Mpumalanga MEC for Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, Mr Norman Mokoena recently graced the 2011 Tourism Indaba held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban. He visited the Mpumalanga Stall, hosted by the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency, and interacted with all exhibitors from the province.
MEC Mokoena also used the opportunity being afforded by the event to meet with the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Economic Development and Tourism, Mr Mike Mabuyakhulu and the management of the South African Sugar Association, to discuss concerns raised by the association.
This is against the backdrop that Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal are the main sugar producing provinces in the country, whilst the industry employs over 350 000 people in South Africa.
The Sugar Association requests political intervention of the two MECs, following the recently published Integrated Resource Plan (2010-2030) final report by the Minister of Energy, which excludes the use of sugarcane fibre as an alternative to producing renewal energy.
They argue that they can contribute 1 000 megawatts of green energy to the country, if they are given access to renewable energy markets from sugarcane fibre.
The two MECs have agreed that further and indepth consultation on the matter should continue between their two Departments, the provincial departments of the two provinces and the national one, the Department of Trade and Industry, and the national Department of Economic Development.
Meanwhile during the same event, MEC Mokoena also meet with Swaziland’s Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Mr Macford Sibandze, and Mozambican Minister of Tourism Mr Fernando Sumbana, to discuss the proposed regional brand for their three countries, in relation to tourism. This follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Mpumalanga, Swaziland and Mozambican tourism authorities on 24 October 2009 in Swaziland, through which the parties agreed to market the three (3) destinations using a single regional brand.
The Regional Brand is proposed to be launched in Mozambique during the Tourism
Month in September this year.
Source: Mpumalanga Department o fEconomic Development, Environment and Tourism
