LOCALISATION IS KEY IN JOB CREATION - DEPUTY MINISTER MASINA

LOCALISATION IS KEY IN JOB CREATION - DEPUTY MINISTER MASINA

The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Mzwandile Masina says localisation of automotive components is keys in creating sustainable jobs in South Africa. Deputy Minister Masina was speaking at the one of the automotive plant companies that he visited in Brits, North-West.

Deputy Minister Masina visited Pasdec Automotive Technologies and Inergy Automotive systems which both received funding from the Department of Trade and Industry’s (the dti) Automotive Incentives Scheme to the tune of R 3.7 million and R9 million, respectively.

The visits were part of taking the dti to the Factories campaign. The campaign aimed at offering the political leadership of the department an opportunity to interact with directors of companies which have received funding from the dti in order to assess the impact of the financial support.

Deputy Minister Masina said it was important for the dti to interact with industries in order to create a dialogue which will enable government to expand on the current support that they offer to different sectors of the economy.

“It is also imperative for us to support the automotive sector which is one of the most critical sectors that drives sustainability, job creation, competitiveness and all-inclusive growth,” said Masina.

 Masina also said the dti would continuously support industries that create opportunities for localisation as it is one of the most critical policies that government is currently implementing.

“Localisation can open doors to previously disadvantaged entrepreneurs who can then create jobs in their communities,” added Masina.

He urged the automotive sector to also take part in different trade missions that are undertaken bythe dti in order to improve on their Research and Development strategies.

The Country Director of Inergy Automotive systems Mr Arthur Mtombeni welcomed the dti initiative to engage the automotive sector as it is one of the key job drivers in the country.

Mtombeni said he was confident that these engagements would bear fruits in the future especially when the company wants to expand their productions with assistance from government.