Estate Living Magazine Invest SA - Issue 41 May 2019 | Page 39

D E V E L O P M E N T
&
I N V E S T M E N T
Despite there being a focus on recycling in South Africa, only about 10%
of waste is recycled. So, while we might turn our noses up at the waste
pickers going through the garbage on our verges, they fill a huge need,
not only in the collection of recyclable material and the alleviation of
pollution, but also in the easing of poverty and hunger. Many of these
people can fund schooling for their children through their waste picking
micro-enterprises.
Biodiversity
Whether your investment is in real estate, tourism or the business
sector, the conservation of South Africa’s biodiversity is crucial. With
over 100,000 known species of plant, animal and fungus, and according
to scientists an estimated 50,000 species that have not yet been
discovered and/or named, South Africa is a biodiversity hotspot on a
global scale. Consequently, developers of property, infrastructure and
industrial developments have to comply with strict laws requiring pre-
development assessment of the likely impact on natural and cultural
resources.
Bottom line
With vast tracts of undisturbed land and conservation areas on our
doorsteps, most South Africans are committed to conserving their
natural wealth – whether it be their own ‘little piece of Africa’, the nature
trail down the road, or something vast and of national importance like the
Kruger National Park.
So, with its first-world infrastructure, growing commitment to
environmental best practice and its incredible biodiversity, where else
offers investment opportunities under such clear and sunny skies?
N
Tessa Buhrmann