JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- South African companies have signed a series of trade deals at the just-concluded Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 in Algeria, a government official said on Friday.
A 30-member delegation from South African businesses participated in the fair, held in Algiers, the capital of Algeria, from Sept. 4 to 10.
Zanele Sanni, chief director for export promotion and marketing at the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), said in a statement that the trade fair proved effective in promoting trade and investment.
"Participating in this landmark event assisted in strengthening intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area and accelerating collaboration in critical sectors such as energy, automotive, mining, and technology," said Sanni.
Among the deals secured, Bongile Tsotetsi of Hamisa Engineering and Mining said her company signed a contract worth more than 1 million U.S. dollars to supply protective wear to an Algerian firm.
Rashmee Ramdeen, director of Zilon Bulk Bags, said her company generated trade deals with many and attracted strong interest in its polypropylene bulk bags.
"There is a potential order that is worth over 33,000 U.S. dollars that is being negotiated with a local company," said Ramdeen. "There was a huge demand for our products because there are few manufacturers who are producing them in Algeria. The country is currently importing from Europe, and the price is not competitive. So this is our opportunity to make inroads in the North African market."
Khulile Mtsetfwa, chief executive officer of Swatek Defence and Aerospace, said her company signed three memoranda of understanding that will focus on distribution lines in Algeria. She added that she will be in contact with local agents in Algeria to supply products and expand into other parts of the continent.
According to the DTIC, more than 3,000 people visited the South African pavilion at the fair, including 267 buyers, generating around 300 business leads with a projected value of 483 million rand (about 27.8 million U.S. dollars) in sales over the next six months.
The U.S. government imposed 30 percent tariffs on South African goods in early August. In response, Pretoria has pledged to continue talks with Washington to seek lower or removed tariffs or negotiate a new, mutually beneficial deal, while working to diversify markets in Africa, the Americas, the European Union, and Asia. ■
