Limpopo supports Gaza investment conference
The presence of Limpopo at the Republic of Mozambique’s Gaza Province Investment Conference opened a window of opportunity to business people in the province. Prospects for business and markets in Mozambique are huge.
POLOKWANE – This is the view of delegates attending the conference. MECs Basikopo Makamu (Agriculture and Rural Development), and Seaparo Sekoati (Economic Development, Environment and Tourism) led the Limpopo Delegation to the investment conference which took place in Bilene. They were also accompanied by Jacqueline Maisela, HOD of the Department of Agriculture. The delegation included five farmers and seven business people who were there to explore business and agricultural opportunities and new markets. The aim was also to strengthen ties between the two countries. The conference started on 2 December and ended on Tuesday.
According to Molebatje Masedi, Spokesperson of the Department of Agriculture and rural Development, the delegation returns to Polokwane on Thursday morning.
MEC Basikopo Makamus, when delivering his message at the conference said: “The Gaza Province offers huge prospects in agriculture, energy, tourism, agro processing, economic development zones and infrastructure. Limpopo’s presence at the Investment Conference opens a window of opportunity to business people in the province. Prospects for business and markets in Mozambique are huge.”
The conference was also attended by delegations from Botswana and Zimbabwe.
Topics presented at the conference ranged from the country’s (Mozambique’s) foreign exchange policy, financing options presented by a delegate of the National Bank of Investments (BNI), legal framework of investment and investment laws, incentives for private-public partnerships, the country’s commercial code, and presentations of ongoing projects such as the food sector, heavy sands project at Chibuta, the Mapai Dam and Gaza Airport, Tongasse, an egg producer.
A Chinese company, Anhui, is exploring in the Chibuto district, in the southern province of Gaza, where it plans to exploit titanium bearing heavy mineral sands. The Anhui concession covers an area of 10 544 hectares, believed to hold reserves of 108 million tonnes of ilmenite, the main titanium ore. Ilmenite (or titanium iron oxide) is the main source of titanium dioxide, which is used to produce white pigments in such products as paper, paint, plastics and toothpaste. Some of the titanium derived from ilmenite is also used to produce high strength, lightweight alloys. A new 70 km long railway line from Chibuto to Chokwe will be used to convey the ore and at Chokwe, the trainloads of ore will join the Limpopo Line from Zimbabwe to Maputo. Also on the drawing board is an airport at Chibuto and a new power station at Massingir, with a power line connecting it to the ilmenite mine at Chibuto.
