Since 1998, when SouthAfrica establisheddiplomatic ties with China −two years ahead of thelaunch of Forum on China-
Africa Cooperation in 2000 − thecountry has been well-servedcommercially through its relationshipwith China. This came first through thetrade channel, given higher globalcommodity prices driven largely byChinese demand, which earned SouthAfrica export revenues, createdemployment opportunities and made itan attractive investment destination.South Africa remains China’s largesttrading partner in Africa, and Chinabecame South Africa’s top tradepartner in 2009. However, attempts todiversify South Africa’s narrow exportprofile with China are continuing.
A second channel is that ofinvestment. South Africa has beenamong the top recipients of ChineseFDI in Africa, with companies such asSinosteel, Hisense, Huawei and the
Industrial and Commercial Bank ofChina are just some of the players that have invested in a diverse range of sectors. Investments rangefrom financial services, mining, electronics and technology to autos,wine, property development andrenewable energy. South Africa hasalso often been seen as a front deskor springboard for Chinese companies looking to venture into the region. Similarly South Africanfirms have taken advantage ofopportunities in China.
A third channel has been that ofgreater people-to-people exchangesand tourism activity, and South Africahas benefitted by being sub-SaharanAfrica’s largest tourism destination forChinese tourists. www.frontieradvisory.com
Cape Town is South Africa’s spectacular mother city.
Reaching new heights of cooperation
“Africa and China’s economic tiesare being strengthened by SouthAfrica’s role as the ‘Africanoutreach’ to key economies acrosssub-Saharan Africa,” says Herman Steyn, CEO of leadinginvestment management company Prescient.
“Africa is in a strong position towork with China, and cooperationcontinues to increase across thefinancial services, resources andtrading sectors.
“As we continue to work moreclosely together, we expect newopportunities for collaboration topresent themselves in order for China and Africa to build on theeconomic partnership already in place.” www.prescient.co.za
“For foreign investors looking foropportunities in Cape Town and thebeautiful surrounding areas, localknowledge is everything, and theCape Chamber of Commerce andIndustry is in a position to help,” saysJanine Myburgh, president of theCape Chamber of Commerce.
“We are an essential port of callfor incoming trade delegations andvisiting investors, and we offer avariety of services, including disputeresolution, which is often quicker andcheaper than the courts of law. Inmany ways, it is also more effective
as we concentrate on the essence of the problem and not thetechnicalities.
“Business conditions and thelaws affecting business vary fromcountry to country, so it is importantto make local connections and meetpeople working in the same field, asthis is the quickest way to spotproblems and see opportunities. Thechamber is the leading businessorganisation in the western Cape andis in a good position to make keyintroductions.” www.capetownchamber.com
Hannah Edinger, director
Janine Myburgh, president
Herman Steyn, CEO
B6 Wednesday, June 3, 2015
SPECIAL REPORT: 2015 SOUTH AFRICA BUSINESS REPORTSponsored page in cooperationwith Synergy Media Specialists
AfroCentric Health is a leader inhealth care and is driven by acommitment to innovation,sustainability and transformation ofthe sector. Our vision is to “create aworld of sustainable health care”.
Health care and technology arerobust and exciting sectors in whichto do business and we continue tothrive in these sectors. With a solidfootprint in South Africa, Namibia,Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Botswana andKenya – the AfroCentric group is on afirm and steady growth path acrossthe African continent.
Our cutting-edge technologiesand systems are also enablers for thegroup to enter new markets andexplore non-traditional opportunitiesfor the group. Our health businesscontinues to be the preferredprovider of services to a number ofprominent South African governmententities including the GovernmentEmployees Medical Schemes(GEMS) and the Road Accident Fund(RAF). While these contracts are notwithout challenges, our success inrendering services to governmentsprovides a solid platform for future business growth.
We believe that our offering addsvalue – particularly in the areas ofcost effectiveness and efficiency.While our core competencies remainadministration and managed careservices, we believe that there will begrowth in non-traditional marketsespecially those in need of provenand efficient technological platforms.
While there is anticompetitivebehaviour prevalent in our markets,our health care business is making itssystems and competencies moreavailable to the market throughcompetitive pricing strategies whileexplicitly demonstrating the costssavings they generate.
The group continues to track,assess and adapt to legislativedevelopments – particularly withregard to the National HealthInsurance (NHI) which will beintroduced in South Africa – andpossibly neighbouring countries inthe future. While these impact howwe do business, our focus remainscost containment and the efficientprovision of health care services toGEMS and other stakeholders.
We are proud of our success withgovernment contracts and we willcontinue to focus on retaining andexpanding this business. Ourdedicated operations aroundgovernment business will alsocollaborate and leverage theircollective expertise in the areas ofcost containment and volume.
The increasing volumes in the
private sector are expected togenerate greater margins and,through improved efficiency, reducecosts, albeit across a limitedcustomer base. In this context, ourstrategies will focus on working more closely with government while playing a positive role in thecost effective delivery of health care services.
AfroCentric Health acquired itslargest health entity, MedschemeHoldings, in 2006 with a view ofimproving the structural inefficiencieswhich existed and in anticipation of alevelling of the playing fields in theindustry, especially in the SouthAfrican health care market.
The real value of the Medschemebusiness lies in the consolidation ofthe market and the potentialexpanding within the continent.
Historically, AfroCentric Healthhas delivered consistent, solid growthand this will not change. Despite themany challenges within our sector,our businesses remain robust andsuccessful. We continue to makesubstantial progress in laying thefoundation for long-term growth andpositive shareholder returns.
“We have a business that deliversto our customers, associates, clients,suppliers, shareholders andcommunities. Recent and futuretransactions will result in significantlystronger balance sheets as well asstronger executive managementteam with extensive experience anda proven track record as businessdevelopers and entrepreneurs,” saysDr Anna Mokgokong, AfroCentricHealth chairman. The group willcontinue to exploit the synergies ofgreater business leadership driven byits well-developed commercial andindustry minds.
“AfroCentric Health’s successhas been possible due to dedicated,knowledgeable and insightfulpartners and clients that willinglyoffer their time and expertise. Thecore competencies, skills andexperience of the executive directorshave been gained within the healthcare environment. For this reason we remain convinced that we havethe means to unlock further value,”she concludes. www.afrocentrichealth.com
AfroCentric Health –creating a world ofsustainable health care
Dr Anna Mokgokong, chairman
South Africa’s banking and financialservices sectors continue tocontribute to and strengthen thecountry’s economy. With the largestexchange on the African continent –Johannesburg Stock Exchange,ranked the 19th largest stockexchange in the world by marketcapitalisation – and continuingdevelopments in the country’sbanking industry, South Africa isbuilding on its reputation as a globalfinancial centre.
This stable and well-regulatedbusiness environment has enabledlarge and medium size financialplayers to establish themselvesacross the country.
In Johannesburg, SasfinHoldings, a bank controllingcompany and notably its subsidiary;Sasfin Bank have become a leadingSouth African financial institution.
“As a bank, we are on a goodwicket,” says Roland Sassoon, CEO.“We have successfully launched our transactional banking servicesand we intend to continue to growour business and strengthen ourreputation as a trusted andcommitted South African financialinstitution.”
Sassoon’s father established thebusiness in 1951and the companyevolved from a textile importer to asmall-scale trade and equipment
financing company which went on to list on the Johannesburg StockExchange in 1987.
Today, Sasfin Bank focuses onthe needs of corporate, commercialand individual clients. Servicesinclude trade and equipment finance,corporate finance and private equityinvestment, securitisation,international and domestic treasury,freight, growth incentive consulting,asset management, stockbroking,portfolio management and wealthand financial planning.
The vision of Sasfin Bank is topartner with investors, entrepreneursand corporates and the bank’s ties to China continue to createopportunities.
Sassoon’s first trip to China in1963 laid the foundations for strongpartnerships and friendships acrossthe region with companies such asHecny Group, a leading internationalfreight forwarding group,headquartered in Hong Kong.
Recognising Hong Kong’sreputation as a strategic financialcentre, Sasfin established apresence there. Today, GaryPatterson, managing director ofSasfin Asia, heads up the bank’sHong Kong office.
“ ‘BRICS’ offers China and South Africa the opportunity to workmore closely together on bothgovernmental and business levels,”says Sassoon. “We want toemphasise that South Africa is areliable place in which to dobusiness, despite the challengeswithin the country. We are confidentthat South Africa will continue tocreate opportunities for internationalbusiness exchange and we will workclosely with our partners and clientsas we play an increasingly active rolewithin South Africa’s dynamicfinancial sector.”www.sasfin.com
A South African partner beyond expectations
Roland Sassoon, CEO
Strategic, long-term investments fromChina are continuing to help fuelgrowth across African economies.South Africa’s highly-regardedjudiciary system and world-class law firms are successfully facilitating business between China,South Africa and the rest of theAfrican continent.
With 115 directors/partners and200 qualified lawyers, Cliffe DekkerHofmeyr is one of the largestbusiness law firms in South Africa.The firm covers the full range ofbusiness legal services includingcorporate and commercial,competition, dispute resolution,finance and banking, projects and infrastructure, tax, media and telecommunications, trusts and estates.
“There are both challenges andopportunities within the South African economy,” says BrentWilliams, CEO of Cliffe DekkerHofmeyr. “Our dedicated sector-ledteams and strong public sectorpractice have enabled us to positionourselves as the first point of call forclients doing business within SouthAfrica. We are active across thecountry’s key industries, includingcapital markets, banking and financial services, mining,
manufacturing and fast-movingconsumer goods.”
With a credible judiciary system,a strong legal services sector and awell-regulated financial market,South Africa is a key growth-driverfor the African continent.
As the South African member firmof DLA Piper Africa, an alliance ofinternational legal practices, CliffeDekker Hofmeyr is unrivalled in termsof the firm’s pan-African legal
services, geographical coverage and experience.
For six consecutive years, CliffeDekker Hofmeyr has advised on more mergers and acquisitions(M&A) deals than any other law firmin South Africa and recently took tophonours at the DealMakers Awardsfor M&A deal flow.
As China and Africa continue tostrengthen their ties, Cliffe DekkerHofmeyr is well-positioned to meetthe needs of Chinese clients.
“China and Africa’s relationship ismoving in the right direction andSouth Africa has established a strongpartnership approach towardsworking with China,” Williams says.
“We enjoy working alongside ourChinese friends and our directapproach to building relationshipsand doing business is very muchappreciated. As Chinese companiesconsider opportunities in South Africaand the rest of the continent, weintend to play an increased role infacilitating business and transactions.We will continue to focus oncorporates, remain competitive andbuild on our outstanding reputation to position Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr asthe law firm of choice in South Africa and the rest of the continent.” www.cliffedekkerhofmeyr.com
The law firm of choice in South Africa
Brent Williams, CEO
