CAGE
The databases listed here provide insights and data relevant to multiple if not all four of the dimensions (cultural, administrative, geographic and economic) needed to analyze the potential for firm/industry expansion opportunities.
Likewise, searching and browsing news and academic research for each dimension will be beneficial.
The other sections of this guide, list specific databases, reports, books and sites relevant to each dimension and to company & industry reports.

Offers country guides for doing business, reference materials relevant to importing, exporting and global business, and primers for understanding a range of topics related to international business.

Country Commercial Guides (CCG's) are prepared annually by U.S. embassies with the assistance of several U.S. government agencies. These reports present a comprehensive look at countries' commercial environments, using economic, political and market analysis. The CCG's were established by recommendation of the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC), a multi-agency task force, to consolidate various reporting documents prepared for the U.S. business community." Site contains data published prior to 2001. For data published after 2001, please visit the US State Department

Features a single unified platform delivering country and regional reports and comparable data for over 200 countries. Politics, economics, the business environment and sector and industries are explained and forecasts presented. The data tab delivers time series on national accounts, monetary, demographic, trade, employment, debt & spending indicators to name a few.

Provides lifestyle statistics and reports, market data and analysis, and market forecasts for selected countries. Includes 6-year historic market size data for selected consumer products plus 5-year forecasts.

Global business knowledge site providing access to authoritative data from Michigan State University.

Presents side by side comparison data derived from the CIA World Factbook

Offers social, economic and political news and data on South Africa and World Bank initiatives.
news

Provides full text access to national and international newspaper articles and radio and television news transcripts. Many newspapers, including the Philadelphia Inquirer, offer full-image “page view” format. Includes user-friendly subject browse feature, as well as full text searchability. Coverage varies.

Provides access to international, national and local news sources. Many different news media such as newspapers, magazines, wires, blogs and transcripts are aggregated in English and foreign languages. The content is current and archival. Industry, company and market profiles are also provided.

Formerly known as LexisNexis Academic. Provides full text access to national and international newspaper and magazine articles and news transcripts, business, company, and industry information in the U.S. and abroad, and legal documents, including U.S. Federal and State court cases, and law reviews. Coverage varies.

Provides full access to the web edition which features the same content found in the print edition plus additional multimedia features, company tear sheets, interactive charting, a dictionary of financial terms, and recruitment tools. Digital access to the print edition is available via ABI/Inform and Nexis Uni.
Subscription courtesy of Villanova School of Business.
Subscription courtesy of Villanova School of Business.
scholarship

Provides access to scholarly journals, dissertations, working papers, key business and economics periodicals, and country- and industry-focused reports.

Provides access to a wide range of academic business journals and trade magazines. Topics include management, marketing, finance, economics, and management information systems. Full text access may be embargoed for up to three years. Coverage goes back to 1965.

Google Scholar provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature. From one place, you can search across many disciplines and sources: articles, theses, books, abstracts and court opinions, from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, universities and other web sites. Scholar search tips

Provides citations and abstracts to peer-reviewed journals, books, and conference proceedings in all major disciplines. Provides information on citing and cited references for each article.

cultural
- CultureQuest Business: South Africa [video]
- South African Reader: History Culture Politics
- South Africa Culture Smart!

Offers step by step instructions for querying the Global Consumer Survey.

Comprehensive effort to measure, at a mass level, the current social, political, and economic atmosphere around the world, providing an independent, non-partisan, multidisciplinary view of public opinion on a range of policy-relevant issues. Includes Latino Barometro, Asian Barometer, Afro Barometer, Eurasisa Barometer, Arab Barometer, Global Barometer.

Provides access to nearly a century of U.S. public opinion data in the Gallup Brain along with current recurring questions in U.S. Dailies poll for national, state, select city and individual MSA levels and the Gallup World Poll with global tracking data, social series and key indicators polling data. (World Poll questions may vary by year and country conditions.)
administrative/Political
- The BRICS: A very short introduction
- Political Handbook of the World
- GlobalLex South Africa
- Guide to Law Online South Africa
- South African Government
geography/Transporation/Communication
- Transport Department Republic of South Africa
- Communications & Digital Technologies Republic of South Africa
- Fitch Solutions Industry Insights-Find reports on telecommunications, power and renewables, infrastructure,
- OECD Documents on South Africa and Transit
- Urban Transport Crisis in Emerging Economies
- Africa Transport and the Millennial Development Goals
- Road Infrastructure Funding
economic
I've posted direct links to economic analysis and forecasts from ABI Inform and Business Source Premier. Economist Intelligence Unit, Passport Euromonitor, EMIS and Global Edge listed elsewhere on this guide also have country economic reports.
- Fitch Solutions South Africa Trade & Investment Report
- Fitch Solutions South Africa Country Risk Report
- Oxford Economics Country Economic Forecast Data: South Africa (download the full text)
- IHS Markit Country/Territory Report: South Africa
- PRS Group South Africa Country Report
company & industry

Offers public and private company and industry information including company profiles, market research reports from Marketline, Freedonia, Euromonitor, and RMA updated with recent news, executive profiles, and analyst reports.

Delivers company and industry information together with relevant news, research, and analytics for developing markets.

Provides detailed financial statements for U.S. and international public and private companies, including SEC filings and current and historical annual reports for U.S. and international public companies. Data can be downloaded in a variety of formats. Also includes country profiles.

Offers market information, company quotes, equity index information, industry information (including the S&P Industry Surveys), and economic data.

Provides a portal to statistics and studies gathered by market researchers, trade organizations, scientific publications, and government sources. Topics covered include industries, media, companies, product categories, and countries.