TINTSWALO BALOYI
JOHANNESBURG – SOUTH African business leaders will engage with American investors and reassure them of South Africa’s investment potential despite recent upheavals.

They will meet in New York on October 4 and 5 under the aegis of the fourth annual SA Tomorrow Investor Conference.

Among senior officials set to attend are Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, South African Reserve Bank Governor, Lesetja Kganyago and several business leaders from the private sector.

The roadshow complements initiatives between business, labour and the government, who have been working together in an unprecedented manner to avert a credit ratings downgrade and put South Africa on a sustainable inclusive growth path.

South African business and the government, working with labour, have shown their commitment to doing what we can to strengthen our economy and we believe this has played a big role in the ratings agencies having given the country a reprieve earlier this year,” says Nicky Newton-King, Chief Executive Officer of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).

JSE is organizing the SA Tomorrow Investor Conference alongside Old Mutual and Standard Bank among others.

Newton-King says however, a lot more work still lies ahead in ensuring the country achieves sustainable, inclusive growth.

“Part of the solution is to ensure that we can demonstrate that we have provided an investor-friendly environment.”

Senior leadership from these institutions, including JSE Chairman Nonkululeko Nyembezi-Heita and JSE CEO Newton-King will be attending to showcase South Africa and its institutions, and promote foreign direct investment into the country.

South Africa has been beset by some issues such as possible downgrades and fears over the arrest of Gordhan as well as social unrest.

– Guardian