A properly-structured South African company is a useful entity through which business can be conducted both in the country and internationally. The following information will help you decide whether to incorporate a company in South Africa.

International entrepreneurs are able to incorporate a company in South Africa with 100% ownership. A minimum of one shareholder and one director is required, and they may be the same person. The shareholder and director need not be resident in South Africa.

Investors who wish to incorporate a company in South Africa will be subject to corporate tax of 30%. In addition there is a secondary tax of 12.5% levied on South African resident companies on dividends declared. Capital gains tax is 15%.

Clients who wish to incorporate a company in South Africa can engage Healy Consultants to open a corporate bank account for the South African company. Healy Consultants works with internationally recognised banks such as HSBC, Standard Chartered and Citibank to provide corporate bank account services.

Clients wishing to incorporate a company in South Africa should note that the company suffers from a negative international perception, reflected in its 43rd place ranking in the 2007 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International, a global measure of corruption amongst public officials and politicians.

Investors planning to incorporate a company in South Africa and invest in South Africa can take advantage of a growing local economy.

Clients who incorporate a company in South Africa have access to double taxation agreements South Africa has signed with major trading nations, including Canada, France, Germany, India, Singapore, the UK and the US. For more information, refer to our Tax Planning in South Africa page.