Issued by: The Department of Trade and Industry
18 November 1997
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Alec Erwin, visited Lusaka, Zambia on 13 November 1997 at the invitation of the Zambian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI).
In his address to the ZACCI, Mr Erwin emphasized the importance of promoting trade and investment for the development of the Southern African region. He noted that the current imbalances between South Africa and Zambia were inimical to the mutual interests of both countries. In this regard, he assured Zambia of South Africa's determination to sign the draft trade agreement early in 1998 and offered to send a technical delegation to explore investment opportunities in Zambia.
Mr Erwin took advantage of the opportunity to hold discussions with his counterpart, Mr Alfeyo Hambayi, the Zambian Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry. The discussions centred on the envisaged trade agreement between the member states of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Agreement and Zambia, and the need for concerted effort to promote South African investments into Zambia Mr Hambayi expressed satisfaction with the momentum to conclude and sign the trade agreement early in 1998.
Officials of the Department of Trade and Industry who accompanied Mr Erwin to Zambia, held fruitful technical discussions with their Zambian counterparts. The meeting agreed that Zambia would submit formally proposals for the refinement of certain provisions of the draft trade agreement within one week. Upon conclusion of the technical details, the draft trade agreement will be submitted to the Cabinets of the various governments for their consideration of signature.
South Africa undertook to brief fully its SACU partners on the exchanges with the Zambian government. It is envisaged that a fully fledged meeting of officials of the SACU countries and Zambia will take place during the first week of December 1997.
Issued by the Chief Directorate: Foreign Trade of the Department of Trade and Industry Pretoria
@ Three of the five South Africans taken hostage at their home by a Taiwanese man Tuesday were injured in an exchange of fire between their captor and the police and were later set free, it was reported here.
A grey-haired man thought to be South African military attache McGile Alexander and his wife were taken out of their home on stretchers, a local television showed.
It said both of them were slightly injured and rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment.
His 22-year-old daughter Melanie, too was taken out by a medical personnel.
"I want my wife and daughters to get out of there," McGile shouted.
Two other people, including McGile's 12-year-old daughter Christine, and a seven-month-old toddler, were still left behind.
The hostage taker, thought to be Taiwan's most wanted kidnapper Chen Chin-hsin, demanded the authorities set free his wife and friends detained for their alleged role in a high-profile kidnapping and murder earlier this year.
The television said the hostage-taker was also injured in the exchange of fire with the police.