vehicles in the past. The repairs made by Taximart helped to stabilise the resale value of repossessed minibuses. To reduce bad debts the company has stopped funding cheap minibuses, as some of these tend to have

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

further funding of between R100m and R150m was likely to be allocated for the bakkie finance unit in the next year. The company is also exploring rolling out an application for mobile devices that will allow taxi operators to track their fleets and to better manage their businesses. SA Taxi has introduced a new insurance offering for its clients, after it had run into trouble with regulators. Taxi owners had accused SA Taxi Finance of forcing them to use brokers aligned with the company when purchasing insurance. This deprived them of the right to choose their own brokers and find competitive rates. Kier said taxi operators were now allowed to choose their own insurance and brokers.

POWERHOUSE A review of SADC States â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from untapped oilfields to lush sugar fields, the Southern African region has all the resources to unlock the continentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s massive potential and become a major player on the global economic stage

PARTNERS

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

ANGOLA Kuwait of Africa

 The Republic of Angola covers 1,247,000 km² in the western region of Southern Africa and is the second largest country south of the Sahara after the Democratic Republic of Congo. The country contains six major geomorphologic areas: Coastal area, marginal mountain chains, the old tableland, Zaire basin and the basins of the Zambezi and Cubango.  Angola has two seasons, the rainy and dry seasons, with an average annual rainfall of 400 mm and lowest and highest average temperatures at 18˚C and 35 ˚C respectively.  Angola’s population is estimated at 17,992,000 (latest census).  The official language is Portuguese, with approximately 100 different ethnic languages spoken, of which Umbundu, Kimbundu, Kikongo, Tchokwe and Ovambo are the dominant national languages.

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

 Luanda is the capital city and along with other main towns, including: Cabinda, Benguela, Huambo, Lobito, Lubango and Namibe. All offer varied potential for investors looking for new business opportunities.  Angola gained independence from Portugal in 1975, following which a civil war engulfed the country, with a government of national unity being installed in 1997. The president is the Head of State.  Since the civil war ended, the country has worked hard to repair its badly damaged infrastructure and has extensive oil and gas resources, diamonds, hydro-electrical potential and rich agricultural land. It is the second biggest oil producer in Africa. However a large percentage of the population still relies on subsistence agriculture. Its tourism industry is still relatively new and the country has a stunning coastline, as well as numerous game parks and some of the finest tourism lodges on the continent.

BOTSWANA Wilderness Treasure

 Botswana is a completely landlocked country in the centre of Southern Africa, sharing borders with South Africa, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.  It boasts one of Southern Africa’s longest rivers, the Okavango which flows into the north-western part of the country, forming the UNESCO World Heritage Site Okavango Delta.  The country covers an area of about 582,000 sq.km² and is relatively flat, with the Kalahari Desert occupying more than 70 % of the country.  Rainfall is erratic and there are frequent droughts. Winters are dry with temperatures dropping to an extreme of about minus 7 degrees Celsius, while summer months

can be hot, but mean temperatures seldom rise above 39 degrees Celsius.  Gaborone is the capital city, while other major towns include Francistown, Lobatse, Selebi-Phikwe and Jwaneng.  The total population as per the 2011 Census is 2,024, 904 with the population concentrated in the eastern parts of the country, which are better suited for arable production due to more favourable climatic and soil conditions.  Setswana is the national language, while English is the official language used in business and most government affairs.  The mining sector, and in particular diamond mining,

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

is the major contributor to the export base, and government policy is looking to reduce the vulnerability arising from the heavy dependence on diamonds. The livestock industry contributes about 80 % of agriculture’s share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Beef processing accounts for about 80 % of the livestock industry, and over 95 % of beef production is exported.  Botswana’s impressive economic performance over the past four decades is mainly due to the success of its export sector.  Tourism continues to play an increasingly significant role in the diversification of the economy, with the country’s wildlife resources

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

being the foundation for the industry and the most famous wildlife habitat being the Okavango Delta, which covers some 16,800 km². Other major attractions of Botswana’s pristine beauty can be found in the Kalahari Game Reserve, the Makgadikgadi Pans, the Chobe National Park, the Tuli block and the Tsodilo Hills Monument, a World Heritage Site with its collection of pre-historic art.  The Sir Seretse Khama International Airport is located in Gaborone and international flights include to and from Johannesburg, Harare, Lusaka, Nairobi, Victoria Falls, and Windhoek. Botswana is a multi-party democracy, with elections held every five years.

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC) Untapped diamond  The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), formerly known as the Republic of Zaire, is geographically the largest state in Southern and Central Africa.  It is situated at the heart of Africa, and lies on the Equator, covering an area of 2,345,095 km². The DRC has 37 kilometres of coastline and is characterised by a vast central basin low-lying plateau rising to volcanoes and mountains in the east. More than half the country is covered by dense tropical rainforest and has numerous rivers, with the Congo River being the largest.  The DRC has a tropical climate with “rainy and ‘dry” seasons and temperatures seldom fall below 18 degrees Celsius.  The population is estimated at 75,259,000 (2011), and is divided into ten provinces and one city, namely, Kinshasa – the capital, while other major population areas include Lubumbashi, Kisangani, Matadi and Goma.  Congo became independent on 30 June, 1960. However, during the period between independence and 1999, the DRC has suffered from two civil wars. The president is the Head of State  French is the only official language, with four national languages: Lingala, Kingwana, Kikongo and Tshiluba. The DRC has over 200 African ethnic groups, of which the majority are Bantu.

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

 The DRC’s economy is primarily based on the mining sector and is potentially one of the richest mining countries in Africa, with massive mineral resources, including gold, silver and uranium to name but a few.  The country was the world’s fourth largest producer of industrial diamonds during the 1980s, and diamonds continue to dominate exports, accounting for nearly half of exports (US$828 million) in 2004.  The oil industry, mainly from offshore fields, is another important contributor to the economy. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, accounting for 42.5 % of GDP in 2004, with the main cash crops consisting of coffee, palm oil, rubber, cotton, sugar, tea and cocoa.  The DRC with its dense rain forests, wildlife and rivers also offers an important investment opportunity for the development of eco-tourism and the construction of new hotels. The country has seven major national parks. Spectacular wildlife viewing includes the lowland gorillas and the endangered mountain gorillas.  The Nyiragongo and Nyamulgira volcanoes offer unsurpassed views, where lava flows can be seen on both volcanoes.

LESOTHO Kingdom in the Sky

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

 The Kingdom of Lesotho is situated in the southeastern region of Southern Africa, covering an area of 30,355 km² and is entirely surrounded by South Africa.  Lesotho’s geographical formation is characterised by high mountains and deep valleys, and is the only country in the world to have all its entire territory located at more than 1,000 metres above sea level.  Lesotho has a continental climate, with four distinct seasons and temperatures do not get unbearably high due to the altitude, but can drop as low as minus 10 °C. The capital is Maseru, with other major population centres being Mafeteng and Roma.  The population is about 1,879,000 (2011). The vast majority of the population is Basotho and the official languages are Sesotho and English.  The manufacturing industry, mainly driven by textile and clothing sectors, has dominated Lesotho’s exports since 2001 and is the pillar of Lesotho’s economy. Its deceleration had an adverse impact on the overall economy and the end of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing in January 2005 saw further deterioration, which resulted in the closure of a number of textile firms.  The construction sector, the second largest contributor

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

to real GDP, increased by 2.0 % in value-added, in contrast to a 0.4 % rise recorded in 2004. In 2005, the tertiary sector was the main contributor to GDP at a share of 44.8 %. The mining sector is a marginal contributor to GDP, although Lesotho is believed to have significant mineral deposits, including diamonds.  Nearly 85 % of Basotho households live in rural areas and about 70 % derive part of their income from agriculture  The Lesotho Highlands are the country’s main tourist attraction, particularly the Maloti/Drakensberg mountains, which is a world heritage site and contain the world’s richest concentrations of Stone Age rock art.  Landmarks in Lesotho include Mount Qilone and Thaba Bosio, a fortress stronghold where the kings of Lesotho are traditionally buried. Thabana Ntlenyana is the highest mountain in Southern Africa, whilst Maletsunyane Falls is one of the tallest single-drop waterfalls in the region.  In October 1966, Lesotho gained independence from British rule with King Moshoeshoe II appointed as its ruler. The democratic elections held in 2002 installed a new government and the King remains the Head of State.

MADAGASCAR Rice fields and royal forts  The country of Madagascar is an island situated 400 km off the east coast of Africa, separated from the mainland by the Mozambique Channel. It is the fourth largest island, made up of hills and plains and with a coastline of about 5,000 km.  Summer is hot and wet, while the winter season is cold and dry.  The population of Madagascar is estimated at 20.696 million (latest census), and is divided into six provinces namely, Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, and Toliary. French is the official language, while Malagasy is the national language. Madagascar became independent on 26 June, 1960.  Antananarivo is both the administrative and commercial capital of the country; Fianarantsoa is another main centre providing for transportation of products to Tuléar in the southern part of the island. The president is the Head of State.  Known as the Red Island due to its soil, agriculture contributes about 14 % of the GDP and within the agriculture sector, food production constitutes 98 %, of which rice is 44 %, cassava and potato are 14% each, and maize is 9 %.

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

 Traditionally Madagascar is a producer of tea and coffee, but with low market prices this industry has declined over the years. The country is also a key producer of fish, contributing sales of crabs, prawns, mussels and other seafood to the economy, while other industries include processing of meat and seafood, soap, brewery products, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly, paper and petroleum.  Madagascar’s mineral potential is currently under-exploited and has the potential to become a key sector.  There are many tourist attractions. The capital, Antananarivo, is a city built on a Y-shaped granite mountain surrounded by rice fields, which sights include the royal fort incorporating a historical museum of the ancient Malagasy kings and queens, Zoma the largest open air market in the world, and Tsimbazaza, a botanical and zoological garden with various specimens of Malagasy flora and fauna. The country is home to 5 % of the world’s plant and animal species, 80 % of which are unique to Madagascar. Among its most notable examples of biodiversity are the lemur family of primates, three endemic bird families and its famous baobab trees.

MALAWI Warm heart of Africa  Malawi is a landlocked country located in southern central Africa along the western part of the Great Rift Valley of Africa. Covering a total area of 118,484 km², it stretches some 900 km and shares borders with Tanzania, Mozambique and Zambia.  The country is divided into three regions, with a high concentration of population in the south and central regions, wit a sparse population in the north which contains the Rift Valley Escarpment., rising steeply from Lake Malawi, the third largest lake in Africa.  Malawi has a subtropical climate with the rainy season lasting from November to March. It is temperate in the plateaux of the north and more tropical and humid in the low-lying south.

Commonwealth. In 1994, Malawi became a multiparty democracy, with the president being the Head of State.  Agriculture is the largest sector of the Malawian economy, contributing more than a third of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and generating more than 90 % of total export earnings. Malawi has long been dependent on the agricultural sector, both as the leading foreign exchange earner, and for subsistence farming in the rural areas. The major exports include tobacco, tea and sugar. The agricultural sector includes arable agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

 Malawi has an estimated population of 14,389,000. The main ethnic groups are the Chewa, Tumbuka, Yao and Ngoni. English is the official and business language in Malawi, with Chechewe being the national language.

 The tourism industry is seen as a sector for economic growth and diversification, as well as for increasing foreign exchange earnings. The principal tourist attraction in the country is Lake Malawi, which is set among rolling hills covered in tropical vegetation and which has two main resort areas. The Lake has one of the highest diversities of freshwater fish in the world, as well as offering excellent snorkelling and diving spots and is a birding paradise.

 The capital of Malawi is Lilongwe, and other major population centres include Blantyre and Zomba. The country gained independence in 1964, and became a Republic within the British

 There are five national parks in Malawi notable for their spectacular scenery, unspoilt beauty and rich diversity of wildlife and the country has one of the largest numbers of orchid species in Africa.

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

MAURITIUS Finance and Film-Making  The Republic of Mauritius is situated in the south west Indian Ocean, approximately 2,400 km from the coast of Africa, located just north of the Tropic of Capricorn. The island is only 67 km in length and 46 km at its widest point, owing its origins to volcanic activity  As a political entity, the Republic also includes the tiny island of Rodrigues to the east, as well as the Cargados Carajos Archipelago (St. Brandon) and the two virtually uninhabited Agalega islands to the north.  Mauritius enjoys a tropical climate during summer and sub-tropical during winter. Cyclones occur but are not an annual event.  With a total population of approximately 1,1,291,456 (2012), the island is divided into nine administrative districts, and Rodrigues forms the tenth. English is the official language, while French and Creole are widely spoken. Port Louis is the capital of Mauritius and the other main centre is Rodrigues.  Mauritius gained independence from Britain in 1968. The President is the Head of State and full executive power rests with the Prime Minister, who is the head of government. Mauritius is a parliamentary democracy, with government by coalition and elections are held every five years. Mauritius is now focusing on a service-

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

oriented and innovation-driven economy.  The financial services sector is emerging as an important contributor to the Mauritian economy, representing 13% of GDP and employing over 15,000 highly skilled professionals. Over 27,000 global business companies operate from Mauritius, which is seen as a trusted and secure international financial centre. Other sectors rapidly developing include knowledge, life sciences, healthcare, renewable energy, film-making, marinas and high-precision manufacturing.  Mauritius offers a conducive business environment to investors and is ranked first in Africa on the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Index, as well as topping other key international benchmarks for the continent, namely the Heritage Foundation Index of Economic Freedom, the Forbes Survey of Best Countries for Business, the Democracy Index, the Mo Ibrahim Index of African Governance and the Environmental Performance Index.  The fiscal regime is among the most globally competitive ones with personal and corporate tax harmonized at a low rate of 15%. A Business Facilitation Act is in force to further ease doing business. Nowadays, launching of business operations and delivery of Occupation Permit (combination of work and residence permits) are possible only after three working days.

MOZAMBIQUE Place in the sun

 Mozambique lies on the east coast of Southern Africa, measuring a total of some 799,380 km² in area, bordering Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Swaziland and has a 2,515km extensive coastline.  Two of Africa’s major rivers, the Zambezi and Limpopo flow through Mozambique to the Indian Ocean and there are a number of islands on the coast.  The climate varies from subtropical to tropical (south to north) and is influenced by the monsoons of the Indian Ocean and by the warm current of the Mozambique Channel. The central and southern provinces are prone to severe drought, devastating cyclones and floods.  The total population is approximately 20,579,265 (latest census). There are many different ethnic groups in Mozambique, the largest being the Makua-Lomwe, which accounts for around 40 % of the population, with others including the Shona and the Tsonga.  While the official and business language is Portuguese, English is widely spoken in business and academic circles, especially in Maputo. There are up to 14 different local languages. Maputo is the capital of Mozambique, while Beira, the second largest city, acts as the business and transport hub for the central region of

the country. Mozambique became independent in 1975. The first multi-party elections were held in 1994, and the president is the Head of State.  Agriculture is the backbone of the economy providing employment for over 75 % of the workforce and contributing an estimated 26.2 % to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2005. The cash and export crops include sugarcane, cotton, tea and tobacco. The fisheries sector is also another major source of foreign exchange earnings, accounting for around 2 % of the GDP in 2004.  Mozambique’s industrial sector has main manufacturing operations including light engineering, food industries, textiles, brewing, soft drinks, cement, oils, soaps and chemicals. The industrial sector’s contribution to GDP in 2005 was estimated at 34.8 %.  Beach tourism has expanded along the southern coast, including the islands of the environmentally unique Bazaruto Archipelago in Inhambane province. Other major tourist attractions include the Ibo Islands and the city of Pemba in the north of the country. Mozambique Island, also in the north, is a major historical and cultural attraction reflecting indigenous African culture and architecture as well as Arab and Portuguese influences.

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

NAMIBIA Dunes and dollars

 Namibia is situated on Africa’s southwestern seaboard along the Atlantic Ocean and its neighbouring countries are Angola, Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa.  The country covers 825,615 km² almost four times the size of the UK and twice that of Germany.  Following independence, the country was divided into 13 regions as determined by the Delimitation Commission and proclaimed in March 1992.  Namibia is a secular state, but over 90% of the population is Christian. The system of government is multi-party democracy, with checks and balances exercised through the state organs of the executive, legislative and judiciary and elections are held every five years.  In September 1993, Namibia introduced its own currency, the Namibian dollar (N$). It is linked to and on par with the South African rand (ZAR), which is also legal tender in Namibia. Most major foreign currencies and traveller’s cheques can be exchanged and international credit cards are generally accepted as a method of payment.  Windhoek serves as the administrative, judicial and legislative capital of Namibia and has a population of approximately

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

365,000. The capital has a moderate climate and is situated in the central highlands of the country at 1,650 m above sea level. Windhoek gained municipal status in 1909 and was proclaimed a city in 1965. It boasts a well-developed infrastructure and is regarded as a clean and well-functioning metropolis.  Second only to mining in terms of foreign revenue earned, tourism offers tremendous potential for growth. Different players are involved in tourism, including investors, private owners, parastatals such as Namibia Wildlife Resorts, government represented by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, and communities, mainly through Community-Based Natural Resource Management programmes. Tourism comes in many different guises, and the hospitality business, sightseeing, hunting, and trophy hunting all offer lucrative business opportunities.  There are primary and secondary public schools in all the major towns throughout the country and several private schools in the main centres. Namibia has a number of tertiary institutions, namely the University of Namibia (UNAM), Polytechnic of Namibia, the private International University of Management (IUM), two agricultural colleges and central and regional colleges of education.

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

SEYCHELLES A Fascinating Fusion

 The cosmopolitan Seychellois are a colourful and harmonious blend of different races, which stem from African, European and Asian roots, all of who have brought something of their own customs and way of life to the islands. The result is a charming Creole culture enriched from the melting pot of many continents.  There are three official languages – English, French and Creole. Creole is spoken by everyone and is an adaptation of 17th Century French with additional words and expressions coming from African languages and from Madagascar. It has been elevated to national language status, earning the same respect as English and French. Today Creole is a written as well as a spoken language, which has resulted in an outburst of creativity in plays, poetry and prose.  The population of Seychelles stands at 87,000 of which 78,000 live on Mahe, in particular around the capital Victoria, some 7,000 on Praslin and the remainder on La Digue and scattered among the rest of the islands.

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

 Tourism and fishing are the primary industries, with growth being led by the tourism sector which employs an estimated 30% of the labour force and provides more than 70% of hard currency earnings.  While the government has encouraged foreign investment to upgrade the hospitality industry, they have also looked to counter the vulnerability of the tourism sector which suffered a hard knock during the Gulf War, by promoting the development of farming, fishing and small scale manufacturing.  Recent exploration indicates Seychelles potentially has large offshore petroleum reservoirs.  Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion, but there are also Anglican and Protestant churches together with smaller Muslim, Hindu and Baha’i communities based on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue.

SOUTH AFRICA Leader of the pack

 South Africa occupies the southernmost part of the African continent stretching from the Limpopo River in the north to Cape Agulhas in the south and is edged by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Covering an area of 1,219,090 km², the country shares borders with Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and Mozambique and also entirely surrounds the Kingdom of Lesotho.  Despite regional differences, South Africa’s climate is generally mild throughout the year.  Of an estimated population of 50,586,000, around 77 % are of African origin, 10 % of European descent, Asians 3 % and those of mixed origins, known as Coloureds, 9 % and there are 11 official languages.  The first democratic elections were held in 1994 and South Africa was then divided into nine new provinces. Pretoria is the administrative capital of South Africa, other main centres are Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. Democratic elections are held every five years and the Head of State is the President.  The South African economy is the most advanced on the African continent, with a sophisticated financial system that includes one of the top 10 stock exchanges in the world, and a well developed physical, telecommunications, and energy infrastructures.

 As an emerging market in the global economy, South Africa is a leader and a competitive producer of raw commodity exports and value-added goods, such as motor vehicles. Major contributors of the manufacturing sector include chemicals, food, transport equipment, and iron and steel. Modern and sophisticated metal and engineering industries represent one-third of the manufacturing sector’s contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Some 325,000 people are employed by over 9,000 companies. The dependence of the South African economy on mining has declined, and with that also its degree of exposure to commodity prices.  The tourism industry is rapidly developing into an important generator of employment opportunities. It is presently the fourth largest economic sector in South Africa and the fastestgrowing segment in the industry is eco-tourism, including photographic safaris, bird watching, botanical studies, mountaineering, snorkelling and hiking.  There are 17 national wildlife parks in South Africa, the largest being Kruger National Park in the Northern Province and Mpumalanga.  Other major tourist attractions include Table Mountain, Robben Island, Umfolozi Game Reserve, Sun City and the Drakensberg Mountains, as well as many resorts along a stunning coastline.

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

SWAZILAND Honouring tradition  The Kingdom of Swaziland is a small, landlocked country covering a total area of 17,364 km² and is located in the southern part of Africa bordered Mozambique and South Africa.  Known as the Switzerland of Africa, Swaziland comprises magnificent mountain scenery with unique, ancient rock formations, which are a source of fascination for geologists, scholars and visitors.  The Kingdom has a mountainous highveld, a subtropical middle region where much of the country’s agricultural activities occur in the fertile valleys where a diversity of crops are grown and the lowveld which covers about 40% of the country and where commercial sugar cane farming takes place, as well as cattle farming. The smallest region is the sub-tropical Lubombo where mixed farming takes place.  The 2007 census indicated a population of 1,018,449 people and about 70% of the population is in rural areas with just 225,293 people residing in the urban areas.  SiSwati and English languages are official languages which are widely spoken in the country, while Government combines the western concept of Government with a traditional system and the people elect representatives to Parliament.

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

 The country has one of the world’s smallest economies, relying largely on agriculture. The agricultural sector is the main source of income for more than 70 % of Swazis, particularly in the rural areas. The sector also plays an important role in providing raw materials for the largely agro-based manufacturing industries.  Swaziland’s economic situation remains precarious mainly due to significantly reduced revenue from the traditional sources.  South Africa is the main export market for Swaziland and primary export products are sugar, coca-cola concentrate, cotton, citrus fruits and canned products and maize. The country’s exports are shipped from the nearest harbour which is Maputo in Mozambique, which is about 235 kilometres from the administrative capital, Mbabane and 200 kilometres from Matsapha, the country’s main industrial area.  Tourism remains a vital contributor to Swaziland’s economy with a strong cultural heritage, and biodiversity being major attractions for tourists. There are eight nature reserves boasting a wide range of animal and birdlife. The cultural heritage is deeply rooted with traditions, with the Umhlanga or Reed Dance and Incwala or First Fruit Ceremony being two colourful ceremonies held each year.

TANZANIA Serengeti to Stone Town  The United Republic of Tanzania includes the Indian Ocean islands of Pemba and Zanzibar and the mainland territory, covering a total area of 1,0219,090 km², and is located on the east coast of Africa between the great lakes of the African Rift Valley system.

 The plateau region includes the snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro which at 5,897 metres above sea level is the highest mountain in Africa, while the floor of Lake Tanganyika at 358 metres below sea level, is Africa’s lowest point.

 Bordering Kenya, Uganda , Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique, the country encompasses a narrow coastal belt with tropical beaches, rising to an extensive plateau covered by savannah and bush.

 Tanzania is a tropical country that includes four main climatic zones, from the humid coastal plains up to the temperate highlands. The climate is governed by two monsoons.

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

 The total population of Tanzania is estimated at 50,586,000 (latest census). There are over 120 ethnic groups, each with its own dialect. KiSwahili is the official, universally-spoken language in Tanzania. English, also an official language, is the language of commerce.  The capital has been Dar es Salaam since 1974, and is the largest city with a population of about 2,500,000, and serves as the main port, dominant industrial centre, and the focus of government and commerce. Elections are held every five years, with the first multiparty election being held in November 1995. The President is the Head of State for a maximum of two terms in office.

workforce. Agriculture is the backbone of the Tanzanian economy, with principal cash crops including cotton lint, cashew nuts, tobacco, coffee and tea.  The country has diverse mineral deposits, including precious minerals such as gold, diamonds, tanzanite and rubies, as well as industrial minerals and deposits of coal and natural gas.  Tanzania is considered to be one of the premier tourism destinations in Africa, with 12 National Parks, including the famous Serengeti, 34 Game Reserves, and 38 Game Controlled Areas. Prime tourist attractions include Mount Kilamanjaro, and Zanzibar’s historic Stone Town.

 Tanzania is heavily dependent on agriculture, which accounts for 46% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), provides 75 % of exports and employs 80 % of the total

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

ZAMBIA Riches in Reserves

 Zambia is an entirely landlocked country covering an area of 752,612 km² and its neighbours are the Democratic Republic of Congo,Tanzania, Angola, Namibia, Malawi and Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Botswana.  Zambia sits on a gently undulating plateau which is a mix of woodland and savannah regions interspersed with lakes, rivers, hills, swamps and lush plains.  Zambia has three distinct seasons, a hot, dry season runs from September to October, a warm wet season is from November to April and a cool dry season runs from May to August.  Zambia’s population is approximately 13,459,000 (latest census) and most of the people are African, with small Asian and European minorities. English is the official language and is widely spoken throughout the country and there are seven main vernacular languages, with more than 70 dialects spoken across the country.  Lusaka is the capital city and is believed to be the fastest growing city in Central Africa. Livingstone is another main centre, the former capital of Zambia, located eight kilometres from Victoria Falls. In 1972, Zambia was declared a one party State, but reverted back to multi-party democracy in December 1990 and with general elections

held in October 1991. The President is the Head of State.  Mining and quarrying account for a large proportion of Zambia’s merchandise exports and have traditionally contributed the largest proportion of the country’s total Gross Domestic Product (GDP).  Zambia is presently the world’s fourth largest producer of copper and has around 6 % of the world’s known reserves. Zambia has rich mineral reserves such as copper, cobalt, gold and various precious stones including amethysts and emeralds.  Other contributors to the economy are industry, fishing and agriculture. Zambia’s manufacturing sector’s has continued to show signs of growth in recent years. Its contribution to GDP has averaged 26 %. Zambia’s manufactured export products include engineering products, textiles, building materials, processed foods, animal products, and leather products.  Commercial fish production is approximately 70,000 tonnes per year. The tourism sector has consistently demonstrated growth, with its most stunning geographical feature being the Victoria Falls, one of the natural wonders of the world. Zambia has 19 national parks, and beach resorts at Lake Tanganyika and at the man-made Lake Kariba.

Southern Africa Top Companies Review 2015

ZIMBABWE The Smoke that Thunders

 Zimbabwe is a land-locked country, bounded by Mozambique, Zambia, South Africa and Botswana. It lies wholly within the tropics and is part of the great plateau which traverses Africa.  Zimbabwe occupies 390,757 km² of land in south central Africa, between the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers and the climate is temperate.  Parts of the country suffer regular periods of drought. The average monthly rainfall is 196mm in summer and 10mm in winter.  Zimbabwe has a population of 12,754,000 (latest census). The official and business language is English, with Shona and Ndebele also widely spoken. Harare is the capital city and a vital commercial and industrial business centre, while other centres include Bulawayo and Mutare.  Formerly Southern Rhodesia, Zimbabwe attained independence from Britain in 1980. Elections are held every 5 years and the President is the Head of State.  Zimbabwe’s economy is dependent on agricultural products including tobacco, cotton and sugar cane. Major export commodities are tobacco and horticulture. Smaller crops like sugar, tea, coffee, cotton, seeds, maize, small grains and oilseeds are also exported. The sector is an important contributor to the country’s export

activities, with markets in America, Europe, Africa and the Far East.  Mining contributes 4.3 % to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employs 7 % of the country’s labour force and earns 40 % of the foreign exchange. Zimbabwe is richly endowed with mineral resources, over 40 different types of minerals are mined in the country.  Other contributors to the economy are industry and cattle farming. The principal manufactured exports include ferro-alloys, clothing, metal products, chemicals, plastics and cotton-lint. Livestock agriculture (cattle) is one of the country’s foremost economic activities. At present Zimbabwe is facing severe socio-economic difficulties including hyper-inflation, negative real interest rates, and a chronic shortage of foreign exchange.  With one of the more diversified tourism resource bases in the SADC region, tourism contributes about 5 % of GDP and directly and indirectly employs over 83,000 people. But despite all its tourist attractions, very limited development has occurred since 1996 owing to inadequate support and few promotional activities for the sector. Wildlife and eco-tourism are the mainstays of the sector, while favourite tourist choices are the majestic Victoria Falls, the Great Zimbabwe National Monument, Lake Kariba and Mana Pools and the Eastern Highlands.

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An African appetite for resource efficiency Africa has huge potential for resource efficiency, with business and government working across the continent to save costs by cutting consumption of power and water.

National cleaner production centres in Africa

Cape Verde

“There is growing demand and great excitement about the elimination of waste from industry,” says Ndivhuho Raphulu, former president of the African Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production, and director of the National Cleaner Production Centre in South Africa (NCPC-SA). In just five years, the Industrial Energy Efficiency (IEE) project of the NCPCSA helped industry save R1,1 billion (US $78 million) and 1 340 GWh of energy, enough to power 180 000 mid-income homes for a year. Now South Africa’s experience is being used to stimulate energy efficiency across the continent, taking account of important differences between countries. Each country is at a different stage of industrial development, with different infrastructure, regulations and ideas about waste management, Ndivhuho says. “But what we all have in common is a desire to cut costs, reduce consumption and to show that environmental responsibility is good for business.”

Mauritius

“What we all have in common is a desire to cut costs, reduce consumption and to show that environmental responsibility is good for African business.” – Ndivhuho Raphulu

Through the IEE Project, 384 companies have saved 1 340 GWh of energy and R1,1 billion (US $78 million) 180 000 mid-income households could be electrified for a year from the IEE savings to date

Pretoria +27 12 841 3772 Cape Town +27 21 658 2776 Durban +27 31 242 2441 ncpc@csir.co.za

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BISEY UIRAB ELECTED AS CHAIR OF PMAESA BOARD

Namportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chief Executive Officer, Bisey Uirab was elected Chairperson of PMAESA (Port Management Association of Eastern & Southern Africa) during an Extra-Ordinary Board Meeting held in Mombasa, Kenya on 20 November 2014; a position in which he will serve for the next 2 years as per the Secretariats Constitution. Bisey took over the reign of chair from Mr Tau Morwe, CEO of Transnet National Ports Authority (South Africa), making him the 20th Chair of this organization and the first Namibian to serve as Chair of PMEASA. PMAESA is a regional organization for the ports and maritime sector in Eastern and Southern Africa, whose mandate is to promote and nurture best practices among member ports by creating an enabling an environment for exchange of information and capacity building to contribute to the economic development of the region. Bisey is a seasoned leader with an incontestable track record who earlier this year was hailed by President Hifikepunye Pohamba as an exemplary leader. Since taking up the reign as Captain of the Namport Ship in 2009, Bisey has been successful in steering Namport in achieving countless achievements, the most celebrated to date is the expansion the existing port by building a new container terminal on reclaimed land (a project valued at N$4 billion) at the Port of Walvis Bay. This project is part of the organizations commitment to deliver on its promise, whilst it is equally one of the most significant infrastructure investments in Namibian history. Currently 20% of the reclamation work has been completed to date. Congratulations Mr /Uirab, your achievements are celebrated by the Line Minister Hon. Erkki Nghimtina, Namportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Board of Directors, the entire Namport Staff and the Namibian business fraternity.

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FUTURE

PAST

PRESENT

I N C E P TI O N

Navigating for tomorrow Everything we have done since our inception was with the future in mind. For the past 20 years we have gone above and beyond even our own expectations. We are the gateway to Southern Africa and we are making inroads to position our Ports as the logistics hub of Africa. We celebrate our 20th Anniversary with our course set for the future. www.namport.com