Mlambo-Ngcuka, at the India-South Africa Business Conclave, Johannesburg
1 August 2007
Minister Kumar,
Minister Mpahlwa,
Minister in the Presidency, Essop Pahad
Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, Vayalar Ravi,
Deputy Ministers who are present here
The leadership of the delegation,
All the member of the Indian Merchants Chamber,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen
I wish to extend a very special welcome to our delegates from the Indian
Merchant's Chamber and further thank you, on behalf of all South Africans, for
considering our country worthy of hosting India Calling 2007.
Equally, let me thank the Business Unity South Africa (Busa), together with
the International Marketing Council, for ensuring the successful hosting of
this historic conference by our country. I do have to apologise that the
President couldn't be here with you today as He had to go to an urgent meeting
in Limpopo.
I am deeply honoured to have been invited to be part of the centenary
celebrations of the Indian Merchant's Chamber and India Calling 2007.
Let me share with you the words of one of our outstanding sons here in South
Africa, Oliver Reginald Tambo, on the occasion of accepting the 1979 Jawaharlal
Nehru Award for International Understanding on behalf of Nelson Mandela in
1980. He said: "There is a golden thread that has linked the people of India
and South Africa over the centuries. Jan van Riebeeck, of the Dutch East India
Company, was on a voyage to the seaports of India and the Far East when, in
1652, he stopped in South Africa and there planted a problem. It is fitting
that on this day, I should recall the long and glorious struggle of those South
Africans who came to our shores from India 120 years ago. Within two years of
entering the bondage of indentured labour, Indian workers staged their first
strike against the working conditions in Natal. This was probably the first
general strike in South African history. Their descendants, working and
fighting for the future of their country, South Africa, have retained the
tradition of militant struggle and are today an integral part of the mass-based
liberation movement in South Africa."
Our country attained its liberation in 1994, 14 years after these insightful
words were uttered by OR Tambo, because among others, the people of India
worked tirelessly to put enormous pressure on apartheid South African in
international forums and support in many ways the struggle for freedom of the
people of this country. Indeed, today we meet in the context of trade relations
between our two countries for the benefit of our people, not for the
exploitation or oppression of one people by the other.
The golden thread that has linked the people of India and South Africa over
the centuries, of which O R Tambo spoke with such conviction, continues up to
now, and serves to bond our two nations closer and closer.
I know for a fact that the Indian Merchant's Chamber is one of the leading
business organisations in India with a very rich history starting from
1905.
Our increasing relations with this leading commercial institution of one of
the fastest growing economies among the developing countries will stand us in
good stead in many critical areas of our economy, not least in the key area of
economic development.
Also, I am confident that, through working together with the Indian
Merchant's Chamber, Busa and other South African commercial institutions will
contribute to the challenge of poverty eradication and economic development and
growth of our country.
By the same token, I believe the Indian Merchant's Chamber will reap the
benefits of doing business with our country, which, despite its many
challenges, also offers immense economic prospects, especially with regard to
much needed resources.
I am also confident that our country, just emerging out of centuries of
colonialism and Apartheid will benefit a great deal from this and other
bilateral engagements with India, especially because we have here as a partner
a major exporter of highly-skilled workers in software, financial services and
software engineering
Taking a leaf from India's gradual transforming into an important
back-office destination for global companies for the outsourcing of their
customer services and technical support, this cross-pollination of experience
should also contribute, in terms of skills transfers, among others, to our
eradication of poverty and encourage economic growth.
Clearly, at the core of a conference such as this one is the objective of
exploring opportunities and investigating areas of co-operation between our two
countries.
Equally, this conference will have the added benefits of projecting our two
countries as attractive investment destinations and effectively
providing a platform for interaction between South African and Indian business
people through matchmaking seminars.
Among other key focus areas which I think both the Indian Merchant's Chamber
and Business South Africa will find fruitful to reflect on include the
following:
* infrastructure: logistics, energy and roads
* business process outsourcing (BPO) and ICT
* vocational training and education
* finance, banking and investment
* pharmaceutical, healthcare and biotechnology
* mining and diamond industry
* media, entertainment and retail
We are indeed very happy that Indian investments have grown in quantity as
well as diversity, with investors including such notable giants as the UB Group
of India Tata (vehicles, IT, new investment in ferrochrome plant), Mahindra and
a number of pharmaceutical companies including Ranbaxy and Cipla.
We are glad that in February 2006, Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) won
the contract for upgrading the Mumbai Airport. Again, we are encouraged by the
fact that the South Africa energy company, Sasol, is keen to explore the
possibility of collaborating in a coal-to-synthetic automotive fuel project in
India.
These mutually beneficial investment activities between our two countries
should indeed be ramped up in the fullness of time.
Importantly, we envision an economic trade between our two countries where
both countries are not only engaged in large-scale investment ventures but do
trade in a meaningfully mutual and beneficial fashion.
I am sure when the 7th Joint Ministerial Commission takes place in South
Africa in November this year numerous matters which have as yet not lent
themselves to some solution between our two nations will be successfully
concluded.
These matters include:
* the negotiations on the Preferential Trade Agreement
* a review of India-South Africa Commercial Alliance
* the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Trilateral Free Trade Agreement
* the Promotion and Protection of Investments
Indeed, for trade to be meaningful between India and South Africa, our two
nations should assume their responsibilities of creating efficacious economic
environment geared to protect investment and realising returns on such
investment.
In this regard, among other things, our Department of Trade and Industry
undertook a visit to India in February this year further to broaden the scope
of our economic trade.
Meeting the Indian Ministry of Commerce, our Department of Trade and
Industry discussed, among others, issues of the establishment of the working
group to focus on the modalities around the matters I have just mentioned.
Importantly, the objective of this meeting and others is to ensure viable
trade relations that enable the private sector from both countries to carry out
investment in a free and unfettered economic environment.
Chairperson,
I trust that this conference will reflect also on the progress made during
the lifespan of the India-South Africa Commercial Alliance (Isaca). As will
remember, when this organisation was formed in 1997 its major objective was the
strengthening and expansion of commercial ties between the two countries
through enhanced sectoral co-operation.
In this regard, our task is to reflect on the CEO's Forum and other business
engagements, which now perform the same functions with a view to how best to
leverage progress already made during Isaca, further to consolidate such
progress. Today, because of mutual agreement between ourselves we have decided
that Isaca will cease to exist.
Clearly, our task is to reflect on the existing structures, including the
CEO's Forum, which now perform the same functions as those of Isaca.
Dear friends,
Together we come a long way. Our bonds of friendship and solidarity have
defied the turbulent ocean and the long distance dividing our countries. We are
indeed forever heartened and emboldened by this remarkable and enduring
bond.
I am confident that this conference of the Indian Merchant's Chamber will be
a resounding success and will further help us grow and develop the India-South
Africa relations.
Tomorrow I will have an opportunity to open the Peacock's exhibition and
meet with the leading women of the Indian Merchants Chamber.
I thank you
Issued by: The Presidency
1 August 2007
Source: SAPA
