KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Premier Dr Zweli Mkhize today opened more doors for Indian businesses to work with the province in the film, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and other business sectors during his business mission to India.
Dr Mkhize has met with major players in the Indian film industry and paved the way for South African film makers, aspiring writers and technical staff to get get skills training. The KwaZulu-Natal delegation was well received in Mumbai's Film City and Whistling Wood, where various skills were on display.
The Indian film industry has pioneered a number of technical and is currently providing cost effective post production services even to the Hollywood for Industry.
Mr Omveer Saini, public relations officer for Film City took Dr Mkhize on a tour of facilities, showing innovative ways that India has employed to develop the industry to a world player status, providing for the Bollywood and international markets. Mr Saini said a total of no less than 300 film are produced for market in Mumbai alone.
Business Head of Digital Media in Whistling Woods, Mr Chaitanga Chinchlikar said the country is more than willing to provide training to KZN on film making, set design, editing and various other associated fields.
India is a key trading partner with KwaZulu-Natal, with several businesspeople represented in some of Mumbai's major business chambers already doing business with the province. The two are members of Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) whose conference will be held in Durban next year.
As a precursor to the conference, KwaZulu-Natal will host in February next year delegations to showcase the province's tourism market “to bolster person to person and business to business opportunities”.
In a meeeting with Tata Group, an open invitation was sent to KZN businesses to approach the group with any potential business partnerships.
Deputy Chairman for the Group, Mr S Ramadorai said his group of companies is always looking for business opportunities in the province, with a particular emphasis on empowering local people to run operations.
Tata Group, which has become a world market player in the automative industry, already has mining operations in KwaZulu-Natal. The Group also has interests in the hospitality industry, tourism, information technology, business process outsourcing and various other sectors.
Mr Ramadorai is also special advisor to Indian Prime Minister on skills development. Mr Ramadorai said the Group would be more than willing to assist in providing skills training for government officials in KwaZulu-Natal. Tata Group this week announced new Chief Executive Officer for Africa, Mr Thami Mbele.
More images available at media.kwazulunatal.go.za.
Enquiries:
Ndabezinhle Sibiya
Spokesperson for the Premier
Cell: 082 3754742
Regi Khumalo:
Media Liaison Desk for the Premier
Cell: 079 751 6108
