LOUIS TRICHARDT - A municipal deputation of three men departed for China this week on an extended follow-up venture to recruit possible Chinese industrial investors to be established in the Makhado Industrial Park in Louis Trichardt.

The three men are Mr Reuben Rambado (Municipal Manager), Mr Vic Viljoen (Chief Protection Services) and Cllr M S Mkansi (a member of the Municipal Executive Committee). They will be in China for some three weeks, to meet businessmen and investigate industrial companies who have expressed an interest in establishing themselves in Louis Trichardt.

The three men will have to verify which of these industrial concerns will fit in with the local environment and with other relevant conditions.

The present visit follows on the first visit to China from 2 tot 10 April. Representatives from the local municipality then joined in a mutual venture with several other municipalities to introduce the local investment potential to Chinese businessmen and industrialists. That visit was organised at the invitation of the Chinese government.

Following the introductory visit in April, the Chinese government recently informed the municipality of various industrialists who indicated their interest in establishing their businesses in Louis Trichardt. The local municipality was once again invited to send a delegation to investigate these possibilities.

The municipal delegation was to have left Louis Trichardt on 15 June to meet up with a representative of the Department of Trade and Industry. They were to depart for China on 18 June.

Among the industries and other activities which they will inspect from closer quarters are an architectural engineering company, a chemical fibre factory, a pharmaceutical factory, city construction sites, industrial development areas and various other large enterprise in a number of Chinese cities.

They will visit DanDong, Zhan Qian, Fu Ding, Shuang Rong, YinRi Jiayuan, ShuGuang, Huang Hai, CheJiao, ShanZhuang, Shen Yang, DaLian, AnShan and Beijing.

In a statement issued by the Municipal Public Relations Officer, Mr Peter Muleya, has indicated that the Makhado Municipality has 27 serviced industrial stands available situated in Makhado Industrial Park on the southern side of Louis Trichardt.

Foreign investors who establish their industries locally will also create new employment opportunities for local residents in the process.

Mr Muleya said this visit to China is a necessary creative venture to help fight poverty and HIV/Aids, by creating ties with other institutions of governance, both within and outside the country.

"Our municipality has a responsibility of delivering services to 16 000 square kilometres, composed of a large number of communities. We are compelled to strive to acquire relevant resources which may assist us to offer the best and standardised services to all our people.

"It is this challenge which forces us to move abroad to acquire the necessary recourses to deliver the best services, create employment and establish new business in our Municipality," the statement reads.