This memorandum of understanding seeks to bolster our efforts to get Gauteng work better. The agreement will further strengthen existing relations between Gauteng and Bavaria and will see the Gauteng provincial government and the Free State of Bavaria work together in promoting innovative industries and sustainable technologies, support people to people exchange, improve safety and security, support research and development, strengthen education, promote agriculture and agri-business and support vocational training and skills development.
The Free State of Bavaria is home to some of the world's top companies, some of whom are also very active here in Gauteng, contributing significantly to economic growth and job creation. Gauteng will learn valuable lessons from Bavaria's expertise in the development of small medium and micro-enterprises (SMMEs) and the maximisation of job creation capabilities.
We believe that our strengthened cooperation with the Free State of Bavaria will empower us in finding solutions to the challenges faced by our SMMEs. The cooperation agreement also fits in well with the Gauteng employment, growth and development strategy (GEGDS) which emphasises strongly the need to build a green economy and ensure that our projects are environmentally sustainable.
As the State of Bavaria has already made several inroads into the usage of sustainable raw materials for producing energy, Gauteng will be taking few leaves out of their book on Gauteng provincial government can introduce environmentally sustainable ways of power generation.
Bavaria is famous for its agriculture, renowned for being largest producer of food in Germany and using farming methods harmonious with the natural environment. This is another area where Gauteng can learn from best practice being applied in Bavaria. The Gauteng provincial government will be looking to its counterparts in agriculture from Bavaria to help the province's own emerging farmers with farming and marketing skills.
Another area of cooperation that will be covered by the cooperation agreement is safety and security. The state of Bavaria is known to be one of the safest regions in Germany, having achieved impressive safety records by using modern technology to beat crime, among others.
The two states will be sharing information on this matter with the aim of bolstering Gauteng's efforts of reducing crime, especially violent crime such as house robberies, business robberies and hijackings.
Gauteng and Bavaria have already successfully cooperated in areas such as education, security and tourism, dating back to when we first began our long journey in 1995. It is well known that the Bavarian state has a long history of supporting schools such as the German school, based here in Johannesburg.
It was also through the support of the Bavarian state that Gauteng was able to undertake the pre-feasibility study for the Gautrain Rapid Rail Link project, which is now in its first phase of operation.
Gauteng remains forever grateful for that support. As it is also known, BMW, a top German original equipment manufacturer, is one of the companies that contributed to making Gauteng a significant player in the automotive manufacturing sector not only in South Africa but in the world. This is testimony that this partnership is working.
It is clear that the 15 year relationship between the Gauteng provincial government and the Free State of Bavaria has contributed significantly towards developing Gauteng into a smart province which is fast becoming a preferred destination for high value added manufacturing and trade.
The signing of this memorandum of understanding will undoubtedly help spur further development of both our provinces and build a better future for all of us.
For more information contact:
Thabo Masebe
Cell: 082 410 8087
Statement on the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Free State of Bavaria and the Gauteng provincial government
Province
