Improving the local business environment of Johannesburg

Figures & data

Figure 1: Major findings concerning constraints to investment in Johannesburg as identified by large manufacturing firms

Table 1: Johannesburg investment survey: Disadvantages of the city as a business location

Issue	Number of responses
Crime, safety and security	46
Condition of roads	31
Traffic congestion	28
High transport costs for goods	17
None	13
Costly city	11
Electricity supplies	7
Poor rail system	6
Local bureaucracy	6
Unpleasant environment of the city	5
Corruption	4
Stressful city	4
Lack of/cost of warehousing space	4
Closed living communities	3
Poor public transport	3
City is run on money	2
Dirty	2
Lack of manufacturing space	2
Others	10
Source: Authors' survey.
Note: Some interviewees gave more than one response.

Table 2: Johannesburg investment survey: Suggested ways the municipality could improve the business environment

Suggested action	Number of responses
Improve road infrastructure/reduce congestion	35
Improve safety and security	32
Improve infrastructure as a whole	13
Improve public transport	9
Improve inter-city transport/reduce costs	9
Improve cleanliness	8
Improve rail system	8
Incentives	7
Address power uncertainties	5
Improve police force	5
Improve labour skills	5
Improve staff in local government	4
Reduce poverty	2
Reduce corruption	2
Improve conditions for importing (freight)	2
Get rid of BEE conditions	2
Just do your job properly	2
Stabilise political situation	1
Improve telecommunications	1
Speed up environmental impact assessments	1
Improve regulation	1
Increase space for warehousing	1
Improve data access and availability	1
Improve work ethic of labour	1
Fast-track customs clearance	1
Source: Authors' survey.
Note: Some interviewees gave more than one response.

Chandra , V , Moorty , L , Rajaratnam , B and Schaefer , K . 2001a . “ Constraints to growth and employment in South Africa: Report No. 1: Statistics from the large manufacturing firm survey ” . In Informal Discussion Papers on Aspects of the South African Economy No. 14 , Washington, DC : World Bank Southern Africa Department .

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