The SA Tomorrow Investor Conference kicked off today. It happens every year. I think it’s been happening since 2018 or so, so this year is its fourth time, and it has been positioned to boost international investor confidence in South Africa and also position South Africa as a prime investing destination. Valdene Reddy, the director of capital markets at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange joins us for a bit more detail.
So the 10th time this has been happening. Often when we talk about the number 10 in terms of South Africa’s history, it’s referred to in terms of the ‘lost decade’, from the 10 years that we are coming from, where we saw a marked slowdown in growth, a slump in business confidence and all other unfortunate economic indicators ticking higher, like unemployment and poverty.
You are right. A whole lot less turbulence, it would seem, is facing South Africa right now. We’re looking a lot less risky than other parts of the world. If you look to the left, you’ve got the Ukraine crisis there with Russia, and Europe and the UK still getting over the overhang of Brexit and what their new terms of trade look like. You’ve even got the US – the relationships with Asia and China that continue to remain strained.
Sure. Valdene, I see that it’s going to be a busy week of conferencing for you. You’re also attending the Moneyweb Better Investor Conference that’s starting tomorrow [Wednesday, 22 June]. Can you tell us a bit more about the role that you’ll be playing there?