6th SA Investment Conference 2026 kicks off in Joburg

It is all systems go for the 6th South Africa Investment Conference (SAIC 2026) set to take place in Sandton, Johannesburg, on Tuesday.

The government is looking to raise R2 trillion rand by 2028.

However, the war in the Middle East could put a damper on the event because some expected delegates could be stranded due to airspace closures in parts of the Middle East.
 
Last week, the government stated that some delegates expressed uncertainty about their attendance.
  
The conference resumes after a two-year hiatus, with expected pledges seen as critical to supporting economic growth.
 
Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau recently told the media that the first five-year investment drive, which ran between 2018 and 2023, secured R1.5 trillion in pledges, surpassing the president’s original target by 26%.

But debate continues about whether these pledges manifest in real investment.

Concerns have also been raised about rehashed investments by development financiers who blur the lines between new and already existing investments.

More than 1,000 delegates from 21 countries are expected to attend the conference, with 65 pledges expected to be announced.

Last week, Tau warned that the ongoing war in the Middle East has created uncertainty about delegates attending physically, in the face of the Middle East war.