Sidwell Medupe, Department of Trade and Industry, confirmed that Deputy Minister Elizabeth Thabethe would lead the delegation comprising businesspeople from various provinces as part of the Investment and Trade Initiative.
“The ITI is part of the DTI’s Export and Investment Promotion Strategy that focuses on targeted high growth markets with the objective of creating investment and export opportunities for South African companies and promoting South Africa as a trade and investment destination”.
“The ITI’s programme of activities includes exhibitions, business seminars and business-to-business meetings, providing opportunities to create market penetration for South African value-added products and services in Zimbabwe,” Medupe said in an interview ahead of the visit.
This is the second such visit this year. In March, Thabethe led a delegation of 49 South African companies to Zimbabwe to explore trade opportunities.
The visits follow rising trade between the two countries. In 2011 trade between Zimbabwe and South Africa was worth $2.3 billion.
A young entrepreneur Eunice Digangoane, an entrepreneur from Limpopo who is part of the delegation that will visit Zimbabwe, said he was looking forward to the event.
“It will be the first time that I’m going to exhibit in an African country other than South Africa. I’m hoping that the trip will assist me establish a market for my products in Zimbabwe. I’m confident that visitors who will pass by my stall at the exhibitions in both cities will find my products very appealing as they are beautiful and unique.
It would be good to receive bulk orders but my real target is being able to establish a long-term partnership or contract that will enable me to supply my products to the Zimbabweans on a regular basis,” she said.
Post published in: Business