Attacks, protests spoil South Africa’s investment showcase
The World Economic Forum on Africa was supposed to be South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s chance to prove his nation’s claim to being the continent’s top investment destination. It’s all gone horribly wrong.
The lead-up to the gathering of political and business leaders in Cape Town was marred by a series of xenophobic attacks, with scores of foreign-owned businesses burnt and looted, and mass protests against horrific abuse of women. A demonstration was held outside the WEF meeting on Wednesday and saw police firing stun grenades and water cannons to disperse the crowd.
On Thursday, about 10 000 protesters gathered outside parliament in the city to demand that the government do more to tackle femicide, and Ramaphosa canceled an appearance at WEF to address them. He pledged to announce an action plan in a nationwide address later in the day.
One woman is killed in South Africa every three hours, police statistics show, while the country has been plagued by intermittent attacks on foreigners, who are seen by some in poor communities as competitors for jobs, housing and business opportunities. At least seven people have been killed in the latest wave of attacks, which have drawn outrage from other African governments.
The violence couldn’t have come at a worse time for Ramaphosa, who’s been on a drive to attract $100-billion of new investment, revive the economy and tackle a 29% unemployment rate.
Article Enquiry
Email Article
Save Article
Feedback
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
Research Reports
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
Columbus Stainless, based in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, is Africa’s only producer of stainless steel flat products. In addition, Columbus is the only...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Occupational health services, mobile clinics, wellness campaigns, aviation.
VISIT SHOWROOM
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
