By In an encouraging sign of fiscal discipline and operational resilience, the Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED) has secured an unqualified audit report for the 2025/26 financial year, maintaining its clean governance standards while significantly surpassing major trade and investment benchmarks.
Tabling the department’s Annual Report at the Provincial Legislature on Friday, Gauteng MEC for Economic Development, Agriculture and Rural Development, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, highlighted that the department achieved an overall 81% success rate across its Annual Performance Plan targets.
The performance was anchored by strong results across key entities, most notably the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ), which achieved 100% of its targets, and the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA), which delivered 95%. Concurrently, the Gauteng Tourism Authority (GTA) and Gauteng Enterprise Propeller (GEP) both hit 88%, while the Gauteng Gambling Board (GGB) achieved 78%.
Investment & Trade Surges
A standout feature of the financial year was the massive capital influx driven by the GGDA. The agency facilitated R38.46 billion in direct investment against an initial target of R28 billion—a 37% overachievement. This comprised R3.76 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) alongside R34.70 billion in domestic direct investment spanning the property, manufacturing, and rail sectors.
On international trade, performance was similarly robust. The department facilitated R11.50 billion in trade deals against a R5.3 billion target. The rail sector proved particularly decisive, accounting for R5.26 billion in trade across 20 regional and international markets, including Tanzania, DRC, Zambia, Kenya, Botswana, Namibia, and Australia.
Furthermore, building on the inaugural Gauteng Investment Conference held in April 2025—which generated R312.5 billion in total pledges—the GGDA successfully converted 30% of those commitments into active implementation projects within the year, translating into R88.94 billion in committed investment.
Township Economy & Regulatory Enforcement
Beyond macro-level investment, the department maintained a heavy focus on township economy transformation. Through the GEP and departmental programmes, R58 million in business loans was approved (with R42 million disbursed), alongside R13.3 million committed in grant funding and R2.2 million directed toward informal trader support.
Regulatory enforcement and consumer protection were also significantly scaled up:
- Liquor Oversight: Following recommendations from the Committee of Inquiry into Gauteng Liquor Board affairs, the board conducted 27,759 inspections across the province. This was bolstered by a partnership with Heineken under the Memeza Liquor Wardens Programme, deploying 100 wardens to hotspot areas. The board issued 598 liquor licenses while adopting a cautious stance to prevent township oversaturation.
- Consumer Protection: The Gauteng Office of Consumer Affairs recorded a 90% complaint resolution rate within 90 working days. It executed 280 compliance monitoring inspections via the Qondis’Ishishini Lakho campaign alongside Home Affairs and SARS, while training 167 MSMEs on consumer legislation.
MEC Ramokgopa attributed the performance to disciplined planning, resolute leadership, and effective oversight across the GDED group, establishing a stable foundation for sustainable job creation and inclusive growth in the Gauteng City Region.
