Representatives from 20 African countries arrived in Potchefstroom for the Sawubona Africa and Brics Roadshow organised by the JB Marks Local Municipality in North West, to try and woo local investors.
The three-day trade and investment conference is expected to showcase investment opportunities that are available in South Africa
SADC countries were among the first to take up the networking opportunity and the Zimbabwean Consul General Eriya Phiri said there’s potential for increased trade with South Africa.
Phiri said Zimbabwe has lithium, a natural mineral that is critical for clean energy, and that it could resolve South Africa’s current energy issues.
“What we are mainly calling for is the beneficiation and value-adding of our products. We got lithium in Zimbabwe but currently we are exporting it as raw mineral, we are inviting any investor to come and partner with us.
“We have also noticed that there is a lot of platinum, especially in the North West province where our investors from Zimbabwe can also come, so we are saying let’s leverage on those opportunities which exist between our two brotherly and sisterly countries,” he said.
Phiri said the two countries can exchange those resources to make sure that they come up with high-value products, which they can export to any country.
Lesotho’s Consul General Diranyane Thamaye pointed out that South Africa has a lot of investment opportunities like gold while Lesotho doesn’t.
“We do not have gold in Lesotho, we do not have platinum but we have something that South Africa does not have. I think South Africa can have diamonds but I do not think that they have the diamonds that we have in Lesotho,” he said.
The conference is the first of its kind to be held in the North West and the government hopes it will unlock opportunities.
