South Africa has improved its position in the 2026 World Competitiveness Yearbook released by the Institute of Management Development, in collaboration with Productivity SA.

The country rose to 54th place out of 70 economies surveyed, compared to 64th in 2025.

Productivity SA says the improvement signals progress in several key areas of government efficiency, business confidence and infrastructure management, although significant structural challenges continue to weigh on the country’s competitiveness and economic performance.

Research, innovation and statistics executive manager at Productivity SA, Lalane Janse Van Rensburg says, “Just one or two things that came out in this attractiveness survey, is our cost competitiveness, the quality of our corporate governance, policy stability in the country, business-friendly environment, open and positive attitudes of South Africans, effective legal environment, and dynamism of the country. A skilled workforce, and you know we want to hear things like this as business investors as well, so that we know that we can invest in South Africa.”

South Africa climbs to 54th place out of 70 economies surveyed in the latest International Institute for Management Development World Competitiveness Rankings #sabcnews #TheWeekendView pic.twitter.com/FOrYtpbBXR

— SABC News Radio (@SABCNews_Radio) June 27, 2026

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