Chinese investment deepens its impact across SA’s key sectors
Chinese companies are making ever-greater inroads into South Africa, from the motoring industry to manufacturing, retail and various other sectors. As competition intensifies, these businesses are not only challenging established local players on price, but increasingly on scale, innovation and speed to market. 3Cube Property Solutions investigates where this growing Chinese influence is most visible.
New appliance manufacturer joins Hisense and Xiaomi in SA
As of 2 February 2026, Chinese multinational Haier has officially launched in South Africa. The brand’s global offering includes an array of appliances from fridges, washing machines and microwaves to smartphones and gaming PCs. South African consumers are already spoilt for choice in the appliance market, with brands ranging from Hisense on the affordable side of the spectrum to perceived luxury goods from Smeg.
The arrival of Haier adds a threat of new competition, which may lead existing businesses to re-evaluate their pricing, product range and innovation. Another potential impact is increased demand for industrial property, as the newcomer will need to invest in distribution and logistics channels in order to make an impact on the market.
Haier may be a newcomer to South Africa, but it boasts a remarkable global legacy, having been the world’s largest appliance manufacturer by retail volume for over 16 years. It’s also not entering the local market from scratch, having acquired the business that operates South Africa’s largest water heater manufacturing facility for around R2.45 billion in 2024.
In other news from the retail sphere, Alibaba, one of the world’s largest ecommerce companies, has expressed its intention to expand its footprint into Africa, with Durban having been earmarked as its strategic hub.
Increased competition for the construction industry
The construction industry is also of increasing interest to Chinese corporations, and West China Cement has set the ball in motion to acquire AfriSam, a leading supplier of construction materials in South Africa. As industrial demand is slowing down on the home front in China, companies are exploring international opportunities and expanding their global footprint. Business Insider reports that this strategic move aligns with South Africa’s infrastructure expansion drive, which is expected to increase the demand for cement.
This isn’t the first move from a Chinese company into South Africa’s construction industry: In 2024, Huaxin Cement paid about $1 billion for a controlling share in Lafarge Africa. The aforementioned West China Cement has also started developing cement plants in Uganda and Ethiopia.
From finance to mining
An article on Chinese investment in South Africa penned by Taung Gold provides examples of increased Chinese economic activity in South Africa across the board. The Junchuan Group and the China-Africa Development Fund have acquired a 45% stake in Wesizwe Platinum, and various other Chinese companies, including Zijin Mining, Minmetals, Jiquan Iron and Steel, East Asia Metals and Sino Steel also have ongoing operations in South Africa.
Arguably the biggest investment in South Africa’s financial services sector came from the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), which purchased a 20% stake in Standard Bank’s assets and earnings for $5.5 billion back in 2008.
An increasing presence in the motoring sector
Any drive on South African roads will quickly showcase the inroads that the Chinese motoring industry has made in South Africa, with the omnipresence of brands like Haval, Chery and Jetour. Over and above this, several Chinese automakers are conducting feasibility studies into establishing assembly operations in South Africa. The interest is driven by the government's expected revision of the Automotive Production and Development Programme, which could position the country as a strategic export hub to Europe.
Chinese investment in South Africa is no longer a peripheral trend. It’s a structural shift that’s reshaping multiple sectors of the economy, from appliances and ecommerce to construction and mining. While this influx is intensifying competition and pressurising established players, it is also stimulating innovation, infrastructure development and demand for industrial property. For insights on how your business can thrive in the right premises despite these pressures, get in touch with 3Cube Property Solutions.