The Manager Training Programme of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy(BMWi) is an element of Germany’s foreign trade policy. More than 13, 000 mangers and decision makers, from 19 countries, have taken part in the Programme since 1998 and in doing so have become familiar with the German business culture, have gained first hand practical know-how from visiting German companies and have come into direct contact with potential German business partners.

In South Africa they are partnering with the Department of Trade and Industry. The Department of Trade and Industry of the Republic of South Africa nominated the Trade and Investment South Africa to implement the programme. On the German side, the Deutsche Geselschalft fur Internationale Zusamenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has been commissioned, by the BMWi, to run the Programme.

The Manager Training Programme provides the participating manager with the possibility to become familiar with the German market and to establish business relations with German companies and build long term partnership.

The programme is structured into the following 4 phases:

• Selection of participants in South Africa
• 4 Week Training in Germany
• Follow up session in South Africa as well as Alumni and networking session.

Conditions of Participation

The programme is target at middle and upper managers South African businesses, which have foreign trade potential and stable management structures. In principle, it is open to all economic. The participants have an academic degree, several years of work and management experience. They also possess solid business skills and have a good command of English language. A selection committee chooses the participants based on the applications submitted and individual interview, which include as assessment of participants defined cooperation project for doing business with German companies.

It is therefore in the context of the above training programme that the Eastern Cape Development Corporation invite suitable qualified companies from various sectors to apply for participation in the programme by completing a simple application form (see below).

Completed application forms with required supporting documents should be submitted for the attention of Ms. Linda Lubengu @ llubengu@ecdc.co.za.

The application should reach ECDC by Friday 2 August 2019. Enquiries maybe directed to Ms. Linda Lubengu at 043-704 5711.

Below are the contact details we’ve received from Transnet for their Crises Management Team. 

Exporters Eastern Cape has received the below communication from Transnet regarding the Ngqura Container Terminal.

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Ebrahim Patel, says building the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and making South Africa’s trade promotion efforts more effective and strategic, was very crucial to economic growth in the country and the African continent in general.

Minister Patel says the initiative would connect 1.2 billion people into a single bloc where products would be manufactured, bought and sold between countries, without any trade tariffs.

According him, the agreements such as the AfCFTA lay the basis for increased infra-Africa trade and ‘cement the continent’s position as the next growth frontier.

The Department of Trade and Industry will be concentrating over the next few weeks, on finalising terms of an agreement between South Africa and the UK in case of a no-deal Brexit, to protect SA exports and jobs. The Department will also engage with the US around AGOA and point to the mutually beneficial impact thereof.

Download the full press release below.