[ Home ] [ Speeches & statements ]

Western Cape Premier Gerald Morkel and a high level delegation consisting of Cabinet Ministers, senior government officials, business people and other role-players are currently in the United States, where the Premier signed an official sister state agreement with John Burton, President of the California Senate, in Sacramento on Monday 23 April 2001.

The agreement identifies seven areas of co-operation: Tourism, Public Management, Agriculture, Education, Trade and Investment, Information Technology and Social Services. Here follows achievements reached so far in California, plus comments by Premier Morkel and Mike Thompson, President of the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Chairperson of Wesgro:

Comment by Premier Gerald Morkel

"We have opened the door to the world's sixth largest economy. I am absolutely determined to ensure that we as a province reap every possible benefit of this agreement.

We have three key aims: to attract investment into the Western Cape, to assist local business to find markets in California, and to simulate knowledge and skills transfer into the Western Cape, especially in IT and in policy development.

Our programme in California has been structured around these objectives. We have also agreed to establish bi-lateral working groups in each of the seven areas to ensure that the full benefit of the agreement is secured in the future."

Comment by Mike Thompson

Mike Thompson is President of the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Chairperson of Wesgro. He is accompanying the Premier on the trip.

"The government of the Western Cape has achieved a major coup in California. The twinning agreement signed in Sacramento has opened up a range of opportunities for the Western Cape business community.

It is essential that business work with government to make concrete the enormous promise of the sister state agreement with California. My message to the business community in the Western Cape is simple: Seize the moment: take full advantage of the Western Cape government's California coup.

The twinning agreement is perfectly timed to boost the Western Cape's potential to exploit the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, which was recently passed by the United States Congress. The Act creates duty free access to the United States. With a $1 trillion dollar economy, California is one of the prime targets for South African trade.

On my return to Cape Town next week I will begin discussions with local business leaders with a view to seeking out representatives from the business community who can serve on the working groups on behalf of the Western Cape."

Key achievements so far: education

Western Cape Minister of education, Helen Zille, has met with Ms Kerry Mazzoni, California's Secretary of Education, and established the following:

* There will be on-going collaborate on policy analysis and the facilitation of access to specific parts of the California education system

* There will be exchange of expertise on the utilisation of information technology in education, with a specific focus on delivery of curricula through technology

* Both parties agreed to facilitate the exchange of teachers to promote further development of skills and knowledge

Achievements so far: Agriculture

Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Gerrit Van Rensburg, met with the University of California's Davis Faculty of Agriculture, and established the following:

* Selected South African agriculture students will be able to study at the University of California, Davis, at the cost they would pay in South Africa. This represents a massive discount.

* The University and the Western Cape will jointly investigate the possibilities of launching development and research projects in the Western Cape through USAID.

* The University of California's Davis Faculty is interested in working together with Western Cape Agriculture on joint training programs that will include exchange of study material / curricula, students and technical staff, as well as accreditation of Elsenburg's training programs on the Higher Certificate and Diploma levels by UC Davis.

* The University of California's Davis Faculty has a wide range of short courses as part of their "life long learning" programme and can form the basis of the establishment of an Elsenburg Centre for Further Education and Training.

Achievements so far: Trade and Investment

* Minister Leon Markovitz held discussions with a leading multinational IT company with an interest in involvement in the Western Cape. Both parties agreed to pursue their discussions in the coming weeks.

* Premier Morkel and Minister Markovitz held discussions with Patrick Mason, President of the California Foundation for Economy and Environment, who undertook to lead delegations of Californian business people to the Western Cape with a view to stimulating investment in the province.

* Premier Morkel and Minister Markovitz met with Professor Eugene Gringsby, Head of the Public Policy Department at the University of California Los Angeles. Professor Gringsby runs a programme of which the object is to stimulate investment in the Western Cape. Minister Markovitz undertook to create proper links between the Department and Wesgro.

* Premier Morkel and Minister Markovitz addressed a meeting of leading bankers and business people in Los Angeles in order to promote the Western Cape as a prime investment destination.

Achievements to far: Social Services

Minister of Social Services and Poverty relief in the Western Cape, David Malatsi, met with the Director of Social Services for California in Sacramento and established the following:

* That a Director of the Department in the Western Cape will go to the Department in California to shadow senior personnel in customer care practice. Her department has achieved a one-day turn around in application for assistance from the government and the Western Cape wishes to move towards achieving similar levels of service to the people of the Western Cape.

* An agreement was reached with the Sacramento local government to study its model of district office service delivery based in a multi-purpose centre. These services are available to people up until 9pm every day and the Western Cape wishes to explore making similar service hours available to the people of the Western Cape.

* An agreement was reached with the Chief Executive of a large NGO in Los Angeles in terms of which funds will be raised for a multi purpose centre in the Western Cape.

* An agreement was reached with Dr Eugene Grigsby, the Director of the Advanced Policy Institute at the University of California Los Angeles, to design a course to teach a senior member of the provincial administration the ability to measure impact analysis of spending of social services.

Contact: Riana Geldenhuys at (082) 376 4709, (21) 483 3629

Issued by Office of the Premier, Western Cape

30 April 2001