By Mandla Mpangase

The Gauteng Provincial Government has formally launched the Gauteng Investment Conference 2026, positioning the event as a central mechanism to convert investor interest into tangible projects, infrastructure delivery, and job creation across South Africa’s economic hub.

Gauteng MEC for Finance and Economic Development, Lebogang Maile, unveiled the initiative on 17 February 2026 at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in Sandton, describing the venue as symbolic of the province’s ambition to mobilise capital at scale.

“It is profoundly symbolic that we gather here today at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange as it represents the power of investment,” Maile said, noting the exchange’s market capitalisation of more than R24-trillion and its role in enabling businesses to access capital, expand operations, and create jobs.

From pledges to projects

The launch builds on the inaugural conference held in April 2025, which secured R312.5-billion in investment pledges across 60 projects, with expected support for more than 114 000 jobs and significant economic opportunities across sectors such as agro-processing, transport infrastructure, property development, and aviation.

Maile emphasised that the provincial government is now shifting focus from commitments to delivery.

“As of this month, 28% of the pledges secured in 2025 have already been converted into active implementation,” he said, adding that 17 projects are currently being rolled out, unlocking approximately R73-billion into the “real economy”.

This conversion rate, he said, is central to Gauteng’s credibility as an investment destination, demonstrating that the conference is not an “event-driven exercise” but a continuous lifecycle spanning project origination, structuring, facilitation, and execution.

A key example cited was the ongoing development of the OR Tambo International Airport precinct, which is emerging as a major logistics, manufacturing, and industrial hub.

Strategic projects and industrial growth

The 2026 conference will showcase large-scale catalytic projects aligned with corridor-based development and industrial clustering. These include:

• Expansion of Gauteng rapid rail and integrated transport networks
• Development of the aerotropolis around OR Tambo International Airport
• Expansion of the West Rand Special Economic Zone
• A proposed Vaal Special Economic Zone focused on steel revitalisation, green hydrogen, and advanced manufacturing

Maile said these projects are supported by feasibility studies, regulatory alignment, and institutional backing to strengthen Gauteng’s competitiveness and long-term growth trajectory.

The conference also aligns with broader policy frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area and Agenda 2063, with Gauteng seeking to deepen pan-African value chains and leverage international partnerships established through engagements in Europe and global investment forums.

Targeting new commitments

For 2026, the province aims to secure at least R200-billion in new investment commitments, a target Maile described as “pipeline-backed and supported by structured engagement with investors, development finance institutions and sector leaders”.

Priority sectors include:

• Advanced manufacturing
• Renewable energy and electric vehicle value chains
• Digital infrastructure
• Logistics and agro-processing
• Green hydrogen
• Financial services

The conference will also feature curated deal rooms and structured policy dialogues involving African governments, global investors, and private-sector stakeholders, with municipalities playing a central role in project preparation and approvals.

“In 2025, we demonstrated that Gauteng can mobilise capital,” Maile said. “In 2026, we are showing that Gauteng can convert capital into projects, jobs and economic growth.”

Improving investor confidence

Speaking at the launch, Sam Mokorosi, Head of Origination and Deals at the JSE, said recent macroeconomic improvements were helping to restore investor confidence in South Africa.

These include easing inflation, improving interest rate trends, stronger global engagement with emerging markets, and South Africa’s exit from the Financial Action Task Force grey list, followed by a sovereign credit rating upgrade.

He noted that the FTSE/JSE All Share Index surpassed 100 000 points last year, with foreign participation and daily equity volumes increasing, alongside a healthy pipeline of new listings expected in 2026.

“For Gauteng and for the Gauteng Investment Conference, these trends matter,” Mokorosi said. “They reinforce the message that confidence is returning — not abstractly, but in measurable ways that shape investment decisions and long-term growth prospects.”

He added that the JSE is supporting investment mobilisation through new financial products, inward listings, and initiatives such as a voluntary carbon market, which issued its first carbon credit in 2025.

Gauteng’s role in the continental economy

As South Africa’s economic powerhouse, Gauteng contributes roughly 34% of the national GDP, about 7% of sub-Saharan Africa’s output, and drives around 60% of South Africa’s exports to the continent.

The conference is therefore not only about provincial growth, but also about strengthening Africa’s industrialisation and regional value chains.

The event, taking place on 9 April 2026, will bring together investors, development finance institutions, municipalities, business leaders and continental partners.

“With the investment pipeline structured and coordination mechanisms in place, we are ready,” Maile said. “Together, we move from mobilisation to scaling — turning commitments into tangible impacts for our people and the economy.”