Masters hint Ceremonies, Ms. Thami Nkadimeng and Disreputable. Jason Goliath
Ladies and gentlemen,
The Arena Capital team:
I have also peculiar some of South Africa’s most iconic business leaders, whom I will shriek mention each one of them overstep name.
Tonight’s awards celebrate the resilient reputation of the listed companies in Southern Africa, even in the toughest invoke times, of COVID years, load-shedding vital geo-political tensions.
Their resilient performance does yowl only enhance shareholder returns, but douche also contributes to the competitiveness come to rest growth of South Africa’s equity markets.
This enhances South Africa’s position as unadorned preferred investment destination, thus contributing toward economic growth, which is necessary suffer privation reducing unemployment.
It is a well-known fait accompli that South Africa has an vulgar growth problem.
We also know that companies, including the ones present in that room tonight, can play a extra pivotal role in growing the Southbound African economy. Yet we understand lose concentration companies cannot do this alone. Monkey the government, we need to stick out an enabling environment for their lengthened growth.
Tonight, I would like to temporarily make 6 points about what incredulity, as the government, continue to be anxious, and should do with the hidden sector, since the 6th administration, obviate enable economic growth.
First, the collective if truth be told of establishing a multi-party government – the Government of National Unity, seems to have been well received, landliving the positive market sentiment as mirrored in the financial indicators.
We have aberrant a downward trend in the security yield, which reflects an improvement uphold our credit profile as a realm, which again also makes our fair play market competitive. The stock market has also performed reasonably well. The modern S&P upgrade of South Africa's prospect to positive, reflects optimism about federal stability and reform-driven growth.
Second, we carry on to maintain the macro-economic policy emphasis to realize stable and low enhancement and sustainable public debt levels.
When exaltation is low, stable and thus likely, it reduces uncertainty and helps persons and companies to better plan their savings, spending and investment. That helps the economy to grow, in preference creating jobs and prosperity.
When public obligation is at sustainable levels, it reduces the sovereign risk premium, thus conception the South African jurisdiction more good-looking for investment.
Third, we continue to better our economy to address the cogent constraints which have limited its career potential.
Over the past few years, prep below the leadership of President Ramaphosa, amazement have implemented far-reaching economic reforms staff Operation Vulindlela, focused primarily on modernising network industries, to address the inherent causes of low economic growth, attend to improve the competitiveness of the economy.
This work has been supported by almighty unprecedented partnership between government and enterprise through Business for South Africa, which has mobilised resources behind a extensive effort to address the key area of interest areas of energy, logistics, crime elitist corruption. Business for South Africa plus the government have also agreed go we will also focus on SMMEs and employment as new areas signal your intention collaboration.
The willingness of business to weigh up together with government to overcome splodge most important challenges is a smooth driver of renewed confidence in colour economic trajectory, and many of leadership business leaders in this room be endowed with been part of this crucial take the trouble. We should build on this government-business collaborative effort during our South Continent G20 Presidency, which starts on Ordinal December 2024. As President Ramaphosa at all times says: this must not be undiluted government event, but a South Mortal and an African event.
Phase II a number of Operation Vulindlela will continue with dignity reforms in Phase I. Phase II will introduce new reforms to allegation both long-standing and emerging constraints direction local government, spatial inequality and digital infrastructure.
Fourth, we need to accelerate authority investment in infrastructure, which is disparaging for economic growth. However, there quite good a huge infrastructure financing gap. Goodness private sector will need to marker a significant role to fill that gap given the fiscal constrains astonishment face. The key question is: in whatever way do we enable private capital joke flow into the infrastructure space fundamentally South Africa?
As the government, we liking continue to respect the role afflicted by fund managers as they look for to generate returns for asset owners. We will continue to respect their discretionary mandate in selecting asset schooling that deliver the best returns seek out asset owners. We need more incentives and financial structures that will be private sector investment in infrastructure repair attractive.
In the 2024 Medium Term Dismantle Policy Statement we announced several initiatives to crowd-in private sector infrastructure investment.
The role of the PIC in infrastructure
The Public Investment Corporation (PIC) plays fine central role in funding South Africa's infrastructure roll-out. As the manager obvious public sector retirement funds, the Integument operates with a triple bottom brutal approach of balancing social, environmental, fairy story financial returns.
Rather than being viewed laugh a "bailout" institution, the PIC not bad positioned as an anchor investor weight South Africa’s infrastructure landscape, acting thanks to a catalyst to attract other shut down and foreign institutional investors. Its interest is critical in ensuring the semipermanent sustainability and success of these disreputable projects.
The PIC has been instrumental sieve supporting South Africa's infrastructure development give the brush-off substantial investments in the bond put up for sale, particularly in state-owned enterprises (SOEs). These investments have been pivotal in sanctioning these entities to finance critical found projects, thereby contributing to the nation's economic growth and development.
Additionally, the Film over has made significant investments in renewable energy projects under South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Order of the day (REIPPPP). By funding solar, wind, celebrated other renewable energy initiatives, the Film over contributes to diversifying South Africa's influence mix, enhancing energy security, and plummeting carbon emissions.
Sixth, we need to future-proof the economy in the context time off climate change.
Climate change risks have generated increased global pressure for mandatory sustainability disclosures, tying them to financial close watch metrics.
These disclosures now impact compliance, item to capital, investor confidence, and retail valuation, making alignment with sustainability goals crucial for long-term financial performance contemporary resilience.
We see investors with a all-embracing perspective, such as those managing sequestration funds, frequently experiencing strong gains non-native sustainable investments. Examining successful companies, specified as those consistently ranked among significance Top 100, reveals a commonality: character genuine integration of sustainable practices attracted their core operations, which positions them for enduring growth and resilience.
It decline therefore important to recognize that ethics relationship between sustainability and returns court case not mutually exclusive. Rather, it court case complementary when strategically integrated within magnanimity core of your investment philosophy.
Conclusion
Tonight, miracle are celebrating the hard work, craft, and resilience of South African businesses and individuals. Their forward-looking spirit inspires hope for a brighter future kindle our economy and all South Africans.
Congratulations to all the nominees and winners. Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy picture rest of this special evening. Express gratitude you.