Current Edition >> Archive Section >> Special Features >> 15 December - 31 January 2005

Awards for Export Excellence 2005

The Premier's Award for Export Excellence was held on 9 December 2005 at the Welkom Inn, Welkom, with the prestigious event attended by an array of invited guests. Guest speaker was the MEC for Tourism, Environmental & Economic Affairs, Mr. Neo Masithela, while the program director was Mr. Vuyo Mbuli of Morning Live.
The Premier's Awards are presented annually in acknowledgement of the outstanding efforts by Free State exporters to promote and to contribute to this vital sector of the economy of South Africa.
This is the fifth year that this event has been arranged and exporters and potential exporters within the boundaries of the Free State were invited to take part. Five trophies were awarded to the overall winner and four category winners, as per below :

Speech by MEC for Tourism, Environmental & Economic Affairs, Mr. Neo Masithela at Awards Ceremony

I am pleased to be part of the event that recognizes the contribution made by men and women of our province towards economic growth and development of the Free State.Their role enables us to have a meaningful contribution in the overall gross domestic product of our country. Through their contributions, the province has a competitive advantage to participate in the global economy.
The last five years has been a true honour for the department in hosting this auspicious event. We are proud to say that through the participation of business, local governments and other key roleplayers, this event has grown in stature and has proven beyond doubt to be one of the prestigious events in the calendar of the Province. As testimony to the success stories of these companies, we are compelled as government to commit ourselves in finding ways of expanding their enterprises and ensure that we bring more participants into the field of exports.
Our partnership gives us the competitive advantage to unite under a common understanding of being Proudly South African. I hope all these companies subscribe to the Proudly South African campaign, which is the corporate identity that identifies local products with our country. Subscribing to the Proudly South African campaign provides each entrepreneur a chance to play a meaningful role in the promotion of our country.
More importantly it gives exporters an opportunity to entrench the South African brand in the global market. Once the international market identifies with our brand as a country, we will begin to have acceptance of international markets and in the process increase our market share. I hope economists will agree with me when I say once market share is on an increase so will our contribution be towards the national Gross Domestic Product.
The Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (PGDS) highlighted certain sectors as the ones that would be engaged in bringing concrete economic growth and development to the Free State Province.
The following are sectors involved in international trade exports:

Floriculture: The province has an advantage due to the opposing seasons of the southern and northern hemisphere. The province exports approximately 1.2 million cut flowers per annum to the Netherlands as its main market, followed by Switzerland and Australia.

Fruit and Vegetables: Approximately 100 000 tons of vegetable and 40 000 tons of fruits are produced every year. The industry is expanding and becoming increasingly export-oriented. However, most produce leaves the province unprocessed.

Leather tanning: The Free State is a major producer of livestock for South Africa. According to the Department of Trade and Industry, the manufacture of automotive upholstery leather in SA is raising dramatically, with the country currently the world's second largest producer of automotive leather. The Department of Trade and Industry went further to estimate that the world demand for leather is increasing at an average rate of 5.3%, valued to more than US$ 150 billion. The largest importers are Germany, Italy, France and the USA.

Jewellery manufacturing: Although there is a decline in the mining industry in the area of Lejweleputswa, the Economic, Employment and Investment Cluster has made significant strides in improving the jewellery industry's competitiveness in the Goldfields area. Investments have already been made in Virginia through the Virginia Jewellery School. The initiative has opened opportunities to young people to develop and unleash their creativity in this field and accord them with an opportunity to participate meaningfully to our economy.

Agro-industry development: The shift from conventional farming to commercial farming has yielded positive results, with more black farmers acquiring shares in business ventures and taking an active role in the economy. Sectors making their fair share of contribution to the GDP at market prices; are as follows:
Agriculture 6.7%;
Mining and quarry 11%;
Manufacturing 12.7%
Source : Stats SA - 2002

Agro-processing is but one of many ventures our companies can take full control of and ensure value-adding to our produce, thereby broadening beneficiation. From what we have seen earlier, it is clear that the province is still faced with a challenge of representation of women and small and medium micro enterprises (SMME's). Our national government's interventions has set continental and international platforms to make it possible that we deal with the challenges facing our SMME's to operate in free and fair business environments.
The FSPGDS (Free State Provincial Growth and Development Strategy) commits itself to continue penetrating international markets to ensure that it diversify new initiatives. We are gathered tonight to celebrate with the finalists and the winners of these awards, fully acknowledging their invaluable contribution to the economy. I would also like to congratulate the companies that will walk away with awards in the various categories.
I also would like to challenge all other Free State companies to follow your example of being willing to open up your organizations and subject yourselves to vigorous adjudication processes which were geared at helping you to become even more competitive in local and international trade markets.
I salute your commitment to excellence and nation building!

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