Wesgro’s role
For more than 30 years, Wesgro has been the champion for economic opportunities on behalf of the City of Cape Town, the Western Cape government and the Cape’s private sector, facilitating economic growth and job creation.
Wesgro’s services to investors include investment recruitment and promotion, business facilitation, aftercare and advocacy. The agency’s Investment Promotion Unit attracts direct investment by positioning Wesgro as the first port of call for potential and existing investors by providing essential knowledge, access and expertise.
Sector-specific relationship managers proactively recruit investors, while the unit’s Business Growth Services division provides dedicated support to businesses already established in the Western Cape.
The unit fosters potential investment by using intelligence generated by the Research team to provide the leads for engaging with foreign embassies, consulates, high commissions and chambers of commerce – locally and abroad.
The unit also operates as a strategic bridge between the government and the private sector, by fostering key relationships with private-sector entities – including financial institutions, professional service providers, policy experts and sector associations – to assist inbound investors in accelerating the investment process.
What does Wesgro do as an investment promotion agency?
We help businesses explore economic opportunities
Wesgro’s Investment Promotion Unit is at the forefront of proactively recruiting investments into the Western Cape and Cape Town. Our team of experts provides guidance and support, and we are also partners of the InvestSA One Stop Shop, a national partner initiative that will assist with anything from visas to tax compliance for foreign investors. Bringing your business to the province? Chat to our Investment Unit to get things started.
We campaign for easy and convenient air travel routes
We don’t just provide assistance to businesses locating to Cape Town and the Western Cape – we also strive to make access to the city easy and convenient for all. Wesgro’s Air Access team is constantly looking for ways to improve air connectivity between Cape Town International Airport and destinations across Africa, Europe and Asia. These routes allow businesses to easily service projects in various parts of the globe, while facilitating easy connection to Cape Town.
We help businesses export goods from Cape Town
Connectivity to the region is enhanced by Cape Town’s well-developed container port and another port just north of the city, allowing for goods to be exported to destinations around the world. Our practical know-how on how to get goods to market, particularly within Africa, is world-class. Simply talk to our Trade team to learn more bringing goods into, or taking them out of, the country.
We assist film and media crews
The Western Cape is a highly sought-after destination for filming. Major international and local productions are drawn by the varied locations, scenery, and high-quality services and studios. We assist with production in the province, including regulation guidance and finding co-production parties. Talk to our Film and Media team if you’re looking for an incredible camera-ready destination.Our programmes
Business retention and expansion
Wesgro’s Business Growth Services portfolio has stimulated projects worth more than an estimated R3-billion since it was established. The programme offers strategic aftercare support to locally prominent investors to ensure they have what is needed to fulfil their business potential. Our Business Growth Services contribute significantly to economic success in the region.Incentive schemes
The South African government, Western Cape government and the City of Cape Town have established various sector-focused incentive schemes and tax rebates designed to stimulate economic activity on a national, provincial and local level.Facilitation services
The Western Cape is uniquely positioned as a gateway to the African continent. Working closely with the Wesgro Research Unit, Wesgro’s Investment Promotion Unit focuses on attracting investment, promoting the region as an investment destination, and supporting businesses in maintaining and expanding their business operations through facilitation services.Incentives
The Western Cape and service nodes such as Cape Town and George have developed a number of incentives specific to delineated locations that are mainly geared towards industry support and investor attraction.
The South African government, Western Cape government and the City of Cape Town have also established various sector-focused incentive schemes and tax rebates designed to stimulate economic activity on a national, provincial and local level. Some of these incentives are listed in the document attached below this section, but note this is not exhaustive.
The national government has the following incentive focus areas:
Concept and research-and-development incentives: These are incentives available to private-sector enterprises that invest in the creation, design and improvement of new products and processes. Such businesses conduct investigative activities with the intention of making a discovery that can either lead to the development of such new products and processes or to the improvement of existing products.
Capital expenditure incentives: These are incentives for companies that want to acquire or upgrade assets in order to either establish or expand the business’s productive capacity.
Competitiveness enhancement incentives: These are for investments that facilitate increased competitiveness, sustainable economic growth and development in a specific sector.
Industry-specific incentives: These include incentives for the following industries: general manufacturing, automotive, aquaculture, business-process services, textiles, film and television, tourism, and others.
Wesgo’s Research unit has developed an overview of incentives currently available to investors, which can be downloaded below by clicking the Key programmes and Incentives document below.
Incentives funds can be closed or changed at any point without prior notice, and thus Wesgro recommends contacting the Investment Promotion unit for further guidance regarding investment incentives.
