The government of Spain has for the first time appointed a permanent representative in Gqeberha with the aim of strengthening ties with Nelson Mandela Bay and the Eastern Cape, while supporting the small local Spanish community.
As the new Spanish honorary vice-consul in Gqeberha, Bay businesswoman Laura Morales-Ontoria will look to facilitate document requirements to boost trade and travel between the Eastern Cape and Spain, and amplify the cultural presence of her home country in the Friendly City.
Morales-Ontoria was introduced on Wednesday evening by Cape Town-based Spanish consul general Jesús Silva at an informal gathering at Col’s Family Cafe in the Moffett on Main Lifestyle Centre.
After the singing of the national anthems of SA and Spain, a proud shout of “viva España” from the audience, and a hug from her mother, who had come out especially from Spain for the ceremony, Morales-Ontoria said she was proud and happy to accept the appointment.
“I was born in the small village of San Lorenzo de El Escorial in the mountains near Madrid, and I never imagined I would one day represent my country, but I accept it with passion and a full heart.”
Morales-Ontoria, 43, runs a tour company focused on Spaniards wanting to travel to Southern Africa, and also works with husband Fernando Navarro’s hunting and game capture business.
She first came to SA 15 years ago to join Navarro on a game farm in the Free State.
“On our first date in Spain, he told me he had been travelling in South Africa and that he would one day live there.
“I have always loved wildlife and Africa, and I thought he was just trying to impress me, so I didn’t think much more of it.
“But then there came this opportunity to join him on this farm near the Free State town of Luckhoff in the middle of nowhere and he asked if I wanted to come and join him.
“I said why not.”
Thereafter, the couple moved to Kenton-on-Sea and Alicedale, where she worked for the Shamwari Game Reserve, helping to grow their Spanish market, and then a decade later moved to Gqeberha once they decided to start a family.
She has various plans for her new role as the Spanish honorary vice-consul.
“I would like to be able to change things such that if you as a resident of the Eastern Cape want to travel to Spain, you can apply for your visa here instead of having to go to Cape Town.
“This would help both ordinary travellers and also businesspeople, and thereby boost the economy.
“I would also like to create Spanish cultural events to draw the Spanish community here together, and share with our South African friends, like a ‘paella day’, for example.”
Morales-Ontoria said one of her passions was starting up businesses and she would love to stimulate this entrepreneurial spirit locally, to help reduce unemployment.
“On one level, we need to identify what people are good at and educate them further in that.
“On another level, we need to help them to see the bigger picture, that there is more out there for them.”
Silva said there were only 50 to 100 Spaniards in the Eastern Cape but most were in Gqeberha, including several companies with interests in fishing, auto component manufacture, citrus and hunting.
“One of the companies is Echalar Fishing which exports hake to Spain as the country with the biggest consumption of hake worldwide.
“In Spain it is marketed as Cape hake, a high-quality product.”
He said he had long realised the need for a Spanish government representative in Gqeberha and, with approval from both SA President Cyril Ramaphosa and Spanish King Felipe VI, he was confident Morales-Ontoria was the right person for the job.
The Herald
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.