This year’s bauma CONEXPO AFRICA, the key trade show for construction, building materials, mining, agriculture and forestry machinery and vehicles, has been cancelled.

Event organiser Messe Muenchen South Africa CEO Suzette Scheepers said on April 7 that the event, which had been scheduled to be held in Johannesburg from October 13 to 16, would not go ahead this year owing to uncertainty in the market and ongoing travel restrictions to and from South Africa as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“As a key pan-African industry event, bauma CONEXPO AFRICA traditionally brings together thousands of pan-African and international stakeholders for knowledge sharing and product discovery. [Owing] to the current circumstances, we concluded that we could not assure our valued sponsors, exhibitors and visitors of the usual levels of pan-African and international engagement this year,” she explained.

Scheepers said the difficult decision had been made after in-depth consultations with partners and industry stakeholders.

“The health and safety of all participants is a top priority for us. This priority, as well as our focus on delivering an optimal event experience to both exhibitors and visitors, would have been challenged by the current uncertain situation.”

Messe Muenchen Germany and industry stakeholders expressed concern that South Africa is currently one of the most travel restricted areas in the world, with more than 120 major restrictions from other countries in place.

In addition, other South African Development Community countries also had restrictions in place and most European countries were back under strict lockdown, making it challenging for travellers to leave their countries.

Many companies still have internal travel restrictions for their employees until July 2021, and international exhibitors will require time to move equipment for display, further compounding the current challenges.