The India South Africa Chamber of Commerce (Isacc) will hold a cooperation workshop in conjunction with the Industrial Development Cooperation (IDC) next month on building alliances between Indian and South African companies.
Isacc said the workshop to be held on November 7 at the IDC Conference Centre in Sandton will discuss the theme ‘Cross-Border business alliances between Indian and South African firms: Investment, Trade, Human Resource and Policy Implications in a cross cultural context’.
One of the key speakers at the event will be Professor Neelam Rani (PHD and Full Bright Scholar) from the Indian Institute of Management Science, Shillong.
Isacc President Rahul Kaushik said the workshop is aimed at SMMEs and that the chamber will look to promote the promotion of cultural and economic ties between the two countries.
“The announcement by the Minister of Home Affairs after meeting with Isacc that he will improve the issuing of visas for tourists through the appointment of Trusted Tour Operators to process visas is a significant milestone.
“We will be accredited in this regard to assist cultural organisations by inviting monks, priests, skilled artisans, artists, scholars and students to travel to South Africa.”
He said more tourism opportunities will hopefully lead to more jobs being created in South Africa.
“This particular tourism looks at commercial activity, we must identify ways to engage more with Indian business people so that more people can visit South Africa in terms of business.
“When they arrive they will use hotels, restaurants and tourism venues so the commercial aspect of tourism is crucial.”
Kaushik said the benefit of an influx in commercial tourists from India will have a knock-on effect on the country’s tourism sector.
He said it was important to make the visa process more accessible and manageable.
“This will also help to create more conceptual restaurants than conventional restaurants.”
He said commercial real estate and infrastructure will also benefit from a better relationship with Indian business, saying there are significant benefits in terms of operations, management and maintenance and technology.”
Kaushik said the clothing and textile industry needed to be revived in the country while greater interest from an Indian perspective in the mining industry would also boost the economy.
“It will create employment opportunities for people in the textile industry. Mining is one of the pillars of the South African economy and we need people from India to come and invest.”
He said a skill mapping of the South African workforce was important so that workers can be upskilled in the target industries that have been identified as significant opportunities for improved trade relations.
He said that emanating from the workshop, a number of companies will be invited to be part of a business delegation that will travel to Delhi and Mumbai in India between December 2 to 6.
A strong government delegation including Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille, her department and other partners will be part of the delegation to engage with the tourism trade, media and airlines in India to encourage more tourists and business to visit South Africa.
The delegation will also take part in the celebration of thirty years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The Mercury