SALIM ABU HANIFFA: Malaysia and SA as a blueprint for South-South  collaboration

When SA looks east, it often sees Beijing. Yet in the shadow of this towering presence lies an equally meaningful partnership: Malaysia. One of SA’s earliest Asian partners, Malaysia offers not only economic opportunity but a shared history and relationship that warrants attention.

The ties run deeper than trade — from solidarity in SA’s anti-apartheid struggle to today’s joint calls for justice in Palestine. Malaysia, with its strategic location, shared values and untapped economic potential, offers a compelling case for deeper engagement and renewed partnership.

Malaysia was among the first to invest in post-apartheid SA. Malaysian national oil and gas firm Petronas’ acquisition of Engen in the late 1990s signalled confidence when many global firms hesitated. Since then, Malaysian developers have left their mark in estates and tourism projects, and Malaysian companies such as Mr DIY and others have expanded to SA, recognising the value and opportunity that the region presents.

A relationship with untapped potential

Building on this deep sense of trust and shared purpose, there is immense unlocked opportunity in our economic relationship. At its height in 2012, bilateral trade surpassed $4bn. Today it stands at about $1.7bn (2025). This notable shift underscores the opportunity for renewed engagement and strategic collaboration.

Both countries bring unique strengths to the table: SA stands as Africa’s industrial powerhouse, while Malaysia serves as the Association of South East Asian Nations’ (Asean) dynamic gateway to the broader Asia-Pacific region.  

The complementarities between economies, ranging from manufacturing and energy to digital innovation and halal trade, create a strong foundation for revitalising trade flows.

South–South co-operation on the rise

The world is tilting towards South—South co-operation. Malaysia is Asean chair in 2025, shaping policy for a region of 700-million people with a combined GDP almost $4-trillion. Meanwhile, SA anchors the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu), both central to the continent’s integration and industrialisation agenda.

By linking Asean and the Southern African Development Community (Sadc), Malaysia and SA can catalyse a new kind of transcontinental South-South value chain, one that spans 2-billion people, connects diverse markets and fosters inclusive growth across continents. This is more than trade; it’s about building resilient supply networks, developing talent, sharing technology and co-investing in sustainable development.

Shared platforms: Brics and the G20

Malaysia’s recent entry as a Brics partner country and SA’s G20 presidency this year place both nations at the heart of global leadership efforts.  Whether fighting apartheid or standing against injustice, SA and Malaysia share a worldview that trade must rest on justice, equity and inclusivity.

The planned state visits — President Cyril Ramaphosa to Malaysia in October 2025, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to SA during the G20 summit in Johannesburg in November — offer a chance to rekindle the partnership.

The engagements present an opportunity for both nations to reaffirm trade facilitation commitments; launch sectoral initiatives in halal trade, renewable energy, digital services and agritech; and align AfCFTA and Asean strategies for cross-regional supply chains.

Reimagining the partnership

SA cannot afford to see Malaysia as just another trading partner. It is a South—South ally with a record of solidarity, shared values, and a shared vision for equitable global growth. As global protectionism rises, SA and Malaysia can chart a different course: a future built on the strength of the global majority, across Brics partnerships, inter-African trade under AfCFTA and Asean linkages.

Re-igniting this relationship could turn solidarity and moral bonds into economic strength, blunting the force of geopolitical tensions and macroeconomic headwinds through resilient South—South value chains. At present, Asean’s engagement with Africa remains fragmented and primarily driven by its largest economies. Connectivity gaps, limited diplomatic representations and a lack of knowledge further hinder the deepening of relations.

Ubuntu as an economic philosophy

Now is the time to reimagine this partnership — not as a relic of the past, but as a blueprint for the future of South-South collaboration. Guided by the philosophy of ubuntu, the Global South must embody this ethos of shared responsibility: to and for each other, in recognition that the need is mutual.

From apartheid to Palestine, our solidarity has always been moral. Now, it must also be economic. The Global South will not rise by chance — it will rise because its partners choose to rise together.

• Abu Haniffa is executive director of the Malaysian Chamber of Commerce — Southern Africa.