The present positive outlook should see growth trends return to 4% by 2011, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said on Wednesday.

Acting deputy director general of the DTI, Sipho Zikode, told the four-day Competitiveness Week Summit held in Boksburg that in order to achieve these levels of growth, it was necessary to increase both productivity performance and competitiveness.

"In this regard the aim of government is to strengthen competitiveness and promote small, medium and micro enterprises as well as cooperatives for the creation of sustainable jobs," said Zikode

He said the DTI would encourage levels of competitiveness of South African companies with renewed focus on increasing capabilities of previously underdeveloped regions.

Speaking on behalf of the National Economic Development and Labour Council, executive director Herbert Mkhize said industrial action had become a threat to productivity.

"For productivity to happen there must be harmony around the workplace," Mkhize said.

He said that government needed to play a major role in developing competitiveness in order to compete on a global scale.

The summit will end on June 4.