2016-03-19
A group of thirty South African businesspeople arrives in the country from Zimbabwe today where they participated in the five-day Investment and Trade Initiative organised by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti). The mission, whose theme was Strengthening Business Linkages Between South Africa, was led by the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Mzwandile Masina. It began in Harare on Monday and ended in Bulawayo on Friday, 18 March 2016.
Reflecting on the trip, the Business Manager of Rail at DCD Ringrollers, Mr Hlayisani Matelakengisa said the mission was very successful from his company’s perspective.
“We really had a very successful trip and are coming back home with serious trade leads that can see us exporting our products to Zimbabwe soon. We could not have asked for more. In Harare we had a fruitful meeting with representatives of a mining company that is interested in purchasing our steel tyres. But the highlight of our trip was the site visit we paid to the National Railways of Zimbabwe where we learnt about their rehabilitation programme. There are a lot of things that we and other rail supply companies in South Africa can provide for the rehabilitation programme to be a success. We are looking forward to doing business in Zimbabwe in the near future,” added Matelakengisa, whose company is based in Vereeniging.
Sales and Marketing Manager at Lutzville Cape Diamond Wines, Ms Ansie Truter could not contain her excitement about the lucrative trade leads she obtained during both the Harare and Bulawayo legs of the mission. She is also optimistic that consignments of wine from Cape Town will soon make their way to Zimbabwe and beyond.
“I am so excited that the meeting I had with a representative of a big hotel group operating hotels in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia and Namibia. The best part of this possible deal is that he wants to buy our ones from an agent that we met in Harare this week. We have already couriered samples of our wines to Harare, “said an elated Truter.
She added that she was also approached by representative of a Mutare-based wine farm who are interested in her marketing, branding and wine education services. A businessman who is starting a boutique hotel in Victoria Fall also showed interest in importing her wines.
The CEO of Johannesburg-based Ekasi IT Solutions, Mr Muzikayise Nkosi is confident that the meeting he held with the high-ranking officials of the Zimbabwean Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology will soon bore tangible fruits.
“The ministry is working on a paperless education programme in which they need our participation. They would like us to pilot the project in two schools and have requested us to submit a proposal. To us this is the best possible deal we are coming back home with and if it materialises the impact on our company will be massive. It will also revolutionarise the Zimbabwean education system and we will be proud to be part of this revolution in a neighbouring country,” said Nkosi.
For the Director of Thekwini Wire and Fasteners, Mr Bala Moodley, the interest of a representative of the Zimbabwean tobacco industry in purchasing tons of tobacco drying wire from his company will turn his company’s fortunes around if it results into a concrete deal.
“He said there are thousands of tobacco farmers in Zimbabwe who could be interested in the wire to dry the tobacco leaves on. If we finally seal a deal, I will have a really big market to supply with our products. The assembling could take place in Zimbabwe and this can create employment in the country. We also found company that is interested in distributing our produces as our agent,” said Moodley.
It was the first trade and investment mission organised by the dti that the CEO of Kidrogen, a Cape Town-based company, Mr Andile Peter has ever participated in. For him the presentations made at business seminars on how to do business in Zimbabwe were an eye-opener.
“As a first-time participant in a mission my main objective was to gather as much information as possible about the Zimbabwean business environment in particular. I learnt a lot from the guidelines that were unpacked during the seminars. There are possible business opportunities that I have identified here including exporting wine to Bulawayo, investing in a chicken franchise and transportation operation,” said Peter.
In a debriefing with the dti officials in Bulawayo yesterday, almost all of the businesspeople in the delegation told of the good leads that they would have to follow up on as soon as they were back in South Africa. They expressed confidence that most of the leads will result in concrete deals.
Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe-Departmental Spokesperson
Tel: (012) 394 1650
Mobile: 079 492 1774
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
Issued by: The Department of Trade and Industry
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