Business & Economics in Africa

  • South Africa

Overview

South Africa boasts the largest economy on the continent of Africa. Its urban centers are booming & a number of international businesses have chosen to make South Africa their headquarters. Learn how South Africa recovered from a stunted economy during the Apartheid era to become a noted example for international development. During your company visits, don’t forget to stop & smell the flowers. South Africa also has some of the most beautiful scenery & best wildlife viewing in the world.

Highlights

  • Johannesburg Tour – See where many of South Africa’s businesses got their start in old town, as well as the modern skyscrapers that house some of the world’s economic powerhouses.
  • Mining Industry Visits – South Africa is perhaps most well-known for its mining industry; visit with companies who have pioneered mining practices & learn about the political & economic implications of the industry.
  • Energy Industry Visits - With its many natural resources, South African is a hub for energy development; meet with representatives from the industry, for example, speak with executives from an international, integrated energy & chemicals company to learn how the company is able to capitalize on in-country growth opportunities to produce high-value product streams, like low-carbon electricity & liquid fuels
  • Hospitality Industry Visits – The strength of South Africa’s tourist sector has allowed for a booming hospitality industry; your group can schedule a visit with one the world’s largest brewers with over 200 brands & distribution agreements in 75 countries.

Itinerary

Day 1: Johannesburg

Arrive in Johannesburg, one of Africa’s largest & most dynamic cities. In addition to its being the gateway into Southern Africa, it is also the economic capital of the African continent. Over the next few days, you will be introduced to the city, its unique multi-cultural character & some of its most well-known sites. This evening, you will be transferred to your hotel for your overnight.

Day 2: Johannesburg

Get an early start this morning & head into the heart of Johannesburg for breakfast & your tour of the city of gold.  Though many big businesses have moved from the city’s old town, the historic buildings and their many stories remain. On the tour, you will see the iconic Brixton Tower, Newtown, the Constitutional Court, the Nelson Mandela Bridge, the Carlton Centre (the tallest building in Africa) & the Origins Centre. Before lunch, stop in the Neighbourhoods Market to browse the local foods & speciality goods. 
After lunch, visit Constitution Hill, home to the Old Fort Prison Complex & South Africa’s Constitutional Court. Learn about the penitentiary complex’s role in apartheid as well as the stories of some of the many prominent freedom fighters who were imprisoned here, included Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.  For dinner, you will head to Moyo Restaurant Melrose Arch, where modern sophistication meets African tradition. Enjoy tunes from the Wishy-Washy ladies, face painting & hand-washing ceremonies. The menu offers cuisine from across the continent.  Return to your hotel for your overnight.

Day 3: Johannesburg - Soweto - Johannesburg

Following breakfast, you will embark on a tour of the nearby township of Soweto. Among the tour’s highlights are a stop at Nelson Mandela’s former home & the Hector Pieterson museum, a homage to Hector, one of the school children shot in the Soweto Uprising of 1976. You will experience Soweto culture, meet its residents, try local foods, or perhaps even an Omgombothi, a traditional beer. This tour is truly one-of-a-kind & a wonderful way to see life in a South African township.

Day 4: Johannesburg

After breakfast, get a first-hand look at one of Johannesburg’s largest historic industries, mining. This tour is a sort of “living museum,” as guests participate in a gold pouring exhibition, try their hand the miners’ gumboot dance & even travel down a real mineshaft. The learning continues as you make your way to the Apartheid Museum, world-renowned for capturing the apartheid experience in 20th century South Africa. The museum holds 22 individual exhibitions, each carefully put together by curators, historians, filmmakers, & designers, all of which tell an emotional story of a systemic discrimination & the struggle for freedom. 
Following lunch (under own arrangements), visit some of the international economic powerhouses that call South Africa home.

Day 5: Johannesburg - Cape Town

Following breakfast, set out for the day’s company visits. Meet with representatives & executives from some of the world’s most powerful economic companies. After two company stops, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Cape Town, one of the world’s most beautiful cities.   
Cape Town is popular for its unique culture, relaxed lifestyle, captivating history & scenic beauty.  Upon arrival into Cape Town, transfer to your hotel.

Day 6: Cape Town

Following breakfast, you will cruise to Robben Island to see where Nelson Mandela served 18 of his 27 years of imprisonment. Then, visit the most iconic feature of the Cape Town skyline, Table Mountain. 
Enjoy lunch under your own arrangements before heading to your first Cape Town company visit.

Day 7: Cape Town

After breakfast, you will set out for a day of company visits. After your first stop, enjoy a group lunch, before heading to meet with executives from another Cape Town economic champion.

Day 8: Cape Town

This morning, after breakfast, head to another company visit. Lunch will be under own arrangements, then the remainder of the afternoon is for you to enjoy. Reconvene for a group dinner at the Gold Restaurant, a unique, Pan-African culinary & cultural experience. Feast with friends while taking in live entertainment. You can even join in the on the drum circle.

Day 9: Cape Town

Following breakfast, you will have some free time for exploring & any last minute souvenir shopping. Then, lunch under own arrangements before you are transferred to the airport for your return flight home.