GP govt secures over R320bn from Gauteng Investment Conference
JOHANNESBURG - The Gauteng government said it has secured more than R320 billion from the recent Gauteng Investment Conference.
In April, the provincial administration hosted international delegates to attract investment to Gauteng.
The funds are intended to support job creation and boost development within the province.
At a media briefing on Thursday, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi assured the public that the government would ensure the funds are used effectively.
'We managed to raise R320 billion from companies that cut across our continent, but a majority of them come from our BRICS nations, and we really welcome these commitments.
'We are now starting to convert these pledges into tangible job opportunities, and you will see that Gauteng will be turned into a construction site. We want to thank these institutions for believing in our vision.'
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Basic and higher education institutions remain dangerously misaligned with industry needs, forcing companies to either import foreign talent or lose ground technologically. Surely, without urgent curriculum reforms, expanded technical training, credible and competent deployees at our SETA's and public-private partnerships to bridge the AI skills revolution, South Africa faces a crisis of monumental structural unemployment. Systemic failures in education, skills development, and economic policy would leave millions permanently excluded from meaningful participation in the modern workforce. Especially young people who are already unemployed and unemployable. The latest reports from Goldman Sachs predict that: 'AI could displace 300 million jobs globally by 2030, while McKinsey warns that 375 million workers worldwide will need to switch careers entirely due to automation.' These staggering figures take on terrifying significance, as Paul Colmer, starkly warned in his recent TechCentral article (2 June 2025): 'The question isn't whether AI will transform our world, it's whether we will build the infrastructure and social frameworks necessary to navigate this transformation successfully.' Facing similar challenges of youth unemployment and inequality, India has engineered one of the most remarkable transformations in modern education history. As we submit this report to your committee, there is currently a Global Scramble for Indian AI Talent. Microsoft has just announced its plans to invest over $3 billion in India as it affirms it's interest to acquire Indian Tech and talent. The critical importance of India's AI strategy becomes evident when examining how global tech giants are competing for Indian engineering talent. A January 2025 investigation by 'The Ken', a respected Asian tech business analysis publication, titled 'Microsoft targets Nvidia's AI-chip empire with an army of Indian engineers', revealed how Microsoft is recruiting entire teams of Indian AI engineers from companies like Nvidia to build competitive AI chip architectures. This mirrors similar talent raids by Google, Amazon, and Meta, who have collectively hired over 15 000 Indian AI specialists in the past three years alone. For perspective, Nvidia stands as the preeminent global supplier of advanced processing units specifically engineered for artificial intelligence applications across industries. At the same time, the Top 500 Fin/tech Fortune companies are spearheaded by Indians. This global demand underscores a painful paradox for South Africa: our own tech sector remains critically dependent on Indian expertise, while the country is failing to develop homegrown talent. The Indian government has, however, moved decisively to counter its own brain drain. Through initiatives like the $1 billion IndiaAI Mission and tax incentives for returning diaspora experts, India is transforming from being the world's tech back office to becoming a self-sufficient AI innovator. Where Indian engineers once powered America's Silicon Valley's growth, they now develop cutting-edge AI solutions for India's economy in India. Under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, the country is projected to produce over 1 million AI professionals by 2026 through: Complete overhaul of technical education at the Indian Institutes of Technology According to a report by Gartner, the year 2025 will see 2 million new jobs generated by AI and Machine learning in India A joint study conducted by Microsoft and the Internet and Mobile Association of India revealed that India's AI market is expected to witness a growth of 20% over the next five years, the second fastest rate globally behind only China. The 'FutureSkills Prime' platform to reskill over 50% of the Indian professional workforce annually. 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No Permanent Friends nor Foes in Global Politics
Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as they leave after holding a trilateral meeting, which included the French President, as part of the Chinese president's two-day state visit, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on May 6, 2024. The idea of the world changing has become a habit, year-on-year, that statement provides no new information. Nonetheless, this opinion points out that what is happening [with strong support] is that global relationships are changing–old friends have become foes and new friends have been foes. This particular change rings true for the US and elsewhere. It also provides hope for ongoing disagreements, conflicts and war. Looking at tariffs, China has seen some of the highest rates against it by any country, in the form of Trump's Liberation day tariffs. Since 14 May, both the United States and China have agreed to suspend 90% of their Liberation Day tariffs for a period of 90 days and have withdrawn several other retaliatory duties. As a result, tariffs imposed by the US on Chinese goods dropped to 30%, while China will reduce its tariffs on American products to 10%. Although this does not signify a friendship, it does signal a willingness to reconvene on measures through communication. It indicates that the relationship between China and the US were at its worst when the US announced the Liberation Day tariffs (145%) against China. China and the European Union have traditionally maintained stable relations, with minimal conflict over core interests and strong economic and cultural ties. By 2022, China had become the EU's top import source and third-largest export destination, with bilateral trade surpassing €856 billion. European firms like Siemens, Airbus, and BMW are heavily invested in the Chinese market, fostering collaboration in technology and industry. However, mounting political pressure from the United States has disrupted this trajectory, prompting the EU to impose curbs on Chinese tech companies, scrutinise investments, and restrict academic exchanges—moves driven more by external influence than inherent discord. Amid Donald Trump's renewed political presence and his assertive 'America First' stance, the EU is increasingly recognising the value of strategic autonomy, pushing for a more balanced foreign policy and a reimagined, independent engagement with China. BRICS has played a fundamental role in relationship-building, particularly amongst those members of the global south. In fact, the beginning of this year saw Indonesia join as an official member of BRICS and official partners: Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan. These relationships entail economic, social, political, and environmental engagement fostering a commitment to shared development. The grouping is instrumental regarding the strong relationships between–China-Russia, China-South Africa, South Africa-Brazil. The grouping reinforces the autonomy of its members and partners often creating a revived awareness of previous or current relations that are or were exploitative and infringes national autonomy. On the point of relations there exists wars and conflicts that seem very permanent with no resolution in sight. The Russia-Ukraine conflict has seen devastations that killed many. Many countries are attempting to find a solution to the situation, for example, China, the EU, and South Africa. Putin and Trump's relationship appears strained by recent reports, as Trump attempts to have Ukraine & Russia come to a consensus, his efforts have seemingly rendered itself meaningless. The Israel-Palestine conflict is one that has perpetuated for many years since 1948 when Israel became a sovereign state. This conflict puts to task the notion that there are no permanent enemies. It has no real time when it will stop, even with external efforts to alleviate the issues. The US has positioned itself as an ardent supporter of Israel and other nations, like South Africa, are bastions for the cause of the Palestinian people. It is thus unsurprising that the US, under Trump, has accused South Africa of a fictitious 'white genocide' as South Africa has taken Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for the genocide of the Palestinian people. There are, in fact, very real genocides (at cumulative recorded deaths) in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as examples. The principle that there are no permanent friends or foes in global politics is more visible in today's rapidly shifting geopolitical climate. Relationships once thought stable—like those between the US and the EU—are evolving under pressure, revealing both fragility and potential. While tariff wars and political tensions mark deep rifts, temporary pauses in hostility and renewed dialogue suggest that cooperation remains possible, even after periods of hostility. However, perpetual conflicts such as those in Ukraine and Palestine challenge this notion, raising critical questions about whether some enmities can truly end. Amid this complexity, BRICS and its expanding network offer hope for a more balanced, multipolar world—where nations from the Global South engage on more equal terms, are weary of external pressures, and reaffirm their sovereignty through strategic partnerships. In a world of fickle loyalties and enduring struggles, BRICS stands as a testament to the possibility of resilient and principled international cooperation. Written By: *Cole Jackson Lead Associate at BRICS+ Consulting Group Chinese & South American Specialist **The Views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of Independent Media or IOL.
