By Nangamso Mabindla
31 August 2004

Buffalo City mayor Sindisile Maclean has urged local businesses to follow the example set by the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce in creating jobs and helping the local communities.

The mayor was speaking at the 14th Amity Conference of Chinese in Africa held at the Osner Hotel in East London. The bi-annual conference is held in regions where the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce is operational.

The Chamber has close working ties with Buffalo City, and in July, jointly hosted a fun day for the city's orphans at East London's Queen's Park Zoo.

"Your efforts have been very creative and innovative. I hope our businesses and innovators take a leaf out of your book," Maclean told the Taiwanese delegation.

He urged entrepreneurs to work with the city and make a big contribution in alleviating poverty and creating jobs for the city's citizens.

"We must all work toward solving the tensions in the world order so that we can all abide freely and fairly by the spirit and rules of the World Trade Organisation," he added.

The city had already shown its credentials as a good investment destination with international corporations like DaimlerChrysler and Johnson and Johnson investing in the city.

While the city was also a good tourist destination, the mayor said safety and security was a crucial issue in for potential investors.

"I would like you to work as ambassadors for us. I would particularly like the Eastern Cape to be your choice. We have all the ingredients to make you happy and safe," Maclean said.

The Eastern Cape roads and public works MEC Sam Kwelita said he appreciated the Taiwanese entrepreneurs' efforts in the fight against unemployment in the province, which had an unemployment rate of 42 percent.

"Business growth and job creation are issues very close to my heart. In our country we face effects of an economy that is shedding jobs at a high cost to both families and the national economy," Kwelita said.

The government could not address job creation alone; it needed all stakeholders including businesses to come on board. "We need to see results for both profit acquisition and salaries for the workers," he said.

Through programmes like urban renewal and various economic activities, the government was trying its best to create investment; but the country still lacked Foreign Direct Investment.

Kwelita called on the business community to work with the government and revive areas like Umthatha, Butterworth and Dimbaza.