South Africa urged to emulate India’s policies towards SMMEs

South African Consul-General in Mumbai Maropene Ramokgopa has urged government to study the success story behind the growth of small, micro, and medium enterprises (SMMEs) in India.

India’s thriving SMMEs

According to Ramokgopa, SMMEs in the information technology sector in India have thrived in recent years. This, she says, is because the Indian government identified IT as a potential growth area and instituted policies to create an environment that would assist businesses in the sector.

“This sector grew to become what it is today precisely because of these kinds of initiatives that I have alluded to. Initiatives that had to do with incubation, innovation, and research and development,” she said.

Ramokgopa was speaking at a seminar being hosted in Dubai by the South African Department of Trade and Industry.

“I am also very excited that the dti chose Mumbai as one of their stops for the Outward Selling Mission into India and at a time when trade relations between ourselves and our Indian counterparts need to grow bigger,” she added.

“Now this kind of event taking place today allows both South African and Indian businesses an opportunity to actualise some of the agreements our principals have already agreed upon.”

Interested in mining

Ramokgopa also revealed the Indian government was interested in expanding its mining sector. An area that South Africa has plenty of expertise to offer.

“India did inform us that they were looking at diversifying into the mining sector and it is well-known that we possess a mining track record that spans more than a hundred years,” Ramokgopa said.

“India in return has been doing extremely well in fields such as Information Technology and would ensure that they support us in that regard.

“A lot of the things that we have been trying to cooperate in have been discussed and Memorandums of Understanding have been assigned and that was only a way of ensuring that we create an enabling environment.”