Zweli Mkhize offers advice to SA business

He told the Progressive Business Forum breakfast at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg today that the country’s economic cake was for everybody to enjoy, including big business. He said white business should not worry about losing out as ANC policy was about expanding the economy to include all.

Mkhize spent a lot of time in his address advising about the importance of looking north to other African countries for business opportunities. He said business and government should operate as one to explore opportunities in the continent, especially for exports.

“You are not going to grow unless you set your eyes out there. Africa is where we should focus. We can’t build on the same base that we started on in 1994, there has to be a change.”

The pattern of investment had to change and investing in other parts of Africa would help to find new markets.

“Let us invest in the rest of the continent.”

Business must use the same culture they practise in South Africa to operate businesses elsewhere.

“There are opporunities for growth in Africa. We are happy that most of South African business has moved to other parts of the continent such as Nigeria.

“Let’s broaden the base, let’s go to Africa. If you want to export various commodities, come because we are about pulling one another up for the good of our economy.”

South Africa would not be seen as a colonial power on the continent but a partner, he said.

But Mkhize stressed that the need for skills development and the use of new technology in business.

“The skill is what produces. It’s about education, it’s about skills and it’s about technology,” Mkhize said.

– ericn@citizen.co.za