The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Elizabeth Thabethe will launch a permanent South African showroom in Atlanta, in the United States of America on 7 January 2014.
The showroom will provide small and medium enterprises with an export platform by addressing the significant market entry costs faced by the Small Medium, Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa. The showroom is a joint initiative of the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) and its agency, the Small Enterprise Development Agency (seda).
Thabethe says the main objectives of the showroom are to promote trade between the two countries, promote business cooperation between South African and Atlanta industries, and to make the Atlanta business community aware of business opportunities that exist in the USA.
“South Africa and Atlanta are two countries racing in the same group to attract foreign capital, even though they are on different continents. We have utmost confidence in the showroom’s capacity to create economic opportunities for South African businesses in the clothing, textile and life-style products and consequently propelling them to trade internationally,” she adds.
Thabethe also states that it is imperative for South Africa to take advantage of these favourable conditions in order to assist the companies to explore the Atlanta trade market and its offerings. According to Deputy Minister Thabethe, the Atlanta trade market will have positive economic spin-offs for the country and the empowerment of women.
The showcasing of the South African products in Atlanta showroom will further contribute towards the positive growth of the economy by increasing locally manufactured products whilst upgrading the skills, the expertise and the entrepreneurial capacity of women. It will further provide opportunities to fast track women’s economic empowerment, which is critical for achieving the overall economic development strategy of the country,” says Thabethe.
Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe
Departmental Spokesperson
Cell: 079 492 1774
Tel: 012 394 1650
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
Twitter: @the_dti
