14 May 2010

THE City of Tshwane is hosting the Tshwane International Trade and Infrastructure Investment Conference (TITIIC) at the CSIR International Convention Centre from 24 to 26 May 2010.

Already in its third successful year, this conference is strategically pitched before the 2010 FIFA World Cup to take advantage of the influx of business people to the country.

The event comprises a two-day conference, business-to-business meetings, business and industry exhibitions and networking events. Daytime tours to the city and related investment destinations, as well as a golf day, have been organised for the third day.

A highlight is the mayoral gala dinner at which business and tourism awards will be presented to companies to reward them for performance excellence. A concurrent exhibition will showcase the very best Tshwane has to offer, while also offering South African, African and international organisations the opportunity to exhibit their services and products.

TITIIC will focus on Tshwane's role in South Africa and its key sectors of interest, as well as Africa's role as an emerging market. Furthermore, it intends to highlight Tshwane's economic potential as a favourable investment and business location and preferred tourist and event destination.

The conference will also draw attention to the city's export potential and will focus strongly on business linkages.

The conference is structured to facilitate the cross-pollination of opportunities that the city offers international investors while exposing local business to international best practice. The programme will aggressively promote the city's preparedness as a 2010 FIFA World Cup" host city.

According to Councillor Subesh Pillay, Member of the Mayoral Committee for City Planning and Economic Development, TITIIC is organised as part of a progressive effort to give wings to the city's objectives to provide leadership and facilitate strategic partnerships for economic development as anticipated by the Tshwane Growth and Development and the City Development Strategies.

"Since last year, TITIIC has already generated trade in excess of R40 million for the city," he said.

Pillay says that Tshwane has a balanced and diverse industrial economy, including businesses in information and communication technology, steel, pharmaceuticals, electronics and a growing agricultural sector. According to him the city places strong emphasis on the development of the seven priority sectors of the city's economy, namely:

• Tourism and creative industries
• Automotive and components
• Manufacturing
• Aerospace and defence-related technologies
• Business process outsourcing and offshoring
• Urban agriculture and agro-processing
• Knowledge-based industries

"One of the objectives of the City of Tshwane is to act as a channel for bilateral trade agreements with other regions of the world, to attract investors and investments, and to open new markets," he says.

Tshwane's fast-growing industrial sector houses, among others, the automotive cluster. Modern vehicle assembly plants in Rosslyn and Waltloo industrial areas produce more than 40% of all vehicles exported from South Africa. The Automotive Supplier Park optimises efficient logistics in production, assembly, distribution and marketing of vehicles to enhance the competitiveness of the industry.

Pillay says that as the intellectual capital, the city has adopted a strategy to embrace innovation.

The Innovation Hub is a conglomeration of leading-edge, high-technology specialist electronic companies that form the core of South Africa's electronic research and development capabilities and is attracting local and international players in telecommunication, electronics and the information technology sector.

He says that through the Smart City Project, information and communication technology infrastructure is being rolled out for a citywide broadband service network via the City of Tshwane's fibre-optic network infrastructure.

In partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Automotive Industrial Development Corporation, the City of Tshwane is currently developing the Centurion Aerospace Village to attract strategic investment in the aerospace sector.

With regard to urban agriculture, Tshwane was the first metro to implement a fully dedicated structure to support and develop urban agriculture to satisfy subsistence and economic needs.

"The City of Tshwane is currently working on mega economic development initiatives such as the establishment of the Tshwane Economic Development Agency, investment incentives and SMME support," says Pillay.

Source: Tshwane