A delegation of officials from South Africa on Wednesday pitched the country as an attractive destination for trade. “We are sister countries and our ties go back 140 years when the first Indians arrived in South Africa. We began as oppressed and not as oppressors. India was the first country to raise the issue of Apartheid. This shared commonality is very important for us, as we try to forge better trade ties,” said Joel Sibusiso Ndebele, the South African High Commissioner to India.
At a seminar on ‘Trade and Investment Opportunities in South Africa’, the SA official spoke about the range of trade opportunities that exist in that country. “We have world-class financial institutions, an independent judiciary that ensures the safety of investment and the whole of the African continent as a market. Over the next three years, we are focussing on pharma, renewable energy, IT and infrastructure where Indian businessmen can invest,” said Mr. Joel.
“South Africa is open for business. There are sectoral opportunities that have remained untapped. Most people think SA is only minerals, but we are an attractive destination for manufacturing. SA has good roads and good infrastructure, the standard of living is high, and we have a huge pool of talent,” said Recado Andrews, Minister Counsellor, at the South African mission in Delhi.
Earlier, Regional Passport Officer Vishnu Vardhan Reddy spoke about how the upcoming ‘Gandhi-Mandela Centre of Specialisation for Artisan Skills’ would help improve skilling of people in both the countries. “There is a lot of potential for trade. While we believe in Vasudeva Kutumbakam, South Africa believes in Ubuntu. This shared philosophy and history should help us tap trade and investment opportunities in both the countries,” said Mr. Reddy.
