The language barrier hampers engagement between Chinese and local businesses.
More than a dozen Chinese businesspeople from the Guangdong Province met with local business representatives on Monday 20 June at the Saldanha Bay Municipality. The delegates were from various sectors ranging from construction and logistics to manufacturers of sanitary products. “I believe that Saldanha Bay is a gateway to the country, as South Africa is the gateway to the continent. There are many opportunities for locals to learn from China, but also for China to learn from South Africa,” said Prof Baojin Zhao, one of the organisers of the meeting.
Locals at the event welcomed the visit, but said better engagement between hopeful investors and the community is needed. The Chinese delegation didn’t give a presentation owing to the language barrier.
“The community is hungry for opportunities,” says Ngamla Morgan de Beer, chairman of the Saldanha Bay Business Chamber. “We (as local businesspeople) have a lot to offer investors, but we have a handicap in terms of infrastructure and resources.” This, he says, is where outside investors can help. “We need them, but they also need us,” he added.
Janette Cawood of the West Coast Business Chamber agreed: “The more we can have such talks with possible investors, the better. Creating opportunities can help address the socio-economic problems and create much needed jobs.” She added that if investors were willing to provide training it would empower the local workforce.
The Chinese delegation, led by Wen Jiyou, chairman of the Guangdong Biyun Commerce and development group in the Guangdong Province, received an overview of the projects and developments in the region. The visitors showed an interest in the local construction sector and the proposed Aquaculture Development Zone (ADZ) in the Bay.
After a networking opportunity with locals, the delegation visited the Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) in Saldanha.
Saldanha Bay’s Mayor Francois Schippers thanked the group for their interest and said the municipality will do everything in their power to create an environment conducive to investment.
