Keynote address by Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile on the occasion of the Gauteng Investment Conference (GIC) 2026, Marriott Hotel, Melrose Arch

Programme Director, Ms Nozipho Tshabalala; 

Honourable Premier of Gauteng, Mr Panyaza Lesufi; 

Ministers and Deputy Ministers present; 

Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Mr Dada Morero; 

MEC for Economic Development, Ms Vuyiswa Ramakgopa; 

MEC for Education, Sports and Culture, Mr Lebogang Maile,

CEOs of State-Owned Enterprises, from national government and the province;

Members of the Diplomatic Corps; 

Leaders of Business, Finance, Labour, and Civil Society; 

Distinguished Guests; 

Ladies and Gentlemen;

Good Morning, Dumelang, Avuxeni.
 
It is an honour to return once again to address this prestigious gathering, following the inaugural Gauteng Investment Conference in 2025.

This Conference takes place at a defining moment for our country and our economy. Just over a week ago, South Africa successfully hosted the Sixth South African Investment Conference, where government, business, and our international partners secured record investment commitments of approximately R890 billion in a single day.

These are the largest pledges achieved since the investment drive began in 2018, lifting cumulative commitments well beyond R1.5 trillion, and prompting government to set a new national investment ambition of R3 trillion over the period ahead.

The significance of the South African Investment Conference lies not only in the scale of these commitments, but in what they represent: a firm vote of confidence in South Africa’s reform trajectory, policy certainty, and in our constitutional democracy anchored by the rule of law.

However, investment conferences are not ends in themselves. 
Their true value lies in delivery, in translating commitments into projects on the ground, into factories, infrastructure, energy capacity, and above all, jobs.

It is precisely at this point of delivery that Gauteng assumes its central role. As the economic heartland of South Africa, contributing the largest share to our national GDP, and serving as a gateway to regional and global markets, Gauteng stands as the primary platform through which many of these national investment commitments will be implemented, expanded, and scaled.

The South African Investment Conference set the national direction. The Gauteng Investment Conference takes that work forward by localising investment, accelerating execution, and removing obstacles at project level. This ensure that the national vision is not only articulated, but lived, in the daily realities of growth, opportunity, and jobs. 

Many of the commitments announced at SAIC, across advanced manufacturing, the energy transition, logistics, digital services, infrastructure, and industrial localisation align directly with Gauteng’s competitive strengths: its industrial base, financial system, skilled workforce, research institutions, and world‑class connectivity.

This Conference therefore serves a distinct and complementary purpose. It moves us:
· from national pledges to provincial pipelines;
· from policy certainty to site readiness; and
· from investor intent to operational delivery.

In doing so, it transforms national ambition into provincial action, ensuring that Gauteng stands as the proving ground where investment becomes impact, and where the story of South Africa’s growth is written in the lived experience of its people.

Through the Gauteng Investment Conference, we are saying clearly to investors: South Africa is open for business and Gauteng is ready for execution.

We are determined that Gauteng will lead by example in shortening regulatory timelines, coordinating across spheres of government, crowding in private capital, and supporting investors across the full project lifecycle so that commitments translate into measurable economic impact and inclusive growth.

Consequently, Gauteng will not only advance the outcomes of the South African Investment Conference but will give concrete expression to our national objective of investment‑led growth, job creation, and economic transformation.

As we reflect on the theme “Re‑industrialising Africa’s Gateway through Investment, Innovation, and Integrated Growth,” we are reminded that we must exploit the engines of industry, channel the lifeblood of investment, and ignite the spark of innovation.

Gauteng’s role as Africa’s gateway should not only be defined by economic weight, but by its ability to create opportunity for all our people.

Re‑industrialisation is a practical, forward‑looking strategy. It recognises that productive capacity is the foundation of sustained growth. 

It must result in technology‑driven factories, expanded industrial output, revitalised industrial parks and Special Economic Zones, strengthened local supply chains, and dignified jobs at scale.

But let us be clear the industrialisation we pursue today is not the industrialisation of yesterday. It is a new industrialisation, built on four critical pillars.

First: Without reliable energy, efficient logistics, water security, and modern digital infrastructure, industrialisation cannot take place. That is why government continues to invest in stabilising and expanding energy supply, improving rail and port systems, and strengthening water and logistics infrastructure. These are the foundations of industrial growth.

Second: The future of industrialisation is as digital as it is physical. Data centres, artificial intelligence, fintech, cloud infrastructure, and digital public platforms are now the backbone of modern economies. Gauteng is uniquely positioned to lead in this space—and we must leverage this advantage to build globally competitive digital industries.

Third: Africa remains resource‑rich but value‑chain poor. We export raw materials and import finished goods. We are connected to global markets, yet insufficiently integrated within our own continent.

The African Continental Free Trade Area gives us a platform to change this—to build regional value chains, expand intra‑African trade, and industrialise at scale. Its success depends on improved cross‑border infrastructure, reduced trade barriers, aligned standards, and strong support for African businesses.

Through platforms such as this Conference, Gauteng is positioning itself as a continental execution hub, a place where AfCFTA moves from agreement to implementation.

Fourth: Industrial growth must not be exclusionary. It must unlock opportunities for young people, township economies, and small and emerging enterprises ensuring that growth translates into shared prosperity.

Equally, industrialisation does not happen without investment. Investment must translate into production. Production must translate into jobs. And jobs must translate into improved livelihoods.

This is why the Gauteng Investment Conference has evolved beyond a traditional platform. It is becoming a full investment lifecycle mechanism—from deal origination and project preparation, to financing, implementation, and delivery.

Government’s responsibility in this process is clear:
· To de‑risk investment through policy certainty, regulatory efficiency, and coordination across spheres of government;
· To crowd in private capital alongside development finance institutions and commercial lenders; and
· To ensure delivery, accountability, and project tracking.

Credibility is built not on what we announce, but on what we deliver. 

And government cannot do this alone.
We need a strong partnership with businesses that invest in skills, support localisation, integrate small enterprises into value chains, and commit to long‑term resilience.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Gauteng is a region where investors can find both returns and resilience. It offers a vibrant workforce, a commitment to enterprise development, and world‑class infrastructure.

Investment here is not a risky endeavour, it is a collaborative one, where each rand invested multiplies opportunity, strengthens communities, and builds secure futures.

As I conclude, let me issue a clear call to action:

To Investors: South Africa and Gauteng in particular is open for business and open for partnership. Africa is not a risk story; it is a long‑term growth and return story.

To Business: You are not passive participants; you are co‑architects of our industrial future. Work with us to build industries and develop skills.

To Government: We must act with urgency, coordination, and accountability, removing barriers and accelerating delivery.

And to Africa: This is our moment, not to extract, not to import, but to produce, innovate, and lead.

Let this Conference mark a turning point: from commitments to implementation; towards integrated growth that is inclusive, sustainable, and transformative.

I thank you. Ke a leboga. Inkomu.