Mozambique’s economy is expected to enter a boom phase – don’t get caught missing out
A Lowveld company is aiming to make it easier for locals to do business with an economically booming Mozambique.
MBOMBELA – The economy of South Africa’s north-easterly neighbour is awakening, and Stabilis reckons the Lowveld region would miss a golden opportunity if it didn’t seriously start doing business across the border.
Yet, this is no easy feat. Mr Henri Pieters, auditor at Stabilis Chartered Accountants, explains there are a number of challenges on both sides of the border. Businesspeople in South Africa and Mozambique face the same problem when crossing it: Where do I start and how do I register my company?
To fill a void in the supply of services to assist businesses with these basic but large challenges, Stabilis Limitada opened its offices in Maputo over the weekend. Pieters is joined as director by Mr Ryk Eksteen, Ms Ashleigh Knowles and Mr Robert Hawker.
The even was attended by prominent people in Maputo, among them the president of the Mozambique Audit Board, Mr Mario Sitoe and South Africa’s High Commissioner in Mozambique, Mr Mandisi Mpahlwa.
Pieters explains that Stabilis’ own registration came through last week, and now they are ready to assist others with the process.
“Their economy is doing well,” Pieters says.
“It would be good for the city and region to do more business with them. You only need a little vision: it would be short-sighted to live right next door and not get into the market.”
He adds that economic growth in Mbombela is the best in the country’s cities at 3,5 per cent, but Mozambique boasts some of the strongest growth in the world at the moment.
The IMF has predicted that, should planned gas excavations in the north of the country come to fruition as planned in 2021, it can be expected that Mozambique’s average growth per anum could reach 24 per cent in the first half of the next decade.
Studies show visitors from Mozambique and Swaziland help drive the local economy, from shopping as well as seeking out financial services here.
Yet, it is difficult for South Africans and Mozambicans to do business with one another: a mere border may separate the two, but in business they are worlds apart.
Pieters explains that it is very difficult to get anything done across the border unless you speak Portuguese, as his partner Hawker does. The countries’ bookkeeping systems, tax practices, and other regulations also differ vastly.
“We took this gap in the market,” Pieters explains. Now Stabilis can assist businesspeople on both sides of the border with the practicalities of accessing one another’s markets.
Enquiries: Stabilis Chartered Accountants on 013-762-1600.
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