The Gauteng Provincial Government today officially launched the Road to the Gauteng Investment Conference (GIC) 2026 at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), underscoring the province’s commitment to transforming investment pledges into tangible economic growth.
Speaking at the launch, Gauteng Finance and Economic Development MEC Lebogang Maile highlighted the strategic significance of hosting the event at the heart of South Africa’s financial system.
“It is both symbolic and purposeful that we gather here at the JSE,” MEC Maile said. “The JSE embodies transparency, accountability, and long-term value creation – all of which are crucial for sustainable investment. Launching the Road to GIC 2026 here is therefore entirely appropriate.”
Stakeholders who attended the launch this morning included Johannesburg Finance MMC Loyiso Masuku, JSE head of origination and deals Sam Mokorosi, and investor and Souffle Malt managing director Jeremy Antier.
The inaugural Gauteng Investment Conference in April 2025 attracted over 1,800 participants and secured investment pledges totalling R312.5 billion. As of February 2026, 28% of these pledges have already been converted into active projects, with 17 out of 60 initiatives underway, injecting R73 billion into the real economy.
“We have moved from pledges to projects,” MEC Maile noted. “These are not theoretical commitments but real investments creating jobs, expanding infrastructure, and driving energy developments. This conversion rate is central to our credibility.”
GIC 2026 aims to consolidate Gauteng’s standing as Africa’s leading subnational investment destination. The conference has set a target of securing R200 billion in new investment commitments, focusing on sectors such as advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, electric vehicles, digital infrastructure, agro-processing, logistics, green hydrogen, and financial services.
Key catalytic projects to be showcased include:
•Gauteng Rapid Rail Integrated Network extensions
•Lanseria Smart City
•Aerotropolis around OR Tambo International Airport
•Expansion of the West Rand SEZ
•Proposed Vaal SEZ focused on steel revitalisation and green hydrogen
“GIC is not a symbolic gathering; it is a tactical intervention,” said MEC Maile “It accelerates project preparation, attracts private investment, and strengthens intergovernmental coordination to ensure that pledges convert into projects.”
MMC Masuku said the launch took place at a critical juncture for the country’s financial capital, which was navigating a challenging macro-economic environment, including sluggish economic growth, a constrained public purse, and overstretched infrastructure that requires about R100 billion to refurbish and expand.
“Cities sit at the frontline of these pressures. Johannesburg, as the economic heart of the country, feels them most acutely. But we also recognise that cities are where recovery begins. When Johannesburg grows, South Africa grows,” said MMC Masuku.
Thanking MEC Maile for his role in supporting intergovernmental relations across Gauteng’s municipalities, MMC Masuku said such initiatives have put the city on a path to recovery. “Through intergovernmental collaboration via the Presidential Johannesburg Working Group, through disciplined financial management, and through a pipeline of bankable infrastructure projects, the city is building the foundations for long-term growth”.
Mr Antier, whose company is investing R2 billion in a state-of-the-art malthouse in Gauteng, lauded the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency for facilitating the investment.
“Our malthouse demonstrates that investment like this is not a single event. It is a sequence. And when you partner with government and the correct stakeholders, this sequence can be accelerated for maximum impact,” he said. “We are here to build on this sequence and create a value chain that will serve South Africa’s brewing industry and its agricultural sector for decades to come.”
GIC 2026 will also bring together African governments, subnational leaders, global investors, development finance institutions, and the private sector in curated deal rooms and structured policy dialogues. The conference is designed to integrate national, provincial, and municipal investment pipelines into a single visibility platform, ensuring that investors experience a coherent and aligned government approach.
“Last year, we demonstrated that Gauteng can mobilise capital,” MEC Maile concluded. “This year, we are demonstrating that Gauteng can convert capital into growth. GIC 2026 will institutionalise capital mobilisation as a permanent feature of our economic architecture.”
The Gauteng Investment Conference 2026 will take place in less than 50 days, on 9 April, enabling stakeholders to participate in unlocking over R200 billion in new commitments, deepening Africa’s industrialisation, and strengthening intra-African value chains.
