Some of the country's most influential business figures, including Saki Macozoma, chairman of Stan-lib and Andisa Capital (formerly Transnet MD), will attend an exclusive investment conference tomorrow, hosted by the Eastern Cape government in Alicedale.

Among those confirmed are Amabubesi investment company executive chairman and former national director of public prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka and IDC chairman Wendy Luhabe.

During the conference the provincial government, the ECDC, the IDC and the economic affairs, environment and tourism department will brief about 20 mainly Eastern Cape-born business leaders on opportunities and incentives in the province.

A spokesman in the office of the premier said the intention of the event was to present a business case for investment into the region to leading business figures born in the province who were now heading successful organisations elsewhere.

IDC regional manager Stuart Bartlett said the location of the conference was in an example of the difference investment, like that desired by the conference, could make to rural communities.

"Since steam trains were sidelined in the 1980s, Alicedale became virtually dormant with soaring unemployment.

"At the beginning of 2003 economic life was breathed back into Alicedale with construction of Bushman Sands," Bartlett said.

"The conference is one of the activities that provincial government, IDC, ECDC and specifically the premier has developed to spur investment into the region."