The Mpumalanga provincial government held a dialogue with the CII India Business Forum of South Africa at Southern Sun Mbombela on September 30.

This comes after an engagement with the consul general of India, Senguttuvan Koventhan, and his delegation on September 29.

Their dialogue centred on strengthening co-operation in investment, trade, skills development and job creation.

The engagement emphasised the importance of aligning skills programmes with employment opportunities, strengthening rural economies and expanding market access for local businesses, particularly those owned by young people and women, into the Indian market. The potential for collaboration in diversifying the energy economy and advancing the green transition was also underscored.

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This exchange focused on expanding business opportunities and deepening collaboration to drive sustainable job creation for the people of the province.

Ndlovu highlights green energy and tourism

Premier Mandla Ndlovu said they agreed on the need to advance green energy, improve the use of technology and strengthen the education system by introducing innovations so that learners can secure jobs or create them to sustain themselves. “In addition, we must continue to invest in tourism, our strongest economic sector, to unlock further opportunities for growth and prosperity,” he added.

Call for investment in agribusiness

“First, we warmly invite the Indian agribusiness sector to partner with our local agricultural industries. Mpumalanga produces world-class volumes of citrus, subtropical fruits, nuts and sugar. However, our strategic goal is to move up the value chain through local processing and beneficiation. By establishing advanced manufacturing and packaging operations within the Nkomazi Special Economic Zone, we can combine Mpumalanga’s agricultural production with India’s world-class food-processing technologies. This will allow us to create high-value products for export to both the SADC region and broader international markets.

“Second, we see significant opportunities for collaboration in the energy sector. Mpumalanga is actively diversifying our provincial grid through low-carbon and renewable initiatives,” explained Ndlovu.

He said the initial courtesy visits have paved the way and now is the time for action and implementation.

Seminar to expand trade relations

Koventhan stressed that the engagement must evolve into a structured and lasting partnership, with Indian companies contributing through investment, skills transfer and job creation.

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The visit will be followed by a business networking seminar involving more than 20 delegates from the India Business Forum, providing Mpumalanga businesses with opportunities to explore trade relations, engage potential partners and expand co-operation in key sectors.