Deputy minister of trade and industry Elizabeth Thabethe returned to South Africa last week after a week-long visit to India amid talk that a trade agreement between South Africa and India aimed at enhancing economic relations was “under negotiation”. “Talks have been going on over the preferential trade agreement. Yes, that is still under negotiation,” South Africa’s Trade and Investment deputy director general Pumla Ncapayi told India’s Economic Times. She said there were free trade areas between central Africa, South Africa and east Africa, making South Africa the gateway to the African continent and providing access for foreign investors to the US$200m market. Deputy trade and industry minister, Elizabeth Thabethe, told the Economic Times that South Africa was looking at exploring more niche products to the Indian market and she had scheduled to meet industrialists in this regard. CAPTION
