Mangaung mayor Gregory Nthatisi lures Chinese investors in massive investment drive

Executive mayor of the Mangaung Metro in Free State, Gregory Nthatisi, says an investment summit will be held in February in a bid to showcase the city to the world, as part of an ongoing drive to woo investors.

Nthatisi spoke to IOL in Joburg, where he was part of the Free State delegation which attended the Consulate General of China in Johannesburg’s Spring Festival.

“On February 19 and 20, we will be having an investment summit in Mangaung where we are going to showcase what the city can provide and what is it that investors can bring to the city. We are kind-of a rural metro with little or no development that much and therefore we are inviting people to see this raw material kind of a metro that can be of good use to their investment,” said Nthatisi.

He highlighted that Mangaung presents rich opportunities in sectors including agriculture, infrastructure and residential development, and property.

“We are open to each investor that would come. We are also calling for expression of interest on those that would actually come up with what we call solicited development. We are closely looking at what remedial measures and incentives that we put on those that can come and invest,” said Nthatisi.

He said the upcoming summit will be “a meeting of minds around investment”.

The metro, according to Nthatisi, has set its sight on creating employment for the people of Mangaung.

The metro of Mangaung has developed a close working relationship with representatives of the Republic of China, through the Consulate General in Joburg, led by Consul-General Pan Qingjiang.

“China’s relationship with South Africa through BRICS and diplomatic relations, through our interaction with the Consul General who is so handy and very effective, came to our metro and we interacted with them. We invited all the potential investors from China to come and sit down with us,” said Nthatisi.

“We have opened our doors and allowed them to put their money where development still needs to take shape. We are welcoming them all. Our presence here is to say to the Chinese investors, come work with us. We are guided by the principles of our broader agreement from the BRICS to the point of diplomatic relations and China being a long-time ally of the people of South Africa.”

Several South African government officials from Gauteng and Free State – provinces served by the Chinese Consulate General situated in Joburg – joined the Spring Festival celebrations at Sandton, which were also attended by members of local and international media, civic society groups, members of the academia, business and diplomats.

The Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, is the most important traditional festival of China which is celebrated across the People’s Republic of China around the world.

jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za

IOL