Programme Director
His Excellency
The SA Commissioner to Zambia, Piet Mathebe
Dignitaries present
Ladies and gentlemen
All protocol observed.
I would like to start by thanking you for once again allowing me the opportunity to stand before you this evening. Indeed, I am certain you will agree that whilst today’s itinerary was quite hectic, it was also equally productive; culminating of course, in the forging of a new working covenant between the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Lusaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Programme Director; before I proceed any further with my address this evening, I beg your bindulgence as I briefly share with you the details of my nostalgic journey down memory lane this afternoon.
Thanks to the benevolence of Honourable Commissioner Mathebe, I today visited the erstwhile headquarters of the African National Congress here in Lusaka, visiting the premises which were once occupied by the trailblazers of the struggle against oppression and segregation in South Africa.
Among these giants can be counted the late ANC President Oliver Reginald Tambo, whose house we also visited; Secretaries‐General Alfred Nzo and Duma Nokwe and many other notable names of the struggle.
Indeed, ladies and gentlemen, as I stood over the grave of Secretary‐General Duma Nokwe, who along with the likes of Johnny Makhathini and other freedom fighters was buried here in Zambia, I felt compelled to give my leader a report on the progress we have thus far made towards building a national democratic society as spelt out in our second transition document which seeks to, amongst other things, attain social and economic transformation.
Programme Director, I dare say that by virtue of the foregoing attestation, South Africa remains eternally indebted to our Zambian counterparts. It is for this reason, therefore, that when the opportunity presented itself for us as the provincial government of KwaZulu-Natal to put in place measures that would allow us to work in tandem with Zambia, we readily grabbed the opportunity with both hands knowing fully well that ours is a tried and tested partnership.
I feel most privileged, therefore, to stand before you this evening as we celebrate not only the official launch of the SA Express direct air link between Lusaka, here in Zambia, and Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, but also the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the business chambers from these respective countries.
We recognise and acknowledge that in spite of the previous absence of direct flights between Lusaka and Durban, Zambia is in fact KwaZulu‐Natal's largest trading partner in Africa. Indeed, exports from our province to Zambia in 2012 were valued at R2,47 billion and represented a pleasing 14,8% of KwaZulu‐Natal's total exports into Africa.
Typical export products entering Zambia from KwaZulu‐Natal included vehicles, earth‐moving equipment, pulp, paper and wood products, furniture, metals, electrical and electronic goods, chemicals and agri‐processing produce.
In turn, some 30% of all imports from the African continent to South Africa were sourced in Zambia last year and included copper and other base metals, cotton and textiles, tobacco and tobacco products, salt, sulphur, stone, plaster, lime and cement. We, thus, have a well‐established trade platform between us.
We rightly believe that tonight’s historic signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, (MoU) between the Lusaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry serves to further cement these existing business relations.
The primary objectives behind this agreement are clear‐cut. The intention is to facilitate increased trade and business activity between the members of these respective and respected bodies, as well as other stakeholders. Of great importance is the fact that cooperation between the Chambers will also foster a mutual understanding and awareness of available business opportunities in Lusaka and Durban, along with the environs of both cities.
The activation of the MoU will also pave the way for the critical process of skills transference and the sharing of knowledge and expertise, as well as creating a platform for regular business delegation exchanges and the identification of joint projects designed to benefit both parties.
Ladies and gentlemen, this route is just a few months into operation and is gaining steady support in both directions. We have no doubt that, with promotion and a broadening of flight awareness here in Zambia and, especially, back in KwaZulu‐Natal, this is an air route with huge potential, an air route which is destined for significant growth.
We are confident that the business community will find this an ever more attractive proposition, while leisure travellers will come to realise just how close and alluring the warm waters of the Indian ocean really are.
I would, therefore, tonight appeal to business and tourism decision‐makers here in Zambia and in back home in KwaZulu‐Natal to give serious consideration as to how best to utilise SA Express flights between Lusaka and Durban to their own and their business advantage. There exists a very real opportunity for us, jointly, to realise the true potential of our respective markets, creating new investment, business and tourism channels, platforms and alliances between us.
I am sure that we are all aware that prevailing economic conditions are far from ideal. Many countries ‐ especially those in the Euro‐zone are still battling to recover from the devastating effects of the recession years of 2008 and 2009. However, as trading conditions continue to improve especially here in Africa I envisage that the value of trade between Zambia and KwaZulu‐Natal will grow exponentially into the future.
Indeed, KwaZulu‐Natal is acclaimed as a significant hub of industrial development in both South Africa and Sub‐Saharan Africa, due, to a large extent, to its abundance of natural resources, superb productive capacity, well‐developed infrastructure and, as I have indicated, its strategically important coastal location.
This is a region with an elevated export bias and one of the highest levels of industrialisation in South Africa. With collaboration, such as the MoU to be signed shortly, the expansion of trade and investment here and in KwaZulu‐Natal will become a reality; a reality which promises economic prosperity.
But, ladies and gentlemen, business growth and development is just half the story. The two‐way tourism potential of Zambia and KwaZulu‐Natal is incalculable. It is immense! It is well‐known that Zambia is one of the most beautiful, unspoilt countries in Africa.
The legendary and majestic Victoria Falls and famous Zambezi River are world‐renowned and are clearly major draw‐cards for visitors from KwaZulu‐Natal, as are the great plains with their wonderful wildlife. Zambian tourists arriving in Durban are in for an equal treat.
From the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, through the tranquillity of the mild midlands and our game‐filled wilderness areas, to the majesty of the towering and rugged Drakensberg mountain range, KwaZulu‐Natal widely‐known as the 'Zulu Kingdom' is a place of great natural beauty, diversity, cultural riches, history, adventure and mystery.
This is South Africa’s premier leisure and outdoor destination; a sunny, sub‐tropical holiday paradise and home to the endless summer a unique destination and one of the world's dream tourist destinations, offering the ultimate in holiday experiences. Accessibility, affordability, frequency and speed of direct flights between Lusaka and Durban gives effect to the new African tourist.
Speaking on behalf of the Provincial Government of KwaZulu‐Natal, I am pleased to say that we greatly welcome and value the introduction of this and, of course, other existing and planned direct Southern African air routes, given that increased air connectivity with the countries of Southern Africa and a range of long‐haul international destinations will ultimately lead to mutually beneficial trade, investment and leisure opportunities which, in turn, will give effect to the stimulation of economic growth.
In this regard, the strength of our Provincial Public Entities, comprising Dube Trade Port Corporation, Trade & Investment KwaZulu‐Natal and Tourism KwaZulu‐Natal, is that each is mandated to grow the KwaZulu‐Natal economy in their respective fields and each is to engender an operating environment conducive to the socio‐economic development of destination KwaZulu‐Natal.
In this pursuit, ladies and gentlemen, we are making tremendous progress in transforming our region into South Africa's primary alternative gateway; a globally competitive, multi‐modal business gateway, rich in investment, trade and tourism opportunities the ideal destination of choice, then, for our Zambian counterparts.
That said, I am confident that having expanded our Province's direct reach to Zambia, we will be successful in injecting new impetus into our collective business and tourism growth endeavours.
In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, I invite Zambia's business community and tourism trade representatives to join with us in the common quest to maximise the undoubted benefits this new air route provides. In this regard, I must take this opportunity to publicly acknowledge the huge amount of work which has gone into creating the route and bringing it to fruition.
I extend my most grateful thanks, and the thanks of the Provincial Government of KwaZulu‐Natal, to all those who have worked so tirelessly to create the various partnerships necessary to give life to the Lusaka‐Durban direct air link.
Finally, ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for your indulgence in granting our Provincial participation in this evening's route launch celebrations and earlier business interactions. With the combined and cooperative will of all the involved parties, we stand to benefit from efforts to better connect Durban ‐ by air with the business and leisure communities of the world, near and far.
I thank you.
