Date: 24/02/2003
Source: Western Cape Provincial Government
Title: Van Schalkwyk: Addressing EU parliamentarians in Cape Town
EXTRACT FROM THE SPEECH BY THE WESTERN CAPE PREMIER, MARTHINUS VAN SCHALKWYK, ADDRESSING VISITING EUROPEAN UNION PARLIAMENTARIANS, Cape Town, 24 February 2003
THE GROWING CAPE - EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVESTMENT
The Western Cape is alive with opportunities and potential for investment. Apart from the natural splendour and vast resources, which our province offers, recent political developments have brought new stability and long-term growth prospects to our region. In addition to being one of the most developed provinces in South Africa, with an economy, which has, in recent years, outpaced the rest of the country, the Western Cape Provincial Government has adopted a long-term strategy to ensure development, stability, and prosperity. This strategy, iKapa elihlumayo, is essentially about growing the Cape. It is the vehicle through which we intend to build a World Class Province, which Cares for all its people.
Over the past year, our NNP/ANC coalition government has started a process of fundamentally changing the structure of our economy to create economic growth. Our priorities are to reduce disparities and poverty, create jobs and expand ownership of the economy, so that more people can take advantage of our growing success.
With 69% of all household income in the Western Cape being labour income, and with a poverty rate of 29% for the province, it is clear that our efforts to drive growth must centre around particular industries. One of the keys to this restructuring is to adopt a sectorally driven approach to economic development.
Specific sectors have real potential to increase wage employment, lower income disparity and broaden the economic base of the province and it is to these sectors which our Provincial Government will be targeting our greatest support. These critical growth sectors also offer a range of attractive investment and development opportunities, specifically in the areas of agriculture, tourism, education, conferencing, and our rapidly expanding film and advertising industry.
Although the countries of Europe are already our largest trading partners, representing four of our top five export markets (and almost 40% of our exports), there are so many new exciting business and trade opportunities which are developing in our province that we believe there is a great potential for expanding European investment in our region. Among the many sectoral opportunities are:
Agriculture and food processing: With the wine and fruit exports of the Western Cape gaining new international popularity and a reputation for excellence, there are a number of opportunities for investment in new farms, new cultivars, organic foods and niche products like teas, olives, and flowers. The Western Cape Provincial Government is also committed to having settled 7 000 new emerging farmers from disadvantaged communities over the next few years, whose labour and produce will add great value to this sector, and great capacity for increased investment.
Tourism infrastructure: One of our strongest growth sectors is tourism. For the first time we have, in 2002, broken through the key barrier of 1 million overseas visitors in one year. The Western Cape received well over R4.5 billion from tourists over the recent festive season, a season which saw more than 290 000 overseas tourists visiting our province. We aim to attract 3 million overseas tourists annually by 2010, and to increase international tourism expenditure by visitors to the Western Cape to R40 billion (up from R9,7 billion in 1999). There is a great need for general tourism infrastructure like hotels, guesthouses, and B&Bs particularly in our rural regions, to meet the growing demand. There are also many opportunities for investment in specialist infrastructure like health tourism re-convalescence facilities and sports tourism.
Mining, gas, petro-chemicals, and energy: There is a growing need for the establishment of a service centre in Cape Town for West African oil and gas exploration activities; there is scope for the construction of a natural gas pipeline along the West Coast to Cape Town or Mossel Bay; and there is growing potential for the development of value added petro-chemical refinery products.
Textile, clothing, craft and leather: Following the outstanding success of the Cape Town Festival of Fashion last year, the Western Cape is rapidly positioning itself as one of the most creative and energetic fashion capitals in Africa. With our uniquely African motifs and home-grown materials like ostrich products, finely wrought gold and diamond creations, the partnership between the European fashion establishment and the fashion industry in the Western Cape, already established for decades with design houses like Hermes in France, is an opportunity for expansion waiting to be realised.
Film and media industry: With some of the most spectacular settings anywhere, weather conditions which are practically guaranteed, talented and experienced local professionals, and unmatched value-for-money, the Western Cape film and media industry is amongst the most exciting in the world. It is also just getting started. The building of advanced film studio facilities, and support services, is a priority goal for the province, and a great commercial opportunity for the international investor.
With the increased political stability in the Western Cape, and the ongoing programmes to ensure greater economic benefits are realised by our communities most in need, there has never been a better time to consider investing in our World Class Province.
Enquiries: Riaan Aucamp on 083-778-9923
Issued by Western Cape Provincial Government
24 February 2003
Source: Western Cape Provincial Government
Title: Van Schalkwyk: Addressing EU parliamentarians in Cape Town
EXTRACT FROM THE SPEECH BY THE WESTERN CAPE PREMIER, MARTHINUS VAN SCHALKWYK, ADDRESSING VISITING EUROPEAN UNION PARLIAMENTARIANS, Cape Town, 24 February 2003
THE GROWING CAPE - EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVESTMENT
The Western Cape is alive with opportunities and potential for investment. Apart from the natural splendour and vast resources, which our province offers, recent political developments have brought new stability and long-term growth prospects to our region. In addition to being one of the most developed provinces in South Africa, with an economy, which has, in recent years, outpaced the rest of the country, the Western Cape Provincial Government has adopted a long-term strategy to ensure development, stability, and prosperity. This strategy, iKapa elihlumayo, is essentially about growing the Cape. It is the vehicle through which we intend to build a World Class Province, which Cares for all its people.
Over the past year, our NNP/ANC coalition government has started a process of fundamentally changing the structure of our economy to create economic growth. Our priorities are to reduce disparities and poverty, create jobs and expand ownership of the economy, so that more people can take advantage of our growing success.
With 69% of all household income in the Western Cape being labour income, and with a poverty rate of 29% for the province, it is clear that our efforts to drive growth must centre around particular industries. One of the keys to this restructuring is to adopt a sectorally driven approach to economic development.
Specific sectors have real potential to increase wage employment, lower income disparity and broaden the economic base of the province and it is to these sectors which our Provincial Government will be targeting our greatest support. These critical growth sectors also offer a range of attractive investment and development opportunities, specifically in the areas of agriculture, tourism, education, conferencing, and our rapidly expanding film and advertising industry.
Although the countries of Europe are already our largest trading partners, representing four of our top five export markets (and almost 40% of our exports), there are so many new exciting business and trade opportunities which are developing in our province that we believe there is a great potential for expanding European investment in our region. Among the many sectoral opportunities are:
Agriculture and food processing: With the wine and fruit exports of the Western Cape gaining new international popularity and a reputation for excellence, there are a number of opportunities for investment in new farms, new cultivars, organic foods and niche products like teas, olives, and flowers. The Western Cape Provincial Government is also committed to having settled 7 000 new emerging farmers from disadvantaged communities over the next few years, whose labour and produce will add great value to this sector, and great capacity for increased investment.
Tourism infrastructure: One of our strongest growth sectors is tourism. For the first time we have, in 2002, broken through the key barrier of 1 million overseas visitors in one year. The Western Cape received well over R4.5 billion from tourists over the recent festive season, a season which saw more than 290 000 overseas tourists visiting our province. We aim to attract 3 million overseas tourists annually by 2010, and to increase international tourism expenditure by visitors to the Western Cape to R40 billion (up from R9,7 billion in 1999). There is a great need for general tourism infrastructure like hotels, guesthouses, and B&Bs particularly in our rural regions, to meet the growing demand. There are also many opportunities for investment in specialist infrastructure like health tourism re-convalescence facilities and sports tourism.
Mining, gas, petro-chemicals, and energy: There is a growing need for the establishment of a service centre in Cape Town for West African oil and gas exploration activities; there is scope for the construction of a natural gas pipeline along the West Coast to Cape Town or Mossel Bay; and there is growing potential for the development of value added petro-chemical refinery products.
Textile, clothing, craft and leather: Following the outstanding success of the Cape Town Festival of Fashion last year, the Western Cape is rapidly positioning itself as one of the most creative and energetic fashion capitals in Africa. With our uniquely African motifs and home-grown materials like ostrich products, finely wrought gold and diamond creations, the partnership between the European fashion establishment and the fashion industry in the Western Cape, already established for decades with design houses like Hermes in France, is an opportunity for expansion waiting to be realised.
Film and media industry: With some of the most spectacular settings anywhere, weather conditions which are practically guaranteed, talented and experienced local professionals, and unmatched value-for-money, the Western Cape film and media industry is amongst the most exciting in the world. It is also just getting started. The building of advanced film studio facilities, and support services, is a priority goal for the province, and a great commercial opportunity for the international investor.
With the increased political stability in the Western Cape, and the ongoing programmes to ensure greater economic benefits are realised by our communities most in need, there has never been a better time to consider investing in our World Class Province.
Enquiries: Riaan Aucamp on 083-778-9923
Issued by Western Cape Provincial Government
24 February 2003
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