Sexwale sees India as catalyst for job creation

TRADE WITH India can assist in South Africa's biggest priority, that of creating employment, said former Gauteng premier Tokyo Sexwale when he addressed the opening gathering of the Made in India Show at Midrand last week.
Appropriate partnerships between Indian and South African businesses could help our emerging business sector become an important catalyst for technological development, economic growth and employment creation, he said.
It was ironic, he said, that South Africa as the world's largest diamond supplier, employed less than 3 000 people in the diamond processing industry. In contrast, India's diamond, cutting and polishing industry employs 800 000 people.
India is a country whose jewellery industry alone consumes more gold than that produced annually by South Africa's entire gold mining industry, he said. The realities of the situation in this country, therefore, demanded that the business sector aim beyond profit making.
The real question facing business is no longer how to be profitable but how to optimise our profits in the interests of creating employment.
The government could create an economic growth framework, he said, but it was up to commerce and business to boost that economic growth.