Starting a business in South Africa

Legal Forms of Companies

Private Limited Liability Company

Number of partners: Minimum: 1, no upper limit.
Capital (max/min): No legal limit.
Shareholders and liability: Liability limited to amount of capital contributed.

Public Limited Liability Company

Number of partners: Directors: minimum of 3, no upper limit.
Shareholders: minimum of 1, no upper limit.
Capital (max/min): No legal limit.
Shareholders and liability: A member's liability is limited to the par value of the shares he/she owns.

Private Company

Number of partners: 1 partner.
Capital (max/min): No minimum capital.
Shareholders and liability: The active partner's liability is unlimited. 

Partnership

Number of partners: Minimum 2, Maximum 20 partners.
Capital (max/min): No minimum capital.
Shareholders and liability: The active partner's liability is unlimited. Associates' liability is limited to the amount of capital they contributed.

The Competent Organisation

Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office

Company Directories

CIPC, Companies and Intellectual Property Commission

Source: Doing Business, 2016