SA businesses held back by procedural red tape

Yet the Department of Trade and Industry openly encourages SA companies to explore and exploit foreign markets. A softening of trade restrictions and duties would further open the world up to South African trade. South Africa�s largest trade and investment exhibition in London is opening at the end of September this year and the DTI, together with Chambers of Commerce SA and the IDC, have thrown their support behind the event. But local companies exhibiting at the event have discussed the trade fair being an opportunity to call for the relaxation of trade legislation. �SATIE 07 London is going to be the SA trade show of the year, offering a networking opportunity to companies wishing to showcase their products and services to SA�s largest trading partner, the UK, and to encourage overseas investment in their own companies�, says Richard Fletcher, Chairman of Topco Media, the company promoting the event. With such a great opportunity for South African companies at SATIE 07, some legislative movement would go a long way to encourage not only investment by overseas companies in SA but better opportunities for South African companies to invest overseas. Confusion and perhaps misunderstanding surrounding the complexities of BEE are also a factor that many overseas companies consider before investing their Dollars, Pounds, Euros or Yen in South Africa. Being the only country in the world to actively promote BEE, valid steps towards educating the world in general need to be considered. �During the exhibition, there will be a two-day symposium to discuss the whole practice of BEE in South Africa, explaining it in simplistic terms in order to alleviate the many concerns that foreign investors often highlight�, continues Fletcher. Contact Details Richard Fletcher - Chairman TopCo 021 441 2500/08 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. www.topco.co.za