A hostile policy environment is stifling the development of tech-backed start-up businesses and driving them offshore in order to grow and be globally competitive, says Matsi Modise, vice-chair of tech start-up support group SiMODiSA, which is lobbying the government to "get with the times".

"It's hard to quantify how many are leaving but you must be so patriotic to want to start up, build, register a company in South Africa versus looking at other areas where you know the flow of investment is going to make it so much easier and there will be fewer regulations making your company unattractive to investors," she says...