For global investors assessing Africa, the investment conversation has shifted decisively. The question is no longer whether opportunity exists on the continent, but where execution is already taking place.

Across Africa, many cities continue to position themselves as future hubs, highlighting potential, demographics and long-term ambition. Fewer, however, can demonstrate what investors now prioritise above all else: functioning infrastructure, embedded industrial capacity, coordinated public-private delivery and a proven ability to support reinvestment at scale. In an increasingly competitive and risk-aware global environment, capital is gravitating towards places that work.

This shift is not ideological. It is practical
Global businesses are operating in a world defined by supply-chain recalibration, geopolitical uncertainty and tighter capital discipline. As a result, tolerance for friction has fallen sharply. Delays, regulatory uncertainty and fragmented stakeholder engagement are no longer viewed as transitional challenges but as material risks. Cities that fail to reduce complexity are increasingly bypassed in favour of those that offer clarity, speed and reliability.

Infrastructure and coordination
Historically, Africa’s investment narrative has been anchored in logistics, manufacturing and resource-linked growth. These fundamentals remain central, particularly as global firms seek to diversify supply chains and access new markets. What has changed is the premium placed on coordination.

Ports, corridors and industrial zones are essential assets, but they are not differentiators on their own. What separates leading investment destinations today is the ecosystem around them: aftercare mechanisms, municipal responsiveness, regulatory alignment and the ability to move projects from approval to operation without unnecessary friction.

Investors increasingly assess cities not just on what they offer, but on how they function. Can utilities be connected efficiently? Are permitting processes predictable? Is there a clear line of accountability once an investment lands? These factors now sit alongside cost, location and market access in board-level decision-making.

Southern Africa advantage
Southern Africa occupies a distinct position within this evolving landscape. It combines proximity to global shipping routes with established industrial bases, mature financial systems and improving logistics corridors. For international firms serving Europe, the Middle East and parts of Asia, time-zone alignment and operational overlap further strengthen the region’s appeal.

Home to Africa’s busiest container port, Durban has long been embedded in regional and international trade flows. Its manufacturing base spans automotive, chemicals, processing and consumer goods, supported by deep supplier networks and a skilled industrial workforce. Crucially, these assets are reinforced by improving inland connectivity and logistics corridors that link the city to South Africa’s economic heartland and beyond.

Reinvestment and aftercare
One of the clearest indicators of a successful investment destination is not the volume of new project announcements, but the rate of reinvestment. Companies that expand existing operations, upgrade facilities and deepen supply chains offer a far more meaningful signal of confidence than first-time entries alone.

Durban’s recent track record reflects this reality. Global manufacturers choosing to reinvest point to a city capable of supporting complex operations over the long term, not merely facilitating initial setup. This is where aftercare moves from being a courtesy to a strategic asset.

Effective aftercare ensures that investors are supported beyond establishment, with ongoing engagement across infrastructure, skills development and regulatory coordination. It also strengthens local value chains, enabling domestic suppliers and service providers to integrate into global operations.

Services as support
Alongside its industrial and logistics strengths, Durban’s services economy is developing in a complementary role. Shared services, contact centres and other services-enabled activities are emerging not as replacements for manufacturing, but as supporting layers that enhance operational resilience.

For investors, this matters. Access to services capabilities allows regional management functions, customer support and administrative operations to be integrated alongside industrial activity. It also supports employment diversification and skills development without diluting the city’s industrial core.

Importantly, services-led activity in Durban is anchored to real demand generated by logistics, manufacturing and trade, rather than speculative positioning. This integration strengthens the overall investment proposition rather than fragmenting it.

Built for execution
What increasingly distinguishes leading investment destinations is the alignment of policy, infrastructure and delivery. Municipal reliability, climate resilience and consistent service standards now play a direct role in investor confidence.

Durban’s focus on coordinated delivery across transport, utilities, energy and urban management reflects an understanding of this reality. Public-private collaboration is no longer optional; it is fundamental to maintaining competitiveness in a global market where investors can and will compare cities across continents.

Why it matters
As global capital becomes more selective, Africa’s next phase of investment will favour cities that offer execution rather than aspiration. Cities that can demonstrate readiness, resilience and reinvestment will attract long-term partners, not transient projects.

Durban’s story sits firmly within this shift. It is a city defined by delivery, coordination and embedded capability, rather than promise alone.

In the interview that follows, Russell Curtis, CEO of Invest Durban, outlines how the city is translating these advantages into tangible investor outcomes, from logistics and manufacturing to aftercare and reinvestment. His insights offer a practical view into why Durban is increasingly regarded not just as a gateway to Africa, but as a place where global business can execute with confidence.