Pretoria - The Limpopo government is to host a virtual investment conference this week aiming to attract potential investors and private companies in the province.
The two-day conference, which starts on Wednesday, is aimed at boosting economic growth in the province by attracting national and international investors.
The annual conference comes after the government slammed the brakes on the Musina-Makhado special economic zone (SEZ) that failed an environmental assessment test last month.
Speaking at the launch on Friday, MEC for Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, Thabo Mokone, said the event was a culmination of the investment priority drive.
“We are responding to the Limpopo development plan, which calls for beneficiation of our industries across traditional and new emerging sectors,” Mokone said.
“We aim to bring together investors and delegates from local, national and international business communities on the same platform supporting industrialisation in the province and contributing to our plans.”
Mokone said through the dialogue the province would reflect on the vital economic sectors, mining, agriculture and tourism.
“The people of Limpopo have to benefit from this conference. We are planning for the people of Limpopo to start getting jobs so we can boost economic development.” Job seekers have been discouraged in the province recently, saying that the cost of living was too high and they were unable to properly support their families.
Limpopo Economic Development Agency representative Patrick Makoe said: “The world pandemic, Covid-19, has delayed a lot of progress from the SEZ but currently as a province we
are continuing to talk to investors that made pledges to the province to make sure that they come back to the project as well as some areas of Sekhukhune.”
Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha is expected to deliver a keynote speech at the official opening of the conference on Wednesday.
Pretoria News