The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Eastern Cape urgently calls on the MEC for DEDEAT, Nonkqubela Pieters, to ensure that the Eastern Cape Export Symposium deliberations are acted upon swiftly. The livelihoods of thousands of residents in our province depend on it.

This week I joined Andrew Whitfield MP, the DA Eastern Cape Leader and Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry, and Competition, at the 6th Eastern Cape Export Symposium and Exhibition hosted by the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC),

The Symposium, hosted in East London, celebrated the province’s abundant trade opportunities and highlighted the export-oriented economy’s significant potential for growth and industrialization.

While the Eastern Cape currently exports various products and commodities worldwide, there is considerable room for expanding this trade by better understanding market requirements, trends, demands, and regulations.

The ECDC is commended for creating a platform that empowers businesses to grasp these essential elements of trading in foreign markets.

Delegates expressed optimism about the potential for export-led growth and job creation in the Eastern Cape. However, the message to the government was overwhelmingly clear: the biggest obstacle to realising this potential is the lack of an enabling environment, which requires immediate attention. As global trade partners continue increasing their competitiveness, South Africa, particularly the Eastern Cape, is falling behind.

Our logistics sector, especially the rail network and the inefficiencies at the province’s three ports, continues to hinder our ability to efficiently and affordably bring Eastern Cape products to the global market.

Additionally, our regulatory framework for new products, such as hemp and cannabis, is lagging behind market demand, preventing the province from capitalising on the job creation opportunities these industries present.

Significant opportunities exist for the Eastern Cape to leverage global market access and trade agreements with major partners. The ball is in the court of the Eastern Cape government to adopt a whole-of-government approach to overcoming challenges and investing in the infrastructure needed for the province’s economy to grow.

English

Afrikaans