Eyes on the prize: South African business in the DRC

The document examines South African business activities in the DRC across sectors such as mining, telecommunications, and agriculture, highlighting both the positive developmental impacts and the significant operational challenges posed by corruption and bureaucracy.

• South Africa is the primary exporter of services and manufactured goods to the DRC, though bilateral trade is heavily imbalanced. In 2012, South African exports to the DRC were valued at ZAR 12 billion ($88 million), while Congolese imports to South Africa totaled only ZAR 67 million ($4.5 million).
• South African investments have provided developmental benefits to the DRC, including the creation of at least 4,000 jobs and significant contributions to the national fiscus. For instance, Kibali Gold contributed $170 million to government coffers between 2010 and 2015, and Vodacom reported tax payments of $110.5 million in 2014.
• The Grand Inga hydropower project represents the most significant potential collaboration, with a forecast capacity of 40,000 MW of renewable electricity. Under the 2013 Grand Inga Treaty, South Africa committed to off-taking 2,500 MW of the initial 4,800 MW from phase 1, though the estimated $120 billion total cost remains largely unfunded.
• South African companies face severe operational hurdles in the DRC, including systemic corruption, a weak judicial system, and excessive bureaucracy. Additionally, a lack of familiarity with the French language and Belgian/French legal traditions undermines the perceived 'African advantage' of South African firms.
• In the mining sector, South African firms have struggled to compete with European, American, and Asian investors due to limited access to the high levels of capital required for Congolese assets. This has led to some South African copper and cobalt assets being bought out by Indian and Chinese enterprises.

APA

Besharati, N. A., & Mthembu-Salter, G. (2016). Eyes on the prize: South African business in the DRC. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Policy-Insights-38.pdf

Chicago

Besharati, Neissan Alessandro, and Gregory Mthembu-Salter. Eyes on the prize: South African business in the DRC. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2016. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Policy-Insights-38.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Besharati |first1=Neissan Alessandro |last2=Mthembu-Salter |first2=Gregory |title=Eyes on the prize: South African business in the DRC |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=November 2016 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Policy-Insights-38.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{besharati2016eyes, author = {Besharati, Neissan Alessandro and Mthembu-Salter, Gregory}, title = {{Eyes on the prize: South African business in the DRC}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2016}, month = nov, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Policy-Insights-38.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }