Dti trade initiative pays off for Limpopo company

Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Elizabeth Thabethe

The company, Tshete Holdings, will participate in an Investment and Trade Initiative (ITI), led by Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Elizabeth Thabethe, in the DRC from Monday, September 16 to September 21.

"We are going to conduct our discussions with the business community in the DRC. We are grateful to the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) because they have already assisted us in identifying companies that we can talk to for possible joint ventures," said the company's chief executive, Rendani Makhomu.

Makhomu said the company participated in its first ITI in Ghana and Benin between June and July this year.

"We were happy to engage with the Investment Promotion Centre in Ghana and the Ghanaian Ministry of Roads," Makhomu said.

He said Tshete Holdings now plans to establish a small cold mix asphalt manufacturing plant in Ghana.

Makhomu is a successful entrepreneur, who has worked as a qualified quantity surveyor, cost engineer and project manager with a number of corporations and government departments.

"We are the only black-owned business that manufactures cold mix asphalt with unique characteristics within the Limpopo province.

"This cold mix asphalt is produced from imported specialised formulated bitumen called Emcol Mixing Liquid, which is sourced from one of the leading bitumen manufacturers located in United Kingdom," he said.

Dti spokesperson Sydwell Medupi said the department has already assisted hundreds of businesses through its Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (Emia) Scheme.

"Emia develops export markets for South African products and services and recruits new foreign direct investment into South Africa. We are excited about the opportunity that Tshete Holdings is exploring," said Medupi.