Gauteng Steel Company Seeks to Increase Exports to USA |
| The Key Accounts Manager at Hall Longmore – a steel pipe manufacturing company based in Gauteng, Ms Mmatsheko Shai says she is optimistic that the company will export around 30 000 metric tons into the United States of America (USA) market by end of 2019, with the intention to grow the number in the next five years. The company is amongst the 20 companies that received financial support from the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) to participate in the during the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) that will take place in Houston, Texas in the US from 6-9 May 2019.
Shai says the steel pipe requirements in the local market do not fill their available capacity and the US market plays a capacity utilisation role by supplementing to their production and providing an opportunity to fill the capacity. “Hall Longmore is currently doing business in the US exporting an average of 2 500 metric tons of steel piping into the US per month. This is a competitive market as steel pipe for the oil and gas market is manufactured and supplied from all over the world, it requires us to stay competitive,” says Shai. According to her, Hall Longmore currently employs 333 people and expanding their client base in the US would translate into more productions and subsequently creation of more jobs. Speaking ahead of the conference, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies said the South African National Pavilion at the conference will assist the South African companies identify opportunities within the US’s up, mid and downstream value-chain integration. The US is one of South Africa’s key trading partners in the world today, and the bilateral trade relationship has maintained a consistent pattern of expansion since 1994. Enquiries: |
the dti and Langeberg Municipality to Lead a Safe Paraffin Appliances Awareness Campaign in Ashton |
| The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) together with Langeberg Municipality, National Consumer Commission (NCC) and the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) will lead a safe paraffin appliances awareness campaign that will take place at the Cogmanskloof Sport Fields in Ashton, Western Cape on Friday, 3 May 2019.
According to the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, the campaign is aimed at raising awareness about the usage of safe paraffin stoves and to eliminate poor quality stoves that contribute to fires that often devastate informal settlements across the country. “The campaign is also aimed at improving inter-governmental cooperation and facilitates service delivery where the provision of safe consumer goods is concerned, and enable further face-to-face community engagements to make them aware of the risks posed by non-compliant products with regards to safety, health and matters of environmental protection as well as the rights of the consumers,” says Davies. The Municipal Manager of Langeberg Municipality, Mr Soyisile Mokweni says Langeberg Municipality is committed to improved service delivery, which does not stop at merely providing basic services to our communities. “We are constantly striving to find ways to address pressing community issues and to get everyone involved, active and prepared. The safety and protection of our residents is one such issue which the Langeberg Municipality does not take lightly. Vulnerable communities are often left exposed and exploited, especially during winter months when resources become scarce, forcing them to use cheap appliances to cook and keep warm,” says Mokweni. Mokweni adds that the campaign is a combined government effort, aimed at assisting communities to be informed and educated about their safety, protection and their rights as consumers. “Valuable information will be shared and I trust and encourage residents to take full advantage of this opportunity, because nothing is more rewarding than to have the knowledge and ability to actively protect ourselves,” he says. The Commissioner of the NCC, Mr Ebrahim Mohamed says that in terms of the Consumer Protection Act, consumers have a right to fair value, good quality and safety when it comes to transactions for goods or services with a supplier. According to Mohamed, consumers must know about and understand their consumer rights because it will enable them to be active citizens that insist on quality, and legally compliant products. “The knowledge and information that we will impart through this campaign will empower our people to key among others things, avoid unsafe and non-compliant paraffin stoves in the marketplace. It is very often than not, such products that trigger large scale fire devastation in communities around the country, during the cold seasons of the year,” added Mohamed. Enquiries: |
The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) will be participating in various exhibitions, trade shows and National Pavilions to promote locally manufactured products in international markets. The department invites manufacturers and registered exporters to participate in the international trade shows listed in the links below. If your company is competitive in the South African market, has been in business for at least two years and is export ready, it stands to benefit from the dti‘s Export Marketing and Investment Assistance scheme.
The Special Economic Zones Programme has reached its full implementation stage, and the total number of operational investors in designated Special Economic Zones has now reached 115 with a private investment value of over R16.8 billion. This was said by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies. Davies was speaking at the first National Special Economic Zones (SEZs) Investment Conference that is hosted by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti), in partnership with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) on 3 April 2019.
South Africa’s Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies addressing the BRICS Business Council Mid-Term meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa
Minister Trade & Industry Rob Davies says if the UK leaves the European Union with no agreement in place, this could impact South Africa’s trade and exports – especially duties on products like sugar and automotive vehicles. Read more
Frustration led wheelchair innovator to thrive in Business |
| The rugby wheelchair innovator Mr Jared Mcintyre says through his journey with the wheelchair rugby club and frustration of cost of equipment he was motivated enough to look for solutions that will benefit future disabled participants in the sport. Mcintyre was speaking at the World Intellectual Property Day celebrations hosted in Bloemfontein, Free State.
The event targeted the general public, youth, academics, small businesses, legal fraternity and government departments involved in the field of intellectual property. Mcintyre, who suffered a spinal injury after diving into a lake while he was studying for a Business Management qualification at the Central University of Technology (CUT) said it was during this time that he came up with an idea to manufacture cost effective rugby wheelchairs that will move the sport forward in South Africa. “I approached the CUT to manufacture these rugby wheelchairs at an affordable price that can be made accessible to anyone who had interest in the sport. We then trained two guys who were able to increase the volume and then commercialise, and adapted our manufacturing process to suit children with disabilities and adults who previously had limited participation in the sport,” said Mcintyre. Mcintyre added that he was in the process of registering intellectual property for the rugby wheelchair manufacturing process. “Out of frustration I found a solution that ended up benefiting a lot of people and they are so many ideas out there that people think that are so small and insignificant but actually something like a small idea might be able to change a community or might be able to change someone’s life. I will encourage people not to think of their ideas as insignificant or small but that they should pursue their dream and vision,” he said. The Senior Manager for Copyrights at the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, Mr Kadi Petje said this year the Intellectual Property Day celebration was successful in pursuing government mandate of educating learners and innovators about Intellectual Property rights and systems. “The school learners also tasted intellectual property flavour from a variety of partners which gave them a value for their participation. There was also a reflection on intellectual property and its socio economic importance in our daily lives and also the introductory provision responding to technological evolution so that our laws remain relevant to digital platforms,” said Petje. Issued by the dti in partnership with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, Department of Science and Technology, Central University of Technology, National Intellectual Property Management Office, Small Enterprise Development Agency, Free State Development Corporation, Technology Innovation Agency and The Innovation Hub.
Enquiries: |
Upgrading Infrastructure will Create Jobs. |
| 2019-04-29. |
| The upgrading of infrastructure in industrial parks located in or near the country’s townships will go a long way in transforming the economy and creating job opportunities. This was said by The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Bulelani Magwanishe at the launch of the revitalised Nkowankowa Industrial Park in Tzaneen today.
The event marked the end of the first phase of the upgrading of the park by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) at a cost of R40 million. The renovation was part of the department’s Industrial Parks Revitalisation Programme which started in 2016 and is aimed at upgrading the infrastructure of all of the country’s state-owned industrial parks. “The Industrial Parks Revitalisation Programme, through which the Nkowankowa Industrial Park is launched will go a long way in creating a conducive environment for the companies to create job opportunities and grow the economy of the area. The development of economic infrastructure promotes economic transformation and the establishment of Black Industrialists in productive sectors of our economy by way of shared value and wealth creation,” said Magwanishe. Upgrades of the first phase of the Nkowankowa Industrial Park included the renovation of some warehouses; installation of CCTV system, fence, pedestrian and vehicular gates, as well high mast lights “Situated along the Phalaborwa Corridor, the Nkowankowa Industrial Park remains a strategic location for regional and inter-continental trade as it is connected to Nelspruit, Tzaneen and the deep water port of Maputo in Mozambique. This permits access to a variety of transportation routes, making the park an attractive investment destination for export production, packaging and beneficiation of minerals,” added Magwanishe. He also said that in pursuit of industrialisation, the government will ensure the completion of all related phases to the park, which has attained an 88% occupancy, for the sake of increased job creation and the empowerment of small business in the region. Speaking at the same event, the Deputy Minister of Small Business Development, Mr Cassel Mathale said he was excited about the Industrial Parks Revitalisation Programme because it would benefit mainly small businesses. “Industrial parks like the one we are launching today will go a long way in addressing the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment in township and rural communities like this one of Nkowankowa and the surrounding areas. As a department, we support the work that is being done here by the dti. We are committing ourselves to collaborating with the dti as all three spheres of government need to support initiatives by people who want to do business by making it possible for them to access funding,” said Mathale. Upgrading of the Nkowankowa park was part of the dti’s Industrial Parks Revitalisation Programme which the department started to implement in 2016. The main objective of the programme is to promote industrialisation, accelerate economic growth, attract investment, promote transformation and encourage the establishment of black industrialists in the industrial parks. The programme is also aimed at supporting job creation in manufacturing and related sectors. So far twelve industrial parks have been renovated throughout the country to the tune of half-a-billion rand since the inception of the programme
Enquiries:
|
SA firms to showcase their capabilities in the USA |
| A South African delegation from the steel and fabrication; engineering and services; electro technical and services; and oil and gas sectors will showcase their capabilities at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) that will take place in Houston, Texas in the United States of America (USA) from 06 – 09 May 2019. The companies are supported by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) through its Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA) Scheme.
The objective of the scheme is to develop export markets for South African products and services and to recruit new foreign direct investment into the country. The scheme also seeks to facilitate market access for the exhibiting South African companies. The 20 SA firms will showcase their products at the South African National Pavilion during the OTC conference where energy professionals meet to exchange ideas and opinions to advance scientific and technical knowledge for offshore resources and environmental matters. According to the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, the South African National Pavilion at the conference is an ideal platform for the South African companies to meet international oil and gas companies, equipment suppliers and engineering services providers. He adds that the pavilion will assist in exposing South African business to international markets with the objective of making them competitive at an international level. “The conference will assist the South African companies identify opportunities within the US’s up, mid and downstream value-chain integration. The US is one of South Africa’s key trading partners in the world today, and the bilateral trade relationship has maintained a consistent pattern of expansion since 1994. The US currently represents an export destination for between 12-15% of all South Africa’s exports,” adds Davies. Enquiries: |
Government meets with the South African Cane Growers Association (SACGA) on Sugar Crisis |
| The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies met with the South African Cane Growers Association (SACGA) to discuss the impact of imported sugar on the sugar value chain in South Africa in general and on sugar cane growers in particular. The cane growers indicated that the increases in sugar imports have an unavoidable impact on the competitiveness of South African sugar industry. The industry has suffered a massive reduction in sales to the beverage sector as they reformulated away from sugar. The industry highlighted the challenges they face and the need for urgency in finding solutions before the situation deteriorates to becoming an existential threat for the survival of the sugar growers.
Exploratory discussion about finding solutions led to the recommendation that the industry as a whole needs to propose a long-term vision and industrial plan that takes into account the impact of global developments and the shifting landscape in the sugar industry. It was agreed that the relevant stakeholders need to meet to consider the various options available. Both the Department and the South African Cane Growers Association agreed that there is a need to urgently address the potential threats associated with an increasing replacement of local sugar with imports, particularly with unemployment. The meeting agreed to seek rapid solutions to the challenges facing the sugar industry focusing on short, medium to long-term plans. The meeting concluded that the tariff support provided to the industry should be complemented by improving competitiveness of the domestic industry to ensure its long term continued viability. There is a need for the SA sugar industry to consider diversifying its product offerings and look at bio based niche product markets in order to increase sustainability, grow the revenue source and contribute as a transformed, competitive and profitable job creating industry.
Enquiries: |
