Despite its challenges, SA received foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows of nearly R100 billion in 2023

Loading player...
GUEST - Christie Viljoen, PwC South Africa Senior Economist

PwC South Africa is pleased to share its fourth South Africa Economic Outlook report for 2024. In this edition, we focus on FDI and what South African companies can do to attract international deal interest.

It would come as a welcome surprise to many South Africans to learn that, despite the country’s many challenges, our economy still attracted almost R100 billion in FDI inflows in 2023 – equal to 1.4% of GDP. In fact, while some might expect South Africa’s investment outflows to be larger than inflows, the country has seen a net FDI inflow (inflows minus outflows) in every year since the global financial crisis.

South Africa has many positive attributes for foreign investors, including world-class financial services and communication industries, a deep capital market, quality tertiary institutions producing graduates with internationally-comparable qualifications, abundant natural resources (including renewables), a strategic geographical location for entry into the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa, a transparent legal system, and a certain degree of political and policy stability, among many other features.
29 Apr 2024 2PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

IDC Swings to a FY Loss of R4.6bln on Subsidiary Pressure

The Industrial Development Corporation released its 2026 financial results, showing R17 billion disbursed, R28 billion mobilised in co‑funding, and R2.3 billion in Company-level profit, despite a challenging industrial environment marked by weak fixed investment, global trade uncertainty, and pressure on export-oriented sectors. There remains pressure at headline level as it…
27 Aug 1PM 13 min

Clicks Taps Into South Africa’s Township Economy

Clicks CEO Bertina Engelbrecht breaks down the launch of KwaMakhi a new township‑focused retail format designed for high‑density, lower‑income communities. She explains why Clicks is expanding beyond traditional malls, how KwaMakhi differs from standard stores, and what this means for healthcare access in areas like Alexandra, Soweto, Tembisa and Khayelitsha.
27 Aug 12PM 10 min

Grindrod’s Record Volumes & Rail Future: CEO Kwazi Mabaso on H1 2026

Grindrod CEO Kwazi Mabaso unpacks the Group’s strong interim performance — including record 8.4 million tonnes at the Port of Maputo, a 52% surge in EBITDA, and resilient drybulk throughput across SA terminals. We explore safety improvements, logistics challenges, locomotive redeployment, and major strategic projects like the Matola expansion and…
27 Aug 12PM 14 min

Real Salaries Lift — But Households Still Under Pressure

July brought rare relief as nominal net salaries edged up to R21,642 and real salaries improved for the first time in nine months. But with year‑to‑date salary growth at just 1.6% and real earnings still 2.2% below last year, households remain stretched. Elize Kruger breaks down wage trends, inflation dynamics,…
26 Aug 1PM 10 min

Inside Absa’s Tech Leap: AI, Speed & 99.97% Reliability

Absa’s digital transformation is delivering real‑world outcomes: SME account‑opening times have collapsed from two days to under 30 minutes, credit decisioning now takes just four hours, and AI is reshaping customer service, debt review and employee productivity. Johnson Idesoh unpacks how Absa achieved 99.97% availability, boosted Rewards membership by 430,000,…
26 Aug 12PM 15 min