South Africa is still the continent’s premier place to do business – and Cape Town stands out as the city of choice for start-ups and larger companies alike. The city’s unique blend of scenic beauty, an enabling business environment and access to the best talent and infrastructure in Africa make it a compelling choice for any office-based business and company looking to establish or expand its presence in South Africa and beyond.
Despite the huge challenges that came with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mother City has been very resilient and as the economy reopens there are excellent signs of recovery in the commercial property sector.
If 2021 is set to be the year when we go back to business as usual, Cape Town is the ideal city to be in.
This article will take a closer look at some of the factors that make Cape Town such a unique and office-based business-friendly destination.
Beautiful surrounds that mean business
When it comes to natural beauty and desirability, Cape Town needs no introduction. The city’s magnificent views, sparkling ocean and mix of historical and ultra-modern architecture combine to produce a beautiful and compelling place to live and work.
Cape Town has won numerous tourism awards over the years – but the Mother City’s business appeal goes way beyond scenic views and beautiful beaches.
- The city matches beauty with brains. Cape Town is home to several world-class universities that produce thousands of skilled workers every year.
- Business infrastructure in Cape Town is some of the best in Africa and compares favourably to developed countries.
- High-speed internet, well-maintained roads and public transportation, and a variety of business support services in almost every part of the city enable business to be done efficiently.
- There is a wide variety of modern and desirable commercial property to choose from, making it easy to set up business premises in Cape Town.
- A stable and bright future. Cape Town has proven itself to be resilient in tough times while focusing on long-term growth and development as major priorities.
Despite the recent challenges of COVID, Day Zero and the usual ups and downs of South African politics, the city is future-focused and offers a stable place for any commercial enterprise to set up with confidence.
If you’re thinking of relocating your business to Cape Town, here’s a look at several powerful reasons why the Mother City is the ideal place to be.
Native English-speaking Professionals
South Africa is an English-speaking country where almost every university graduate has received 15 years or more of quality English education. For global companies looking to relocate or base their Africa operations in Cape Town, this factor represents a substantial competitive advantage.
Communication between global management and local managers and staff, business outsourcing opportunities in the call centre and technical support industries, and the ease of everyday living for ex-pat employees working at the Cape Town office are just some of the advantages that a foreign business could enjoy by being based in Cape Town.
- While most native English-speaking countries like the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada fall into the high income, high wage category, South Africa offers access to native English speaking educated professionals at salary levels usually associated with developing nations where English is not widely spoken.
- The relative affordability of staffing up a Cape Town office, along with the ease of communication provided by native English speakers, is a serious opportunity for cost reduction where global firms are concerned.
A highly skilled workforce
Educated workers are the backbone of the knowledge economy – and Cape Town scores extremely well when it comes to having an abundance of skilled professionals.
- The city is home to two internationally recognized universities (UCT and UWC) as well as an excellent Technicon and numerous other tertiary education institutions. These centres of excellence produce thousands of skilled professionals every year, making the city an ideal source of talent for any business.
- A competitive workforce needs to have skills that are not only relevant today but also in the future. If your business is looking for IT, big data and related skills sets, you’ll find them in abundance in the Mother City.
Prime office-based business space for thriving companies
From smaller-scale start-ups to corporate headquarters there’s a commercial property in Cape Town to suit every company’s needs and budget.
- The CBD, Foreshore, and the northern and southern suburbs (especially Century City) are home to newly built and renovated office buildings that provide cutting edge design, excellent security, and digital services in line with the expectations of global companies.
- The abundance of desirable office space along with all the positive aspects of living and working in Cape Town combine to produce a very optimistic scenario for the city in the post-Covid era
Cape Town commercial property ready to bounce back
After a once in a lifetime pandemic and a rapid shift toward work from home arrangements, businesses are starting to return to their commercial premises – and the Cape Town CBD is already ahead of the curve.
- As the COVID-19 lockdowns took their toll in 2020, landlords in the CBD turned to flexible leases and other methods of retaining tenants for the long term.
- With many corporates growing weary of remote working, the good faith demonstrated by building owners could translate into excellent occupancy rates in 2021 and beyond.
Early signs of this trend can be seen in occupancy rates of newly built developments marketed almost entirely during the pandemic.
- 35 on Lower Long opened its doors to tenants during South Africa’s first major lockdown.
- The development is currently reporting 50% occupancy – and this figure is likely to increase substantially as the economy returns to normal.
While it may be too soon to say that business is booming in the Cape Town commercial property sector, there are very real and measurable signs of success in the city.
The attractiveness of South Africa to both local and foreign companies will only help to strengthen this encouraging trend in the months and years to come.
Partner with us to relocate your business to Cape Town
With so much to offer to innovative companies of all sizes, Cape Town may already be high on your list of locations for your next business premises.
The Commercial Space team is made up of area specialists with in-depth knowledge of the city and the full range of commercial properties available throughout the Cape Peninsula.
Contact us today to discuss your specific requirements and view our portfolio of premium office space in Cape Town.
