Best Trade Shows in South Africa

69 tracked shows, ranked by exhibitor count

South Africa is Sub-Saharan Africa's most developed exhibition market, and its trade fairs draw visitors from across the continent. Mining and minerals, including gold, platinum-group metals and coal, remain central to its economy and exports, alongside automotive manufacturing and agriculture. Johannesburg is the country's exhibition hub, with venues including the Gallagher Convention Centre, Sandton Convention Centre and the Expo Centre at Nasrec, host to the biennial Electra Mining Africa, one of the continent's largest mining and industrial shows. Cape Town hosts the Investing in African Mining Indaba, a major mining-investment gathering.

Event Scout currently tracks 69 trade shows in South Africa with editions in 2026 & 2027. Together they host an estimated 8,247 exhibitors, led by DigiMarCon Africa 2027 (an estimated 1,000 exhibitors). Sizeable exhibitor lists are already indexed for 19 of them — Electra Mining Africa 2026 (400 companies), Organic & Natural Products Portal (383), The Africa Food Show (364). Events run across 14 cities including Cape Town, Johannesburg and Gauteng. The tracked calendar opens with SARCDA 2026 (12–14 Aug 2026).

Sources (4)

Top industries in South Africa

The industries South Africa's larger trade shows concentrate in, weighted by exhibitor count.

By estimated exhibitor count across South Africa trade shows with 70+ exhibitors — a single show can span several industries.

Top trade shows in South Africa

Upcoming trade shows in South Africa

Facta confirmed count from the event's captured exhibitor roster.Estimatea modeled approximation, not a confirmed figure.

Frequently asked questions

How many trade shows are there in South Africa?
Event Scout currently tracks 69 trade shows in South Africa, with editions in 2026 & 2027.
When is trade-show season in South Africa?
By start date, most tracked trade shows in South Africa run in June and September.
What are the biggest trade fairs in South Africa in 2027?
By estimated exhibitor count, the biggest trade fairs in South Africa in 2027 are DigiMarCon Africa 2027 (~1,000 exhibitors), DigiMarCon South Africa 2027 (~1,000 exhibitors) and Solar & Storage Live Africa 2027 (~650 exhibitors).
How much does it cost to exhibit in South Africa?
Exhibiting costs are set by each event and depend on stand size, hall location and how you fit out the booth, so there is no single rate in South Africa. Every show's organiser publishes its own stand pricing, and the events tracked here link through to those official sites.

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The data on this page comes from Pragmatic Event Scout — a live catalog of 14,000+ trade shows where every figure is labeled as a fact or an estimate.Logos provided by Logo.dev

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