Trade and Industry Minister Alec Erwin will visit Detroit next week to woo American manufacturers in the hope that they will invest in new automotive assembly plants in South Africa.
Trade and Industry Minister Alec Erwin will visit Detroit next week to woo American manufacturers in the hope that they will invest in new automotive assembly plants in South Africa.
According to the ministry, decisions on whether to produce high volumes of vehicles in South Africa for export are imminent from one or more manufacturers, and Erwin’s investment promotion drive is intended to provide the final prod.
The trade and industry department’s investment promotion chief, Lungisa Magwentshu, said yesterday that Erwin, who is on a weeklong investment promotion drive in the US, would meet senior executives of Ford, General Motors and Chrysler, all of which are reportedly in talks on investment in South Africa.
“He will encourage them to follow the Germans and Japanese, who have designated South Africa as an investment destination,” said Magwentshu. “We want them to make South Africa part of their global designated supply network, investing in the production of a specific model, to achieve economies of scale. Prospects are good. We are confident there will be some successes.”
Erwin will also be meeting the United Technology Corporation, a company being courted to invest in SA in production of fuel cells.