Rationale for 'Investment Bill' is fast collapsing
The rationale for the so-called Promotion and Protection of Investment Bill is fast evaporating, as public hearings on the Bill proceed in the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry. The DA has argued that this Bill will not promote or protect investments at all, and in fact will act as a significant deterrent to future investment in South Africa. This view has been resoundingly confirmed by the representatives of the largest investors into South Africa.
The EU Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the American Chamber of Commerce in South Africa (AmCham), who together represent the overwhelming majority of foreign direct investment into South Africa, have both said that the Bill will lead to disinvestment out of South Africa. They have made it clear that the Bill, if it is passed, will make it much more difficult to attract new investment to our country.
The EU Chamber of Commerce and Industry represents a massive 77% of all inward FDI into South Africa, and the AmCham represents R278 billion worth of investment and 220 000 jobs.
If the EU and AmCham - which together represent the overwhelming majority of investment into South Africa - say the Bill will cause disinvestment, then the rationale for the Bill surely collapses.