A foreign company (profit or non-profit) may conduct business within South Africa in its own name through a branch office for which it may register itself as an “external company” within 20 business days of establishing its office. What this means is that the constitution of the foreign company (what is referred to here as “the memorandum of incorporation”) as well as, a register of the directors, public officer and auditor (if applicable), as well as the registered address of the company must be registered with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commissioner.