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30 July 2008

The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) will once again host the South African Handmade Collection (SAHC) 2008 trade show from 31 July 2008 to 3 August 2008, at Gallagher Estate in Midrand. Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka will officially launch the Collection on Thursday, 31 July 2008, at 08h00.

The collection is a market access programme, aligned with the objectives of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA), the South African government initiative targeted at accelerating the economy, creating much-needed jobs and alleviating poverty. The SAHC trade show also supports the 'Jobs for Growth' and 'Making Markets Work for the Poor' strategies, which seek to uplift the second, informal economy and integrate it into the mainstream, first economy.

Further to this, it is the intention of the SAHC to ensure that crafters in rural areas of South Africa gain access to key markets, in order to accelerate economic growth and alleviate poverty in the country. According to Elizabeth Thabethe, Deputy Minister of the dti, "this exposure to new markets enables these enterprises to position themselves strategically in becoming successful local entrepreneurs and exporters as they move from the second economy to the mainstream."

The trade show will position high-quality, design-led and competitive South African craft products and enterprises to national and international consumers. The Deputy Minister further acknowledged the significance of the SAHC to budding local entrepreneurs, as "a premier brand, which continues to attract local and international investors and seeks to guide craft entrepreneurs towards viable businesses with highly-marketable handmade products fit for the international craft arena."

As part of an initiative to market the national craft industry to potential international investors, the dti will host 15 international buyers from the US, Japan, France, and the Netherlands, under the Inward-Buying Mission programme of the Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA) scheme. These buyers will also be taken on a cultural tour of Soweto, sponsored by the Gauteng Tourism Authority, where they will be exposed to the South African way of life.

The South African Handmade Collection was inaugurated at the President's International Investors Conference in 2007, at Fancourt, in George. At its inception, the event attracted more than 35 exhibitors, who showcased their locally-produced handmade products. The 2008 Collection is expected to attract more than 100 crafters, predominantly from rural and peri-urban areas, who will exhibit and sell their products to prospective buyers. In so doing, the collection aims to reinforce government's commitment of mainstreaming the second economy into the first economy, in order to increase the momentum of economic growth and poverty alleviation in the country.

Issued by: Department of Trade and Industry
30 July 2008
Source: Department of Trade and Industry (http://www.dti.gov.za)