COMPANYHISTORIES

South Africa

Companies based in South Africa, and the events that shaped them.

13companies1887–1990founding years10still active2no longer operating
§ 01

South Africa companies over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedGold Fields Ltd.
1887
1888
TechnologyKodak's roll-film camera brings photography to everyone.
1893
EconomyThe Panic of 1893 pulls down banks and overbuilt railroads.
FoundedThe South African Breweries Limited
1895
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1908
TechnologyFord's Model T puts the automobile within reach of the middle class.
1913
TechnologyFord's moving assembly line transforms factory production.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedNaspers Ltd.
1915
1916
EconomyPiggly Wiggly opens the first self-service grocery store.
FoundedBARLOW RAND LTD.FoundedSanlam Ltd.
1918
1925
EconomyThe Grand Ole Opry begins broadcasting from Nashville.
FoundedIscor Limited
1927
TechnologyThe Jazz Singer ushers in the era of sound films.
TechnologyLindbergh flies the Atlantic solo, and aviation captures the public.
1928
TechnologyPenicillin is discovered, opening the age of antibiotics.
FoundedEdgars Consolidated Stores Ltd.
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
1931
EconomyThe Empire State Building rises in just over a year.
1933
EconomyThe first drive-in movie theater opens in New Jersey.
FoundedSAA (Pty) Ltd.
1934
1937
EconomyThe Golden Gate Bridge opens as the world's longest suspension span.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1946
TechnologyENIAC, the first general-purpose electronic computer, is unveiled.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedHarmony Gold Mining Company Limited
1950
1955
EconomyMcDonald's franchising begins, remaking fast food.
EconomyDisneyland opens and invents the modern theme park.
1956
TechnologyThe first transatlantic telephone cable opens.
FoundedHighveld Steel and Vanadium Corporation Limited
1957
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
EconomyThe first Walmart opens, built on everyday low prices.
1969
TechnologyARPANET, the internet's precursor, goes live.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedSasol Limited
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
TechnologyThe first US in-vitro fertilization baby is born.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedDimension Data Holdings PLC
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
FoundedTRANSNET LTD.
1990
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
TechnologyLinux and open source challenge proprietary software.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1994
TechnologyE-commerce begins to disrupt retail.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
1999
TechnologyNapster ignites the digital disruption of recorded music.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
TechnologyGPS opens to civilian use, turning location into a utility.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Gold Fields Ltd. →
Active · founded 1887 · South Africa
Gold Fields Ltd.
The South African Breweries Limited →
Active · founded 1895 · South Africa
The South African Breweries Limited (SAB) is a holding company whose principal line of business is brewing.
Naspers Ltd. →
Active · founded 1915 · South Africa
Naspers Ltd.
BARLOW RAND LTD. →
Active · founded 1918 · South Africa
Market Value: R 3.497 billion (US$ 1.573 billion) Stock Index: Johannesburg London Paris Brussels Antwerp Frankfurt…
Sanlam Ltd. →
Active · founded 1918 · South Africa
Sanlam Ltd.
Iscor Limited →
Renamed · founded 1927 · South Africa
Iscor Limited has surprised the worldwide steel industry by shedding its valuable mining assets--spun off as publicly…
Edgars Consolidated Stores Ltd. →
Defunct · founded 1929 · South Africa
Edgars Consolidated Stores Ltd.
SAA (Pty) Ltd. →
Active · founded 1934 · South Africa
SAA (Pty) Ltd., better known as South African Airways, is the largest domestic carrier in South Africa, operating 575…
Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited →
Active · founded 1950 · South Africa
Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited Address: Harmony Farm 222, Private Road Glen Harmony, Virginia, Free State South…
Highveld Steel and Vanadium Corporation Limited →
Active · founded 1957 · South Africa
Highveld Steel and Vanadium Corporation Limited is one of South Africa's leading vertically integrated producers of…
Sasol Limited →
Active · founded 1979 · Republic of South Africa
Sasol Limited was formed in 1979 to hold the assets of the South African Coal, Oil and Gas Corporation (Sasol) and its…
Dimension Data Holdings PLC →
Defunct · founded 1987 · South Africa
Dimension Data Holdings PLC is South Africa's leading information technology services and solutions provider.
TRANSNET LTD. →
Active · founded 1990 · Republic of South Africa
On April 1, 1990, South African Transport Services echoed the country's changing political environment by altering its…
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