In a slumped world economy, it makes sense to get a share of a growing, developing market like Africa. After all, corporate profitability on the continent is higher than any other region. Challenging conditions and high risks are just part of what businesses adventuring there will face, however.

Increasingly, global and South African companies alike confront extreme competition from Chinese and Indian companies on the continent, also in the IT and telecommunications industries. If a South African company assumes it ‘deserves’ a piece of the action, it won’t be in the game for long.