Johannesburg, South Africa, October 11, 2018 --(PR.com)-- The opening session of the African Real Estate & Infrastructure Summit in Sandton this week will feature keynote addresses by Mr Muzi Mathema, the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency�s Acting Group Executive: Trade, Investment and Regulatory Enablement, as well as the CEO of the Gauteng Industrial Development Zone, Mrs Seipati Mangadi.

The opportunities and challenges in the South African property sector, from commercial to residential, will be in focus at the summit that returns to Sandton from Thursday, 11 October. Some 200 property professionals are expected to attend this award-winning real estate event, including Johannesburg�s Executive Mayor, Herman Mashaba.

The Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA) is the headline sponsor for the African Real Estate & Infrastructure Summit with the Gauteng Industrial Development Zone (GIDZ), a subsidiary company of the GGDA, also represented and speaking at the event.

The conference theme is: �Examining the commercial, industrial and residential development landscape in South Africa�, and programme highlights include:

Day 1 � Thursday, 11 October 2018:

09:00-09:30
Opening Keynote: Investing in South Africa: How African capital cities are leading the way
- Muzi Mathema, Acting Group Executive: Trade, Investment and Regulatory Enablement at Gauteng Growth and Development Agency

At the GGDA, Mr Mathema is successfully leading the division responsible for promoting trade and exports in and out of the Gauteng Province, as well as the facilitation of both Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Domestic Direct Investment (DDI) into the Gauteng Province. The function serves to drive economic growth and job creation, through value added facilitation of targeted investment in strategic sectors and delivering trade linkages globally. Additionally, through engagements with public sector stakeholders, potential investors, entrepreneurs, inward and outward trade missions, he is tasked to strategically position the Gauteng Province as a Globally Competitive City Region (GCR).

09:30-10:00
IDZs: Stimulating Struggling Economies: Expansion and development of the country�s industrial development zones: What are the opportunities?
- Seipati Mangadi, CEO of Gauteng Industrial Development Zone

�The IDZ initiative will go a long way in attracting investment and contributing to lowering unemployment,� according to Ms Mangadi, �however, it should not be seen in separation to other endeavours to make South Africa an attractive destination in which to invest.�

She continues: �Success lies in working in close cooperation with all stakeholders tasked with marketing South Africa�s investment opportunities. At any given time, there are delegations visiting the globe in efforts to attract investment. However, there could be more cooperation, comparing notes, sharing ideas and ensuring that there is synergy. South Africa needs to sell itself as one investment destination as opposed to competing provinces and SEZs. The launch of Invest SA as a one stop shop is aimed at addressing the current challenges.�

Day 2 � Friday, 12 October 2018:

09h30 - 10h00
Keynote: Residential Inner City Rejuvenation: How is the City of Johannesburg looking to stimulate private sector investment to raise its R20bn towards redevelop into affordable housing?
- Herman Mashaba, Executive Mayor, City of Johannesburg

Full interviews with several of the event�s expert speakers and partners can be found on the event website.

Property Buyer Show
During the same week as the African Real Estate & Infrastructure Summit, the award-winning Property Buyer Show also returns to Gauteng from 12-14 October at the Sandton International Convention Centre. The Property Buyer Show is a unique, proven format exhibition aimed at first-time residential property buyers or real estate investors and earlier this year won the AAXO ROAR Organiser and Exhibitor Award for the Best Consumer Exhibition 6000 sqm and under.

The African Real Estate & Infrastructure Summit was also voted Africa's best Confex (half conference, half exhibition) at the 2017 AAXO Roar Awards.

The summit and the Property Buyer Show are organised by the multi award-winning Spintelligent, well known for organising exhibitions and conferences across the continent in the infrastructure, energy, mining and agriculture sectors. Longstanding flagship events by Spintelligent include African Utility Week, Future Energy Nigeria (formerly WAPIC), Future Energy East Africa (formerly WAPIC), Agritech Expo Zambia, Kenya Mining Forum, Nigeria Mining Week, DRC Mining Week. Spintelligent is part of Clarion Events Ltd, based in the UK.

Dates and location:
African Real Estate & Infrastructure Summit: 11-12 October 2018
Property Buyer Show expo: 13-14 October 2018
Location: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa