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A regional overview of the Western Cape

In Cape Town, the rail reserve is being put to good use with the construction of affordable housing units. Photo: DCI Community Housing Services

By John Young

In film, tourism and oil and gas the numbers are increasing. More film shoots, more tourists and more drilling for oil and gas are all positives for the balance sheet of the Western Cape. But when it comes to energy, transport and housing, the Western Cape Provincial Government and its municipalities are having to make up for reduced supply: less electricity from the national grid, fewer trains running and not enough houses to make up for the continued movement of people to the province.

Rather than sitting back and lamenting the situation, the provincial and municipal authorities are laying out and executing detailed plans to deal with fixing these important economic drivers.

In providing affordable housing, for example, an innovation in land use is taking place in the Cape Town suburbs of Goodwood and Retreat. The rail reserve (unused land next to the line) has been leased from the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) by a Section21 non-profit organisation called DCI Community Housing Services. The Goodwood Station Social Housing Development project was officially opened in 2023 and the organisation has partnerships with the City of Cape Town and the provincial government’s Department of Human Settlements. DCI provides rental housing accommodation for people who do not qualify for the breaking-new-ground subsidy (previously RDP) and are unable to participate in the formal non-subsidised housing market.

The decline in passenger rail journeys in greater Cape Town has been marked in recent years. New rolling stock is being introduced and security is being promised, but the process is going slowly. The City of Cape Town’s 2022 feasibility study on taking over the management of passenger rail services from PRASA showed its intent. Persistent calls by the city’s mayor to meet on the future of the rail network in the peninsula have not yielded any success as of January 2024, but increasing passenger rail journeys on a safe and reliable network remains a goal of the city.

The city wants to have a fully-integrated system, which would include rail. The Transport and Urban Development Authority (TDA), located within the municipality, is responsible for planning, costing, contracting, regulating, monitoring, evaluating, communicating, managing and maintaining the City of Cape Town’s transport infrastructure, systems, operations, facilities and network.

The provincial government has followed the city’s lead with the establishment of a Mobility Department with its own MEC which now monitors the province’s transport programmes such as financial support to bus and taxi services, the transport regulation mandate and extensive traffic management operations.

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis says, “We are actively working towards ending loadshedding as aggressively as we can.” A R1.2-billion solar PV (photovoltaic) plant is being built near Somerset West, small-scale embedded generation is being encouraged and a Power Heroes programme will reward citizens for using less electricity.

At provincial level, a three-pronged strategy, the Energy Resilience Programme, aims to bring energy security to the province. Public spaces like schools will be fitted with solar panels and battery systems, several towns will be taken off the Eskom grid and finally, the Municipal Energy Resilience Plan is supporting councils in generating, procuring and selling power themselves.

Good numbers

The Film Permit Office of the City of Cape Town issued 3 900 film permits between July 2022 and July 2023. Most of these were for commercials but also included 499 TV series and more than 100 feature films. A freeze was placed by the city authorities on fees payable for traffic and metro police services for three years in a row in an attempt to stimulate this sector, a move that appears to have paid off.

Film location bookings rose to 8 300 in 2022/23, as opposed to 7 400 a year earlier. The Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID) reports that the city’s CBD supports 24 artistic studios, including film studios. The sector supports more than 35 000 jobs and contributes about R5-billion to the local economy.

Nearly 4 000 filming permits were issued for Cape Town in the year to July 2023. Photo: CCID

A record 317 000 overseas visitors visited the Cape in December 2023. Cape Town International Airport’s 2023 number of international arrivals reached 2.8-million, topping the 2.6-million international passengers it welcomed in 2019. The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront recorded December retail sales of R1.2-billion, a 16% increase over 2022.

Plans for a new airport for greater Cape Town moved forward in 2023. The existing Fisantekraal Airfield north of Durbanville was rebranded the Cape Winelands Airport in 2020 by its new owners and there are plans for it be fully redeveloped with expanded facilities. This would not only help to relieve congestion at Cape Town International Airport in terms of cargo and tourism arrivals but would provide a much closer destination alternate for inbound flights which currently have to carry enough fuel to get their planes to George if there for some reason they are not able to land at CTIA.

An increasing number of oil and gas exploration permits have been granted both onshore and offshore along the West Coast. While this has disturbed conservationists, the results from surveys done in Block 5/6/7 suggest that the oil available in South African waters will at least match the significant resources that have been found in Namibian territory offshore.

In his 2022 State of the Province Address, Premier Alan Winde claimed that Cape Town is:

    • Africa’s Greentech hub
    • Africa’s BPO capital
    • Africa’s Tech capital

In addition, he quoted the Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2021, where Cape Town is listed as the number one performer in Africa for technology ecosystems and is home to almost two-thirds of all start-ups in South Africa.

There are 22 active incubators and accelerators in the region which provide networking and marketing opportunities and links to funders and markets. It is because the Western Cape has been investing in digital infrastructure that the Premier can persuasively make these claims.

The provincial government’s broadband roll-out project is in Phase 2. The Western Cape Department of Health was the first in the country to go digital, including 265 primary healthcare centres and 181 mobile posts.

Cape Town also, according to the Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI), ranked second in Africa in 2020 (behind Mauritius) in competitiveness as a financial centre. Neighbouring Stellenbosch is advancing its reputation for technological innovation and the output of the region’s four universities and six TVET colleges ensures that the tech sector has the necessary human capital.

Cape Town’s share of national employment in the financial sector is about 20% and the contribution to gross value-added (GVA) is 15%.

Economy

Finance, business services and real estate combined contribute 28% to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the Western Cape. The financial services and insurance sector are key components of the economy.

Although agriculture accounts for just 4.3% of GDP on its own, the sector is responsible for the fruit and vegetables that contribute to agro-processing which accounts for nearly 40% of the province’s export basket. (Agro-processing accounts for 8.1% of GDP.) Citrus, wine, apples and pears, grapes, fruit juice, fruit and nuts and tobacco all appear in the top 10 of the province’s exports.

Seventy percent of South Africa’s beverage exports come from the Western Cape. Grapes and wine sales to Europe remain strong, but the Chinese market is becoming increasingly important.

The province has a diverse manufacturing sector ranging from textiles, clothing, footwear, boatbuilding and furniture to coke and refined petroleum products. Excluding agro-processing, other manufacturing makes up 6.9% of GDP.

The Canal District at the V&A Waterfront is growing. The Yacht Club and AC Hotel by Marriott are adjacent tower blocks sited over office space, with the former offering private apartments. The aha Harbour Bridge Hotel & Suites is another property offering access to the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Photo: Yacht Club

Investment

The province has a dedicated investment agency, Wesgro, which also works to promote the region’s tourism. The Investment Promotion Unit of Wesgro is working with various regions within the Western Cape to attract investment and accelerate exports.

In recent years, the biggest investments have been in renewable energy and manufacturing. Between 2003 and 2021, the Western Cape attracted $1.93-billion in renewable energy projects.

Other important sectors are agro-processing, aviation, business services, education and training, financial services, real estate, ICT, light manufacturing, oil and gas, timber, tourism, waste beneficiation and clean energy.

Another vehicle for attracting investment are Special Economic Zones (SEZ) and Industrial Development Zones (IDZ). Zones at Atlantis and Saldanha aim to tap into growing markets – maritime, oil and gas and renewable technologies.

The Atlantis Special Economic Zone (ASEZ) is attracting investors in the greentech market. An early investor in the zone was GRI Towers South Africa, a wind turbine tower manufacturer.

Business tourism is booming

Steenberg offers intimate settings and luxury surroundings. Photo: Steenberg Farm

Many parts of the Western Cape, and the city of Cape Town in particular, have the ideal combination of conference and exhibition infrastructure, adequate accommodation and unique settings to succeed in the meetings, incentives, convention and exhibitions (MICE) sector.

The 30th edition of the Investing in African Mining Indaba in February 2024 showcased the ability of the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) to host large events. With about 10 000 delegates from more than 100 countries, hundreds of stands and a cornucopia of talks, events and presentations, the conference was a logistical marvel with the Hyve Group seemingly handling the increased numbers with ease.

The CTICC itself celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2023 with a near doubling of revenue over the previous year.

At the other end of the scale, wine farms such as Steenberg offer intimate meeting rooms in a pretty setting. With its own golf course, Steenberg nicely illustrates the concept of Bleisure, the idea of combining business with leisure.

Business tourists routinely spend at least twice as much money during the course of their trips as regular tourists, so the market is an attractive one. The Cape Town and Western Cape Convention Bureau, a division of Wesgro, is devoted to attracting conferences and events to the province. Wesgro is the tourism, trade and investment promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape.

Cape Town has routinely been ranked as the top African city in terms of hosting international association meetings. The subject matter of these conferences has tended to be centred on the medical sciences, technology, economics and education.

Events

The 46th riding of the Cape Town Cycle Tour in 2024 expected to attract about 35 000 cyclists, confirming the event’s reputation as the biggest timed bike race in the world.

The Knysna Oyster Fest, which was held in the Southern Cape town for the 40th time in 2023, attracts huge numbers of cyclists, marathon runners and oyster eaters every year.

The Cape Town International Jazz Festival became a mega-event over time, earning a solid reputation for musical excellence and excellent attendances. Suspended during the Covid epidemic, it was due to return to the events calendar in 2024 but details are still to be confirmed.

South Africa Sevens is an annual rugby sevens tournament that has become a popular part of the roster of events held at the Cape Town Stadium. The tournament is part of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series run by World Rugby.

The country’s premier Afrikaans language festival, the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK), presents more than 1 000 visual and performing artists in more than 200 productions and exhibitions over eight days in Oudtshoorn.

CTICC celebrates 20 years

When the capacity of the Cape Town International Convention Centre was doubled in 2017, there were some who wondered how the additional space would ever be used. Instead, the eastern extension, now known as CTICC-2, has been working just as hard as the original space that started operating in 2003.

The Cape Town International Convention Centre Company (Convenco), the holding company of the CTICC, was formed in 1999 by the City of Cape Town, the provincial government of the Western Cape and the business sector. Shareholding in Convenco, which owns and manages the business of the CTICC, is made up as follows: City of Cape Town (72.7%), the Provincial Government of the Western Cape (22.2%) and SunWest International (Pty) Ltd (5.1%).

A skybridge connects the CTICC’s two venues on the Foreshore.
A skybridge connects the CTICC’s two venues on the Foreshore. Photo: CTICC

In the 2023 financial year, the CTICC hosted 427 events, up from 225 in the previous year, and nearly doubled revenue to R278-million. This returned the company to profit after the tough years brought on by Covid-19. In addition to a significant contribution of R5.4-billion to the Western Cape’s gross geographic product (GGP), the centre sustained or created nearly 11 000 jobs nationally.

Some 275 000 people attended events at the venue in the financial year, including more than 25 000 who came looking for design ideas at Decorex Cape Town and 12 000 techies who tuned in to the Africa Tech Festival.

The CTICC was also the proud winner of the 2023 Clean Audit Award, Municipal Finance Management Act.

Among the big international conferences to be held at the CTICC in 2024 are the FIP World Conference of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Meeting of the International Society of Pneumonia and Pneumococcal Diseases (ISPPD-13). WTM Africa, “Africa Travel Week ”, will be at the CTICC in April 2024 and the 25th hosting of FIGO World Congress of Gynecology and Obstetrics will come to Cape Town in 2025.

Cape Town highlights

    • Number one city in Africa for business events, International Congress and Convention Association, 2010 – 2022
    • World’s Leading Festival and Events Destination, World Travel Awards 2018
    • Best Destination in Africa, World Tourism Awards 2019

Source: Wesgro

CTICC: 20 years in numbers

    • 9 000 events
    • 700+ international events
    • 9.5-million visitors
    • R60-billion cumulative contribution to national GDP
    • R51.5-billion cumulative contribution to Western Cape GGP
Netball World Cup 2023 Cape Town
International indoor sporting action came to Cape Town in 2023. Photo: CTICC

Varied venues

A short walk separates the Castle of Good Hope and the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) in central Cape Town but the ambience of the two venues could not be more different. Both are available for hire for conferences, performances and exhibitions.

The Castle oozes history and has no fewer than three museums within it walls, the Military Museum, the William Fehr Collection of paintings and decorative arts and a permanent ceramic exhibition, FIRED. The grassed quadrangle lends itself to events and cocktail parties.

Zeitz MOCAA is the epitome of modernity and it promises an “otherworldly venue hire experience”. This promise is based on the repurposed buildings’ “understated eccentric interior design and artwork that embody what modern Africa has to offer”. The atrium offers exceptional acoustics while the elegant Scheryn Collection Arena lends itself to panel discussions and conferences

A few minutes away from the CBD along the N1 highway, the Century City Conference Centre (CCCC) can accommodate 1 900 delegates across 20 different venues, 11 meeting rooms and four halls. There are 540 hotel rooms within walking distance.

Visit Stellenbosch lists 34 conference venues on its website, ranging (in the theatre configuration) from the 600-seat Cavalli Estate to the Rupert Museum, which has room for 30 delegates. Almost all of the area’s wine farms and hotels are equipped to host conferences and Stellenbosch University has a large range of venues.

George’s position at the heart of the Garden Route makes it a popular conference destination. The fact that the town has no fewer than five golf courses within the city limits and several more nearby adds to its appeal.

The Fancourt complex has several venues and the Protea Hotel King George regularly attracts repeat customers. The Oubaai Hotel, Golf & Spa on the coast at Herolds Bay has few competitors when it comes to dramatic settings.

Mind the Gap

When examining the general downward trend of commodity prices over recent years, uranium yellowcake has been a notable exception, with a recent upward trend. Gold has remained relatively stable, but platinum group metals (PGMs) and copper have seen a substantial decline from the highs achieved in early 2021. Bulks such as manganese ore, bauxite and specifically coal, are materially down from the peaks reached late in the Covid-19 pandemic, while chrome has not regained its pre-2017 commodity-crisis levels.

Many operations, particularly across Southern Africa, are currently facing significant challenges. These stem from Transnet’s logistical obstacles, amplified post-Covid-19 production cost escalation and declining commodity prices. Mines are now prioritising cost control and aligning production with sales projections, placing the onus on production teams to meet strategic goals amid market pressures.

Bridging the gap

Whenever you travel on the London subway there are signs that warn you, “Mind the Gap”. In recent years, the disparity between strategic mining plans and the practical, implementable mining plans accessible to mining operational teams has grown considerably. This gap subsequently fosters widespread uncertainty within the execution environment, i.e., what must be done and the “how” of what must be done practically. In the same vein, while most mining organisations do adhere to well-defined planning horizons and put notable effort in producing these plans – in a sequential manner and at specific intervals, they often lack practical guidance.

At Ukwazi, we strongly believe that when a plan serves as basis for evaluating a mine’s performance or the performance of its operational team, it should be tailored for those specific purposes; aligning with the business’ strategic objectives while also providing clear, instructional and practical guidance. Simply put, it must extend beyond providing spatial guidance alone.

Closing the gap

As you increase uncertainty by imposing top-down strategic models for operational control, frustrations will mount and needless stress will burden an already demanding production environment, making it progressively difficult to retain outstanding operational and mining management teams.

As such, the uncertainty gap between organisational objectives and operational targets needs to be reduced by developing pragmatic and cohesive mining budget plans that are audience-driven and outline sufficient practical requirements. It should be all about creating certainty. The result? A production team well positioned to perform in line with their respective performance indicators and organisational incentives.

So, how do we effectively close the gap? Well, ultimately mining engineering and mine planning constitute pivotal technical and organisational disciplines. The effective implementation of the budget-mine-planning horizon requires active engagement from the intended audience, the operational team in this case, and a technical team that has insight into the strategic objectives of the mine and an in-depth understanding of the sequential nature of mine deployment. Further to this, the operational teams should receive outputs that equip them with the practical tools needed to adequately meet their requirements.

At the end of the day, cultivating this collaborative approach should be a standard practice in every mining organisation.

www.ukwazi.com

Glencore Ferroalloys contributes modern x-ray machine to help change healthcare in Tlhabane

Glencore Representative at the handover event.

Glencore Ferroalloys proudly announced its sponsorship of the North-West Department of Health to address a critical issue in the Tlhabane community. Upon receiving a request for assistance in June 2023 from local health authorities, Glencore Ferroalloys took swift action to address the longstanding problem the Tlhabane Community Health Centre’s radiology section had with a malfunctioning x-ray machine that severely impacted medical services at the centre.

Recognising the urgent need to restore proper healthcare services, Glencore Ferroalloys responded promptly to the call for help. The situation at the Tlhabane Community Health Centre was dire, with patients undergoing extended waiting periods and having to travel to distant facilities for essential x-ray services. This resulted in significant treatment delays. This daily struggle was particularly worrying for elderly patients who had to endure prolonged waits for their examinations and consequently causing congesting at the Job Shimanka Tabane Provincial Hospital

Conroy Van Der Weshuizen, Chief Community and Social Responsibility Officer for Glencore Ferroalloys, at the handover event.

As part of its commitment to uplift the community, Glencore Ferroalloys not only donated a state-of-the-art x-ray machine but also completed the renovations of the radiology rooms to ensure compliance with standards and readiness for patient care. The total investment for this initiative amounted to just under R2.5-million, with most funds allocated towards acquiring the new x-ray machine.

“We are proud to have been able to make a meaningful difference within the community by addressing a critical healthcare need. By investing in essential medical infrastructure, close to R40-million over the last five years, we aim to improve the quality of life for residents and contribute to the overall well-being of the community, including our own employees and their families,” said CEO of Glencore Ferroalloys, Japie Fullard.

Residents will now have better access to necessary medical services directly in their own neighbourhood thanks to the installation of state-of-the-art x-ray equipment and renovations to the radiology facilities. Ultimately, this will result in faster diagnosis and treatment by eliminating the need for daily transfers to distant medical facilities. By ensuring that people and families in the community receive prompt and efficient urgent medical care the enhanced radiology services will not only improve healthcare outcomes but also their general quality of life.

“Glencore Ferroalloys’ kind donation to our community’s healthcare system has our sincere gratitude. The addition of a new advanced x-ray machine and the remodelling of our radiology facilities represent a significant advancement in our capacity to offer vital medical services to Tlhabane’s community. We applaud Glencore’s dedication to improving the well-being of our community and anticipate the beneficial effects this investment will have on our people’s lives,” said Executive Mayor of Rustenburg Local Municipality, Sheila Mabale.

Africa Financial Inclusion Summit successfully hosted in Cape Town

Some of the speakers and delegates pose for a group photo with the organisors at the end of the two day summit.

The much-anticipated Inaugural Africa Financial Inclusion Summit and Expo was successfully hosted at the Sun Square, City Bowl Hotel in Cape Town, on the 14th and 15th March 2024 bringing delegates and speakers from across sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. The summit seeks to accelerate and deepen financial inclusion in Africa and specifically targets the underserved markets and communities through innovative financing and technological interventions.

Some of the key barriers to financial inclusion identified, such as financial literacy, technology, infrastructure, unemployment, and regulatory and policy frameworks, were top of the list for most speakers and presenters.

The two-day event attracted over a hundred delegates and more than forty speakers drawn from across the African continent and the USA. A number of African countries were represented including South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Cameroon, Senegal, Kenya and Nigeria in addition to representatives from the USA, China and France.

Panelists speaking during a panel session on financial literacy at the summit.

Speaking at the end of the two-day summit partly sponsored by Old Mutual’s Black Distributors Trust, Mr Stephen Munyao who is also the convener and Chair of the organising committee, said “ …financial inclusion is critical for social economic development, poverty alleviation and job creation and can lead to the achievement of most of the sustainable development goals.”

The organising committee will now focus on staging the event in Johannesburg, South Africa as well as similar events in Kenya and Nigeria later in the year.

The South Africa Wine Summit marks a new dawn for the wine industry

The South Africa Wine Summit heralds an exciting new chapter for the country’s wine industry. Hosted at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on May 23, the summit serves as a platform for industry leaders, stakeholders, and media to come together, exchange insights, and discuss the direction that will shape the future of South African wine.

Aptly named Blend and Bond, the summit embodies the collaboration that defines the South African wine landscape. It represents a collective commitment to solidarity, innovation, and sustainability as industry players unite to navigate evolving challenges and capitalise on emerging opportunities.

At the heart of the summit lies unveiling a new strategic framework designed to propel the South African wine industry forward. Drawing on the latest trends, insights, and research, this strategy charts a bold course for growth, competitiveness, and resilience in the global marketplace.

“As we gather at the South Africa Wine Summit, we stand at a pivotal moment in our industry’s history,” says South Africa Wine CEO Rico Basson. With our shared vision, collective expertise, and commitment to excellence, we are poised to usher in a new era of growth, innovation, and sustainability for South African wine.”

The South Africa Wine Summit promises to be an event brimming with opportunity. Participants will engage in thought-provoking discussions on thriving amid chaos and uncertainty and seizing opportunities even in turbulent times. Empowering individuals and teams to succeed will be a central theme as attendees explore strategies for navigating innovation, diversity, and impactful initiatives within the wine sector.

Crafting success in a multi-category business will also take centre stage, offering valuable insights into maximising growth and profitability across various segments. Additionally, the summit will explore wine’s bright spots worldwide, encouraging attendees to look past trends and uncover untapped potential in the global market.

“We are proud to sponsor the inaugural South Africa Wine Summit as we support the vision of a brighter, more vibrant future for the South African wine industry through collaboration, innovation, and a shared sense of purpose,” says Daneel Rossouw, Head of Sales for agriculture at Nedbank Commercial Banking. “Key partnerships such as these are vital for growing the agricultural sector, and by bringing together stakeholders from across the value chain, we can harness the collective power of our industry to drive positive change and unlock new growth opportunities.”

Join us at the South Africa Wine Summit, where a stellar lineup of local and international experts will share their insights, expertise, and vision. This event is unmissable for industry professionals seeking to drive innovation, collaboration, and positive change in the world of wine. Tickets are R800 per person (VAT excl). View our exciting programme and buy your tickets here.

The South Africa Wine Summit is proudly presented by Nedbank as the main sponsor. Hillebrand Gori and Kaap-Agri are smaller co-sponsors.

About South Africa Wine

South Africa Wine NPC is the national body representing wine grape producers, cellars, wine-related businesses, and wholesalers. It provides essential support services to the wine and brandy value chain with the vision of enabling it to become more robust, transformed, agile, and competitive.

About Nedbank

Nedbank Group is a financial services group in South Africa that offers wholesale and retail banking services, insurance, asset management, and wealth management. Nedbank Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nedbank Group. Nedbank’s primary market is South Africa.

The 2024 edition of Western Cape Business – a unique guide to business and investment in the Western Cape

The 2024 edition of Western Cape Business is the 17th issue of this highly informative publication that, since its launch in 2005, has established itself as the premier business and investment guide for the Western Cape.

The Western Cape has several investment and business opportunities. Tourism and the film sector are bouncing back and oil and gas exploration on and off the West Coast is taking off. Where South Africa faces its toughest challenges, in energy, transport and housing, the Western Cape is stepping up with practical solutions. Find out more in the publication’s regional overview of the Western Cape.

In addition to the regular articles providing insight into each of the key economic sectors of the province, a special feature focuses on the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector in the Western Cape.

The Cape Town International Convention Centre celebrated its 20th year of operation in 2023 and is now a complex comprising two large and adaptable facilities. Jointly owned by SunWest International, the City of Cape Town and the Provincial Government of the Western Cape, the venue has become a popular destination for all-Africa conferences such as the Investing in African Mining Indaba, which in 2023 attracted nearly 10 000 delegates from more than 100 countries.

The two public entities jointly hold 94.9% of the shareholding of the company that runs the CTICC. Many other towns in the Western Cape such as Stellenbosch have conference facilities, whether they are in dedicated facilities or attached to hotels or resorts.

Find all the insights you need to do business and invest in the Western Cape here, in the 2024 edition of Western Cape Business: 

The eBook edition can also be viewed online at www.westerncapebusiness.co.za.

Updated information on the Western Cape is also available through our monthly e-newsletter, which you can subscribe to online at www.southafricanbusiness.co.za or www.gan.co.za, in addition to our complementary business-to-business titles that cover all nine provinces as well as our flagship South African Business title and the new addition to our list of publications, The Journal of African Business, which was launched in 2020.

Find all the latest eBooks here

Celebrating and elevating the food and beverage sector across Africa 

The premium food and beverage market in Africa is expected to reach $44 billion by 2025i, with top trends revolving around ethical, local, and organic produce. Celebrating this diverse and growing sector, Africa’s Big 7, in its 21st year, will bring together the best in the food and beverage business to showcase quality and in-demand products, identify growth opportunities and close new business deals.

“Our event allows attendees to connect with buyers across the African continent. Discover leads, network with professionals, and access first-class, delectable content,” says Margaret Peters, Event Manager: Food & Hospitality at dmg events.

“Africa’s Big 7 is a well-established brand and while it is a retail-ready show, it delivers freshness in the way of new products from around the world directly to Africa’s doorstep. Suppliers and manufacturers launch new products at the show, enabling key decision makers to build long-lasting relationships, while securing import and export deals, throughout this enticing B2B event.”

Taking place from 11-13 June 2024 at its new venue, the Sandton Convention Centre, the show will delve into the latest consumer trends and dining demands, including addressing how menus are adapting.  

The event brings together the best in the business, showcasing quality and in-demand products across all sectors, from catering to bulk suppliers, ensuring that there is something for everyone.

Private label is booming in Africa, with consumers increasingly seeking value without compromising on quality. Africa’s Big 7 connects manufacturers with the key decision-makers who are shaping the future of private label in Africa, offering a unique platform to showcase products and secure lucrative partnerships.

“This is a prime hub for sourcing, trendspotting and connecting with top trade buyers and influencers. Our 2024 edition will set a new benchmark, showcasing the potential to elevate and transform the food and beverage landscape in this dynamic region and beyond.”

Commercial and product managers, heads of packaging and business development, marketing directors and officers will be among the 170+ exhibitors, from across the globe, while 4300+ attendees are anticipated including importers and exporters, food retailers, restaurant managers, buyers and more.

“We are constantly growing and expanding, recognising innovation in the food and beverage industry and moving it forward,” Peters adds.

“A delicious feature at the show this year includes the returning SA Bakers’ Challenge, alongside the third National Burger Challenge and the 14th Global Pizza Challenge, shining the spotlight on comfort food. And for the first time this year, we’ll present Africa’s Game of Chefs, a showcase of the best of the African culinary arts celebrating the most outstanding, up-and-coming hotel chefs together with some of the continent’s most established names to present Africa’s food journey, while inspiring the audience with the thinking behind their brands and food philosophies.”

The co-located events: Africa’s Big 7, the Hotel & Hospitality Expo Africa and SAITEX will combine 500 exhibitors, 10,000 visitors and over 4000sqm of exhibition space to unlock the best opportunities across food and beverage, hospitality, and trade.

By cross collaborating the retail food, interiors, and hospitality industries, the shows create a powerful platform to attract a diverse range of attendees at a one-stop location to increase visibility and boost business networks.

“Africa’s Big 7 promises to serve up the latest and greatest in African food and beverages and is certainly not to be missed. A staggering 92% of last year’s attendees felt that it was important for their business to be there, while 85% planned to return to the show this year,” Peters concludes.

For more information visit: www.africabig7.com  

North West Business Summit & Expo 2024

The North West Business Summit & Expo, taking place 27-28 March 2024 at Rustenburg Civic Centre, is a prestigious event that brings together professionals and entrepreneurs from various sectors across the region.

The summit aims to provide valuable insights and knowledge exchange by hosting panels on a wide range of topics pertaining to mining, markets, entrepreneurship, sponsorship, and more.

We will cover diverse topics during the panel discussion. It is through engaging discussions like these that we can foster growth, innovation and collaboration within our business community. 

The North West Business Summit & Expo is geared to connect township and village entrepreneurs with opportunities, resources, information, training and development, finance and markets from corporate South Africa and the Public Sector.

Brought to you by North West Business Expo and our Host City of Rustenburg, Powered by FASA: Franchise Association of Southern Africa and broadcasted by North West Television.

#northwestbusiness #northwestbusinesssummitandexpo #nwbse2024

Register Here

Retail distribution in an energy-limited world

The SPAR Group's South Rand Distribution Centre has an impressive array of solar panels.

Recent extended stage 4 to 6 power outages have once again emphasised the need for broader solutions that will enable businesses not only to endure, but also prosper during the current energy challenges.

The SPAR Group is actively investing in power initiatives to reduce reliance on Eskom and promote sustainable strategies. However, achieving complete independence from the grid will demand continuous innovation to fill the gaps where solar energy cannot.

Significant progress has been made in expanding the solar capabilities at all six of our Distribution Centres (DCs).

Solly Engelbrecht, National Logistics Executive at The SPAR Group

However, considering we service SPAR stores nationwide and across borders, our goal of transitioning all six DCs to operate entirely off the grid will require continuous innovation to find ways to supplement our current solar rollout. Solar energy alone cannot sufficiently sustain the uninterrupted, 24-hour operation that is essential for our refrigeration units, storage centres and other critical equipment.

Our South Rand DC, for instance, was the first to move away from its sole reliance on Eskom for electricity. Installation of solar panels at both our perishables and dry-goods warehouses has already resulted in a very significant ongoing reduction in energy usage from Eskom.

This is a clear example of why sustainability is good for South Africa in the long term and just how beneficial the change can be for the sector and for society.

The high cost of lithium batteries and the lack of sufficient wind power around our built-up DC has meant we needed to think out of the box. For instance, we are considering investing in a smaller bank of generators and gas power, rather than the traditional large, standby, diesel generator. We are also investigating alternative wind generation options.

Localisation is among the key approaches that should be adopted to ensure a reliable power supply.

Additionally, we have invested in LED lighting throughout all DCs for a further energy consumption reduction and in our KwaZulu-Natal perishables DC, these LEDs are linked to an intelligent-lighting-management system. This system, which can be monitored and activated remotely, senses movement in each aisle and adjusts the brightness of the light levels accordingly. If no movement is detected, the lights dims significantly. This has resulted in a significant reduction in energy use for lighting.

LED lighting is helping to reduce energy use at SPAR Distribution Centres.
LED lighting is helping to reduce energy use at SPAR Distribution Centres.

Biomass potential

Biomass energy generation will also provide increasingly powerful solutions. We see potential scope for biomass to be added to wind and other energy sources as fuel for the generation of electricity.

At The SPAR Group, we firmly believe that more localised power generation presents a realistic avenue for achieving enduring sustainability.

With regard to recycling, we currently collect outer-plastic packaging, cardboard, paper and other recyclable materials from SPAR stores and transport them to our DCs, where they are sorted, weighed and compacted in separate processes. The plastic is recycled and repurposed into various items like bin bags, while the cardboard also undergoes recycling for use in packaging materials.

Through this recycling effort, we reduce the materials sent to landfills, consequently lessening our carbon footprint.

Ensuring that the expansion of the retail industry incorporates sustainable practices is vitally important. Sustainability is not merely beneficial for society and business; it has become indispensable for the retail sector’s future.

Working to discover solutions that alleviate the mounting pressure on the South African power grid and significantly reduce our carbon footprint will remain a key focus of commitment for The SPAR Group. We are championing sustainable behaviour and practices across all facets of our operations and the strides we’re making at our DCs will set a trajectory toward a greener, more sustainable future for all. 

About the SPAR Group

The SPAR Group Ltd is a warehousing and distribution business listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) in the Food and Drug Retailers sector. The group owns the SPAR retail brand and supports a network of independent retailers who trade under our brand through our distribution centres.

SPAR forms part of SPAR International, which is present in 44 countries and has 240 distribution centres that serve 13-million customers every day. The SPAR Group Ltd, headquartered in Durban, South Africa, is present in nine countries, has 10 distribution centres and serves 3 768 retail members through 14 store formats every day. 

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