POLOKWANE – The sixth Limpopo Investment Conference, held at The Ranch Resort near Polokwane on October 15, has drawn R138.4b in investment pledges, Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba said in her closing remarks.

Pledges are commitments, not completed investment. Ramathuba said the province was now aiming for at least 30% of the pledged amount, about R41.5b, to be implemented within a single year, with milestones and regular monitoring.

“We must measure our success not by the value of investments announced, but by the projects that reach implementation, the businesses that grow and the jobs that are created for our people,” she said.

WATCH: “Our success will not be measured by the size of the pledges that have been made, but by the number of factories that are going to open post this conference,” says Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba at the Limpopo Investment Conference. https://t.co/KNVyHP3u3P

— Polokwane Observer (@PolokwaneObserv) October 19, 2026

Track record sets the bar

According to figures the Premier gave in September, R71.058b of the R452.38b pledged between 2021 and 2025 has translated into real investments, creating 23 968 jobs. That is roughly 16%, so the new target is almost double the rate achieved so far. These figures do not include this year’s R138.4b. The provincial government said last year’s conference ended with about R170b in pledges.

Ramathuba pointed to Bokoni Platinum Mines, which has returned to operations, saying it could grow employment to about 2 000 jobs by 2030.

WATCH: Businesses need reliable infrastructure and a government that engages with them to grow, says Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba at the Limpopo Investment Conference. https://t.co/IGX6TAcrAE

— Polokwane Observer (@PolokwaneObserv) October 19, 2026

The conference was held under the theme ‘From Pledges to Prosperity: Accelerating Limpopo’s Industrial Future’. The province had set a target of more than R120b in new commitments this year.

New centre targets investor bottlenecks

Deputy President Paul Mashatile delivered the keynote address and officiated at the launch of the InvestSA One Stop Shop Limpopo. The facility is meant to give investors access to government support services in one place, help them navigate regulatory processes and address bottlenecks that delay projects.

Mashatile said the aim was for government to become ‘an enabler of growth rather than a barrier to it’.

Local processing and skills in focus

He said South Africa’s prosperity could not rest on exporting raw materials alone and called for more minerals and farm produce to be processed locally. He also called for investment in skills and said the benefits of investment must reach township enterprises, small businesses, cooperatives and local suppliers, not only large corporations.

Turning to the local government elections in November, he said strong municipalities were essential for delivering services and attracting investment.