Reports abound of more and more South African companies doing business in Africa, but why are they not investing that money locally, are there challenges to making development work locally? Looking back over the last few quarters some disturbing stories have emerged.

The International Monetary Fund predicts sub-Saharan Africa growing at 5.4 percent this year compared to 1.4 percent for developed economies.

Broll Property Group, based in the affluent Johannesburg suburb of Sandton and an affiliate of Los Angeles, CA-based CBRE, today has one of the largest commercial real estate management portfolios on the continent of Africa - 65 million square feet (six million square meters) in 15 countries.

Significant growth opportunities predicted for the African continent by 2020. In fact with a rapidly increasing population, sharp rise in cost of living and an increased need for employment, migration from rural to urban areas has intensified considerably.

The outlook for the hotel industry in Sub-Saharan Africa looks increasingly positive, with potential growth of 7-15 percent in RevPAR (revenue per available room) expected for 2012 compared with 2011 - which augurs well for the future of the industry in the region, said Joop Demes, CEO of Pam Golding Hospitality, a member of the Pam Golding Property group

In a busy period Hyprop advanced its strategy of growing its asset base with the approval of the Rosebank Mall redevelopment and by expansion into Africa through an investment in Atterbury Africa

A recent FNB Property Barometer Survey of Estate Agents from John Loos reports a sign of improved confidence in the African economy, with an estimated 20% of foreign investment into SA real estate coming from Africa

The property world and business environment is changing in tandem with macro global forces and micro market nuances. This is just one of a number of themes that eProp picked up at the IPD conference in Cape Town South Africa over 18-19 July 2012.

West property, Augur Investments and McCormick Property Development, are dreaming of building a 68, 000sqm Shopping Mall in Zimbabwe located in Harare’s up market Borrowdale suburb. According to The Zimbabwean online (UK), this represents the biggest shopping mall in Africa, outside South Africa. The tri-partite investment partners say they used their 'gut feelings' and ocal knowledge in deciding to sink their money into Zimbabwe. That's pretty gutsy indeed!

Woolworths which shares details of how local South African suppliers that form part of the company's enterprise development (ED) programme are benefitting from the company's expansion into Africa. One family-owned business in particular, Stuart's Joinery, has been appointed as the preferred shopfitting supplier for Woolworths' African stores. In addition, they are a strong case study of how enterprise development programmes benefit retail supply chains in the long-run