Wesgro confident of Cape’s survival

TOURISM, trade and investment promotion agency Wesgro stands firmly behind its mantra that the city and the province will survive the drought.

The agency stressed that despite current conditions, trade and investment kept coming in.

This sentiment came as Wesgro signed a memorandum of understanding with the UK’s department for international trade, which aims to build on trade between the two countries.

The UK’s trade director for southern Africa, Elena Williams, said bilateral trade between the UK and South Africa stood at £9 billion for 2016.

She said the drought and the political situation would not affect trade.

“We have received lots of positive communication from Wesgro, the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape that the region is indeed open for business,” said Williams at the signing of the agreement on Wednesday in Cape Town.

Williams told Weekend Argus 400 000 British tourists had visited South Africa in the 2016/2017 period.

The UK was the Western Cape’s second largest export destination and eighth largest import market in 2016. Wines were the leading export product in 2016, valued at $108 million. This was followed by grapes, totalling $106m and citrus fruit at $89m.

“Cape Town and the Western Cape offer a fantastic business environment. It’s easy to dock here and I don’t see that changing,” said Williams.

Her sentiments were shared by British MP and the UK prime minister’s trade envoy to South Africa, Andrew Selous, who said Cape Town and the province remained “extremely important to the UK”.

“We stand shoulder to shoulder with South Africa. You are resourceful people and I have no doubt you will get through this.”

Selous told Weekend Argus despite the drought and the “political situation”, South Africa’s “institutional framework is very strong and business will continue to grow”.

Wesgro chief executive Tim Harris said between January 2003 and June 2016, the Western Cape attracted 82 foreign direct investment projects valued at $31bn from the UK.

“The UK is also the Cape’s second- largest trading partner, accounting for over $ 600m in exports. Building on this important relationship is therefore critical for our regional economy, its growth and the many jobs we seek to create.

“Investors are satisfied that the city and province have a plan to address the drought.”

Harris said residents had heeded the call to save water and last week used less than half the water used during the same period three years ago. “This is an unprecedented performance globally.”

Harris said the city was engaging with California, Spain and Australia, also popular tourist destinations, to learn lessons from places which had also experienced drought.

“In the end I believe we will be seen as one of the most resilient cities in the world,” he said.

Wesgro maintains “Cape Town is and will remain open for business”.

Wesgro chief executive Tim Harris has every confidence that Cape Town is still an investment and tourism destination despite current challenges.