Unpacking South Africa’s BRICS-in-Africa Equation

This research paper examines South Africa's strategic role within the BRICS forum, specifically focusing on how it leverages its membership to advance African infrastructure development, regional integration, and economic restructuring under the NEPAD framework.

• South Africa bases its BRICS membership on three primary pillars: national interest, regional integration, and infrastructure development. The latter two are viewed as essential for Africa's growth and are aligned with African Union imperatives, as South Africa's own economic growth is linked to the continent's success, particularly within the SADC region where it exports manufacturing and services.
• South Africa is advocating for the creation of a BRICS development bank to serve as a funding source for African infrastructure and has offered to host the institution. Infrastructure development is seen as a way to address supply-side constraints and increase intra-African trade.
• Trade between BRICS nations and Africa has grown significantly, increasing tenfold since 2002 to an estimated value of US$340bn. South Africa aims to use its position to shift African trade relations away from being a mere commodity supplier for the industrialization of other nations.
• Despite its leadership aspirations, South Africa's role is not universally accepted by all African nations, specifically other regional anchors like Nigeria. Consequently, the document argues that using BRICS as an outreach platform must complement bilateral engagements with key states including Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal.
• Critics argue that South Africa is a member of BRICS as an individual state rather than a continental representative, questioning if it can balance its own strategic interests with those of Africa. However, the text notes that South Africa has a history of championing the African agenda through the establishment of the AU in 2002, NEPAD, the African Renaissance Fund, and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2013). Unpacking South Africa’s BRICS-in-Africa Equation. https://saiia.org.za/research/unpacking-south-africa-s-brics-in-africa-equation/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Unpacking South Africa’s BRICS-in-Africa Equation. 2013. https://saiia.org.za/research/unpacking-south-africa-s-brics-in-africa-equation/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Unpacking South Africa’s BRICS-in-Africa Equation |date=26 March 2013 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/unpacking-south-africa-s-brics-in-africa-equation/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2013unpacking, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Unpacking South Africa’s BRICS-in-Africa Equation}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2013}, month = mar, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/unpacking-south-africa-s-brics-in-africa-equation/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }