Telecommunications companies MTN and Vodacom are South Africa’s top brands, according to the BrandFinance South Africa Top 50 findings.

“It is no surprise that the Brand Finance Top 50 Most Valuable Brands account for almost R300-billion, a sizable share of the 400 listed companies on the R9-trillion combined market cap JSE,” according to a statement from Thebe Ikalafeng, chairman of Brand Finance Africa and Miller Matola, CEO of Brand South Africa.

“Brands are the engine of the economy. They are the catalysts for the wealth and identity of a nation.”

The BrandFinance South Africa Top 50 offers a measurable, independent account of how well South Africa is doing in building the nation’s wealth and identity as a winning and growing nation.

“It is therefore not a surprise that structural industries which include finance and telecoms ¬feature prominently in the Top 10,” they say. “They are the drivers for connecting and facilitating the much needed growth in the South African economy.”

The top brand was MTN, with a brand value of R43,066-million, followed by Vodacom with a brand value of R19,386-million. Telkom SA also made it on to the Top 50 list, and number 18, with a brand value of R5,169-million. Allied Technologies (Altech) is in position 40 with a brand value of R2,278-million.

The top 50 brands, in order, are MTN, Vodacom, Sasol, Standard Bank, ABSA, Nedbank, Woolworths, First National Bank, Shoprite, Mediclinic, Spar, Pick ‘n Pay, Mondi, Netcare, Sanlam, MultiChoice, Investec, Telkom, Sappi, Truworths, Huletts, Media24, Miller Genuine Draft, Discovery, African Bank, Mr Price, Carling Black Label, Makro, Wesbank, Castel, Bidvest, Liberty, Capitec Bank, SABMiller, Clicks, Nampak, Grindrod, SAA, Checkers, Altech, Game, Santam, Life, Rainbow Chicken, Sasko, Hansa Pilsener, Rand Merchant Bank, Imperial, Steinhoff and Lewis.

The survey shows the combined value of South Africa’s 50 Most Valuable Brands has increased +8% from 2012 to R292-billion. While the technology sector currently produces the most valuable brands globally (Google, Samsung, Apple), South Africa’s most valuable sectors are telecoms and banking.