On the picture Hon. Sakhumzi Somyo, MEC for the Province of Eastern Cape.
By Roy Lie A Tjam.
The South African Embassy in The Hague supported and participated in the 2015 edition of the Kweku Summer Festival, 17 July – 9 August 2015, Nelson Mandela Park Amsterdam, under the theme: “Honor the Life and Legacy of Mr. Nelson Mandela”.
It was at the official opening of this grand festival that I sat and had a causerie with the Hon. Sakhumzi Somyo MEC for the Province of Eastern Cape. MEC stands for Member of the Executive Council, a South African provincial entity. The position could be compared to that of a State Minister. South-Africa has 9 Provinces, of which Eastern Cape is one of the fastest-developing. Mr. Somyo, a member of the ANC, is a consummate leader and holds the portfolios of finance, economic development, environment and tourism. He is married with 3 children; one at university, the two others in high school. His wife is a teacher.
Mr. Somyo was in the Netherlands for the formal proclamation of 18 July as Nelson Mandela Day and simultaneously to attract potential investors to the fast-developing province, the Eastern Cape. The region has immense potential and is poised to attract further international exploration and investment. Agro-processing, energy and tourism are particularly fast growing sectors, amongst many others.
SANEC (Southern African Netherlands Chamber of Commerce) organized the Eastern Cape Roundtable with the Hon. MEC Sakhumzi Somyo along with his delegation and the South African Ambassador H.E Mr. Bruce V. Koloane. SANEC Chairman, Mr. Frans Engering and Ambassador Mr. Vusi Bruce Koloane, gave attendees a range of valuable insights into the opportunities that lie within the Eastern Cape Province for international businesses to venture into. The Hon. MEC highlighted in his exposé matters pertaining to port development opportunities, and possible cooperation between the Buffalo City and the Port of Rotterdam. PHAKISA was also mentioned.
During our meeting, the MEC recounted a few of the numerous opportunities his province has to offer. Diversification is seen as imperative in the Eastern Cape, as the province has until recently been dominated largely by the automotive sector. The two major industrial centers, Port Elizabeth and East London, have well-developed economies based on the automotive industry, but are seeking to diversify. Coega IDZ (Coega Industrial Development Zone) near Port Elizabeth focuses on offering the best solutions to prospective investors by assisting them every step of the way, ensuring projects move successfully from conception to completion.
One of fastest-growing sectors in the province is agro processing, which is expected to become a core business in the near future. Since the Netherlands is very advanced in agro processing, ranking among the top 3 in the world, the MEC stressed the benefits of cooperation between his province and the Netherlands. He also noted the deepwater Port of Ngqura, which serves both the African hinterland and Asia, and which has given the province a major economic boost.
Eastern Cape, with its 800km coastline, is also an ideal location for the generation of energy, and in such a diverse and vibrant region, tourism and hospitality are likewise naturally becoming major economic pillars with great potential. Indeed, the Chair of the provincial tourism board was one of the delegates accompanying the MEC on his visit. The province is host to the largest cultural festival in South Africa, the Grahams town Festival, and it also prides itself on being the birthplace of Mr. Nelson Mandela. During the Heritage month in September 2015, a group of hikers will embark on a 3-day promotional trek, and the MEC will be amongst them.
Education is of course fundamental to any form of development, be it social or economic. Mr. Sakhumzi Somyo observed that various projects are in place to support the 0.25% of pupils who drop out of school in his province, and hailed the efforts being made to reintegrate them into the education system. As for juvenile delinquency; jail sentences are commuted into community services and vocational training. By so doing, skilled individuals are added to society rather than recidivists.
Speaking more broadly on the future of international affairs and development, Mr. Somyo stressed his perception of the world as a single global community. In his view, the global village in which we are living often faces obstacles common to all. Thus, it is imperative that joint efforts are made to confront mutual problems. In his eyes, the Unbuntu philosophy – rooted in the humanist tradition – once properly implemented might contribute to a better and more united world society. Ubuntu rejects all forms of inhumanity; it is a culture of humanity that recognizes every single individual as having the right to achieve one’s personal ambitions and to live in a just, righteous and equitable society.
The MEC concluded our discussion by paying homage to South Africa’s Father of the Nation: Mr. Nelson Mandela. The world could be living in peace, the MEC observed, if it could cherish and uphold the legacies of Mr. Mandela and other visionaries such as Pundit Nehru.
Our discussion provided a unique insight into the Eastern Cape Province through the eyes of Mr. Sakhumzi Somyo MEC, who never lost his composure or his signature smile during our conversation. It was a pleasure to speak with him.
