Mr. Rudolph Pierre Jordaan, Acting High Commissioner of South Africa
Speech at “Business Africa Trade Forum” hosted by Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce on 02 Oct 2025 in the presence of Ambassador Hamid Asghar Khan, Additional Foreign Secretary at MOFA,Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, President of PAIDAR, Mr Usman Shaukat, President of the RCCI
Thank you for the invitation to participate in this Business Africa Trade Forum, which once again confirms the fact that Pakistan is serious in terms of how optimistically it views Africa’s future and how it recognises the Continent’s potential as a business and development partner.
Despite current geo-political turmoil and the lack of a truly representative, fair and rule-based international governance system that includes Africa, there are indeed positive shifts within the international arena which should not go unnoticed.
One of them, I truly believe, is the fact that, after centuries of global political, economic and technological dominance by countries of the North, which admittedly shifted eastwards meanwhile, the countries of the South, including the continent of Africa, are slowly but surely being recognised as the next growth point of the world.
With the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (Af-CFTA) offering access to a common market of approximately 1,5 billion youthful inhabitants and an abundance of natural resources and innovative ideas, the sky is truly the limit.
But let me start with a brief introduction to my own country, South Africa. South Africa and Pakistan enjoy cordial diplomatic relations since our democratic changes in 1994, spanning many areas of bilateral cooperation.
Both countries suffered from colonialism in the past and Pakistan was a staunch supporter of South Africa’s struggle against Apartheid. Former Pres Nelson Mandela visited Pakistan twice in 1992 (shortly after his prison release); and 1999 for a State Visit, when he addressed a joint Parliament sitting. Former PM Benazir Bhutto attended Pres Mandela’s inauguration in 1994 and his funeral in 2013.
South Africa and Pakistan conduct their bilateral relations through a Joint Commission.
There’s a significant need, however, for the two countries to enhance the relationship through more frequent high-level visits and to strengthen trade and investment ties, as well as to pursue mutually beneficial technical cooperation and skills training. In other words, to focus on increased bilateral and multilateral connectivity!
South Africa is currently among Pakistan’s biggest trading partners in Africa. Almost a quarter of Pakistan’s total current trade with Africa, is with South Africa; and South Africa’s exports to Pakistan forms almost 10% of South Africa’s total exports to Asia.
In 2024, South Africa enjoyed a trade surplus with Pakistan (of USD198 million), with the total volume of trade standing at USD 534 million. This suggests, however, that much more needs to be done to grow the potential of these ties!
The total SA exports to Pakistan were USD 366 million; &
The total SA imports from Pakistan were USD 168 million
South Africa remains a key gateway for investment into Africa and more specifically the southern Africa market, leveraging what is widely regarded as the region’s most advanced and industrialised economy.
However, I must emphasise here that South Africa does not regard itself as an island and that South Africa believes what is good for us, MUST be shared with our neighbours, for our collective prosperity. Despite socio-economic challenges in South Africa that seize our attention, the country’s modern infra-structure, global connectivity networks, world class banking system, stable institutions, a revitalised energy sector, an independent judiciary and a robust legal framework ALL form key pillars supporting a conducive investment environment.
Alongside a free press, mature financial and capital markets, and experienced local partners, these factors significantly contribute to facilitating foreign investments in South Africa.
Some observations regarding current bilateral trade patterns I can highlight, are the following:
Bilateral trade volumes grew consistently over the years and are projected to continue. In fact, Pakistan could become South Africa’s gateway to Central Asian markets, while South Africa could be Pakistan’s gateway into the SADC region.
There is a serious need to diversify from exporting predominantly primary products to Pakistan, to exporting value-added goods, an issue that foreign partners can assist with (this applies to sectors such as agri-chemical products; fruit preservation technologies; pesticides; irrigation systems; engineering equipment; water management systems; mining technologies; and railway equipment; etc).
South Africa and the Continent offer some world-class, quality products, services and technologies, mostly at reasonable prices/terms compared to competitors. This offers Pakistan true value for money!
Some Pakistani investors have already discovered major opportunities in South Africa, for example Descon;
the Packaging Company; Bliss Brands/ MAQ washing powder; Baker’s Land; Habib; and others.
Sectors with significant potential to grow South Africa’s exports to Pakistan, and elsewhere, are:
Agriculture & livestock; Railways & Infrastructure; Mining equipment/ technologies; and Security services.
Main South Africa exports to Pakistan were mineral products (R56,2 million); Vehicles, Aircraft and Vessels (R50,7 million); Machinery (R39,7 million); and Chemicals (R11,4 million), while the main products that Pakistan exported to SA were: Textiles (R1,46 billion), Minerals (R310 million), Vegetables (R230 million), Raw Hides/ Leather (R184 million), Toys/Sport Apparel (R179 million), and Plastics/ Rubber (R168 million).
Apart from the close cricket ties between SA and Pakistan (with an upcoming tour later this month), tourism to Africa is an under-estimated growth sector beyond imagination. From Cape Town’s winelands, pristine beaches and top-class restaurants to our exciting wildlife safaris, majestic mountains and vast semi-deserts, South Africa is indeed a world in one country. Connectivity via Addis Ababa, Johannesburg or elsewhere, puts this within easy reach of many Pakistanis.
As a founding BRICS+ member and current host of the G20-Summit in November this year, South Africa remains committed to the collective benefit that multilateralism offers us all, including within the framework of our Continent’s Regional Economic Communities as the building blocks of an integrated African Union. The multilateral arena offers substantial scope for cooperation with Pakistan on numerous global issues of mutual concern.
