A South African delegation of mining equipment manufacturing and mining services firms will showcase their capabilities at a trade mission to Canada during the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) exhibition that will take place in Toronto from 03 – 06 March 2019. The 29 companies are supported by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) through its Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA) Scheme to participate at the show.

The objective of the scheme is to develop export markets for South African products and services and to recruit new foreign direct investment into the country. The scheme also seeks to deepen market access to the exhibiting South African companies.

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, says while South Africa is actively engaged in consolidating and expanding its bilateral economic relationship with Canada; there is significant room for the country to increase its share of value added exports into Canada. He described the mission as an instrument to achieve increased share of value added exports to Canada from a world class South African Mining Manufacturing and Services industry.

“South Africa is currently exporting vegetable products, vehicles and mineral products to Canada and exports sales were reported at R5.59 billion in 2016 and about R4.78 billion in 2017,” says Davies.

Davies adds that the mission is an important part of the North America Export Promotion Strategy for diversification, as well as the Services desk strategy to increase the exports and market share of South African products in the Canadian market.

“This mission is also a supreme platform for South African service companies and equipment manufacturers to promote their professional and technical services to a captive and diverse audience of international mining companies who will be exhibiting at PDAC,” says Davies.

Davies points out that South African companies have made inroads into the Canadian market, with selected products being marketed by companies with a strategic and long-term perspective of the Canadian market; the companies have already managed to penetrate and unlock long-term and sustainable exports.

The Programme for the mission will include a Trade and Investment seminar, business to business meetings and site visits.