In a time of uncertainty and rapid change, South African family businesses are showing exceptional resilience and growth – with many reporting double-digit sales growth in 2025.
PwC’s South African Family Business Survey reveals what truly sets top-performing family businesses apart in today’s challenging market. While global uncertainty puts pressure on growth, 37% of South African family firms report double-digit sales increases by confronting their vulnerabilities and leveraging unique strengths.
“The survey highlights five key areas driving success for top family businesses which include embracing agility through streamlined decision-making, deploying long-term capital amid uncertainty, protecting and leveraging their reputation, managing tax strategically – as more than just a cost – and communicating a clear, structured purpose,” says Lucia Bergh, Southern Africa Family Business director at PwC South Africa. “This shared purpose supports the capabilities required to enable and sustain growth, anchoring businesses in values while boosting innovation, long-term vision, and trust.”
However, South African family businesses lag in sharing their purpose externally – with only 28% doing so compared to 45% globally, and 62% communicating it internally versus 64% worldwide. This gap is a missed chance to build trust and strengthen their brand amidst today’s demand for transparency and authenticity.
While South African family businesses are still working on sharing their purpose externally, they have clearly proven their agility in the face of tough economic conditions, political uncertainty, and Covid-19 disruptions. Nearly half (46%) describe themselves as agile or very agile, matching the global average of 45%.
“What sets agile South African family businesses apart is their ability to innovate products and services, embrace new technologies, enter new markets, and secure strategic partnerships – areas where they consistently outperform global peers,” says Herman Eksteen, Southern Africa Family Business leader at PwC South Africa. “These strengths are at the heart of what makes them truly agile and ready to seize new opportunities.
“Agility starts with strong governance,” Eksteen adds. “Great boards help family businesses make faster, smarter decisions that align with their future goals. To get there, businesses should clarify decision roles, delegate authority, and spend 30% to 40% of board time on forward-looking strategy. Running quick 90-day sprints and bringing in outside experts keeps things fresh and ready for whatever comes next.”
Although family businesses are traditionally characterised by agility and preference for long-term patient investment, this orientation is less evident in South Africa than globally. While global peers continue to prioritise long-term objectives over short-term gains, only around one in four (26%) South African family businesses report focusing on the long-term, with a larger share placing greater emphasis on immediate or short-term returns.
To stay ahead, family businesses should set aside 1% to 2% of revenue for a future fund targeting AI and digital transformation, diversify capital sources, and adopt a “twin-horizon” strategy that balances today’s core operations with tomorrow’s growth opportunities.
“While diversifying capital leads to growth opportunities, family businesses must navigate an increasingly complex tax landscape with stricter SARS enforcement and new rules like transfer pricing and the global minimum tax,” says Duncan Adriaans, Africa private leader at PwC South Africa. “Embracing technology in both operations and tax compliance boosts efficiency, transparency, and strategic decision-making.”
Jabu Masondo, Southern Africa Private Family Business tax leader at PwC South Africa, highlights that tax should be seen not just as a cost or compliance issue, but as a strategic tool aligned with long-term goals. Yet only 37% of South African businesses view paying their fair share as good corporate citizenship. By staying audit-ready, engaging proactively with SARS, and managing tax wisely, family businesses can reduce risk, build trust, and turn tax into a driver of sustainable growth.
This approach has a significant impact on the business’s reputation and sustainability. For family businesses, reputation is more than legacy, it’s a key asset and driver of growth. South African leaders cite political, social, and labour issues as top concerns, but believe they earn greater trust from customers, employees, and communities than non-family businesses.
Giving back builds this trust, with 80% supporting their communities through philanthropy – well above the global average. To strengthen their reputation further, businesses should move beyond donations to active partnerships with schools and local enterprises, fostering long-term trust and reducing tensions.
“At a pivotal moment, family businesses that unite purpose, agility, patient capital, trusted reputation, and strategic tax planning into a clear strategy will lead the way,” says Bergh. “This means planning beyond founders, enabling fast decisions, investing long-term, sharing consistent community values, and viewing tax as a value driver, not just a cost.”