The North West province is to establishment a task team to be headed by the Acting Director-General, Mr Abram Tlaletse, to further the discussions that took place between the North West Premier, Maureen Modiselle, and the Consul General of India in Johannesburg, Mr Vikram Doraiswami, during his visit to the province yesterday. This follows the Consul General of India’s exploratory visit to North West to have a discussion with Premier Modiselle on issues related to business partnerships and trade links with India. South Africa is one of the major trading partners with India and the relationship between the two countries is said to be continuing to grow.
Bilateral trade between the two countries has been increasing steadily over the past few years, with trade figures rising from US$7.5 billion in the 2008 to 2009 fiscal year to US$7.9 billion over 2009 to 2010. The discussions of yesterday centred around establishing partnerships on matters such as business, mining, culture, education and information technology. Mr Doraiswami says for the past seven decades his country has been involved in efforts to create jobs for the people of India.
Now that South Africa has prioritised job creation as one way of fighting poverty, they can always share their experiences in this regard. He said with their representative of Small Business Industry of India in South Africa, there was a potential for business partnership with North West small, medium and micro-enterprise (SMMEs) in areas of agri-business in line of food production, mining in the area of beneficiation, automotive industry as well as pharmaceutical industry.
The Consul General Doraiswami was accompanied by a representative of the Confederation of Indian Industry in South Africa, Ms Dorin Nelson. The Premier was accompanied by Economic Development and Tourism MEC, Mmaphefo Matsemela and Public Works, Road and Transport MEC, Mahlakeng Mahlakeng. Representatives from North West Development Corporation, Invest North West, North West Parks and Tourism Board, Mafikeng Industrial Development Zone and North West Gaming Board were also part of the discussion.
Enquiries:
Matshube Mfoloe
Tel: 018 387 2447
Cell: 082 305 4594
E-mail: mmfoloe@nwpg.gov.za
Source: North West Provincial Government
