City backs proudly SA expo and conference

By Mandisi Tyulu
12 November 2008

The City of Cape Town has provided R200 000 to help sponsor the Proudly South African Expo and Conference that will be held at the Grand West Arena and Market Hall, Goodwood, on November 17 and 18.

The event is organized by COSATU and is the first of its kind for Cape Town. It will be co- sponsored by the Provincial Government of the Western Cape, Metropolitan and Absa.

Premier Lynne Brown and Mayor Helen Zille will be the keynote speakers at the opening function.

Councillor Simon Grindrod, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic, Social Development and Tourism says "The Expo will profile and market local firms, facilitate business linkages and encourage demand for the products of local industries, all of which help to prevent job losses.

The Expo is a co-operative venture between the City and its social partners, provincial government, business, labour and civil society. We envisage it becoming an important annual event that supports the industrial base of the city".

"We need to reposition the manufacturing sector in order to expand business and employment opportunities as part of our competitiveness strategy. This Buy Local Campaign is an initiative that evolved out of expressed interest to sustain local manufacturing and to build a stronger textile industry in Cape Town and the region.

Through outreach, marketing, and special initiatives we seek to raise individual and institutional awareness about the benefits of buying locally manufactured good and services and to make such products an integral part of our daily life," he added.