Ramaphosa opens R2bn Club Med in Ballito as arrivals reach 6,5 million

More than R2 billion has been invested in South Africa’s first Club Med resort, which opened in Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal, on Thursday, and the project has created 600 permanent direct jobs.

President Cyril Ramaphosa described the development as the largest hospitality investment in South Africa and in the Southern African Development Community since Sun City opened in the 1970s. Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille delivered the President’s address on his behalf at the official opening.

“This mega-development is a vote of confidence in South African enterprise, in the capabilities of our people and in the future of our tourism industry,” the President said.

The resort is South African-funded and backed by an investment consortium committed to advancing broad-based black economic empowerment, according to the address.

The jobs on the ground

During construction, more than 2 300 direct and indirect jobs were created. The resort now carries 600 permanent direct jobs, and a further 1 500 indirect jobs are being supported across local suppliers and related industries.

Eighty four percent of employees at the Beach Resort are South Africans. At the Vikela Safari Lodge, every employee comes from the surrounding communities.

The President acknowledged the construction workers, artisans and contractors who built the resort, saying the experience gained on a project of this scale would serve them on future work. He said the employees now working at the resort would shape how visitors remember the country. “Their professionalism and hospitality will help shape how they remember our country,” he said.

Tourism arrivals are already climbing

International tourist arrivals between January and July 2026 reached 6,5 million, growth of 12,4 percent compared with the same period last year.

“The opening of this new jewel in the North Coast comes at the right time as the tourist industry is getting ready to welcome guests for the festive season,” the President said.

He said the resort’s operations would create opportunities for small, micro and medium enterprises through demand for fresh produce, maintenance, transport and other services, and welcomed Club Med’s work with local businesses. Local procurement, fair access to supplier opportunities and partnerships with smaller tourism operators would help spread the benefit of the investment, he said.

“That is how tourism investment can contribute to the prosperity of a nation,” he said.

What government says it owes the deal

The President set out the terms of the partnership in his address. Government, he said, has a responsibility to create the conditions that let investments succeed, through reliable infrastructure, responsive public services, efficient administration and safe communities. Business has a responsibility to invest for the long term, develop its workforce and build relationships with the communities around it.

“When these responsibilities come together, public and private partnership becomes something people can see in their daily lives,” he said.

He also tied the resort’s future to the environment that draws visitors in the first place. Responsible use of water and energy, less waste and care for the surrounding environment must remain part of the everyday work of tourism, he said.

The President thanked Club Med and its partners for the investment and addressed international guests directly. “To our international guests, welcome. Enjoy this resort and take time to discover the people, places and stories beyond it,” he said.

The resort is now trading in Ballito, ahead of the festive season.

Source: SAnews (South African Government News Agency), President Ramaphosa welcomes R2bn Club Med investment, https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/president-ramaphosa-welcomes-r2bn-club-med-investment