As US tariffs continue to cause trading uncertainty around the world, a Nelson Mandela Bay municipal delegation has returned from a tour of Angola, paving the way for bilateral partnerships across various sectors, including agriculture, infrastructure, energy and education.
Delegations from the Western Cape and Northern Cape also attended, with 60 businesses from the three provinces.
They visited the Huambo, Benguela and Bié provinces.
The itinerary included visits to both commercial and small-scale coffee farms, wastewater treatment plants, renewable energy sites, the Lobito rail corridor and port, and Angola’s industrial development zone (IDZ).
Delegates also held talks with Angolan government leaders, including premiers and MPs, as well as local investors and business representatives.
The Nelson Mandela Bay municipality has laid the groundwork for intercity and provincial exchange programmes in education, skills and tourism with Angola.
The visit was part of the Cape-Angola Business Tour.
Mayor Babalwa Lobishe was joined by economic development political head Bassie Kamana, chief operations officer Lonwabo Ngoqo, economic development executive director Wandisile Makwabe, water boss Joseph Tsatsire and electricity and energy senior director Roark Prinsloo.
Makwabe said Lobishe and the Angolan leadership committed to setting up a technical preparatory committee with the premier’s office ahead of a bilateral visit from Angolan representatives in September.
“The specific expected outcomes ... are the signing of the city-to-city and province-to-province partnership agreement on areas of co-operation, which include the key sectors and the exchange programmes on education, skills and tourism.”
The metro is planning to launch pilot projects in coffee production, renewable energy, road construction and maintenance, human capital development in partnership with Nelson Mandela University, and the automotive manufacturing industry.
The Gqeberha delegation left on July 27.
Lobishe and Kamana returned to SA on Friday and the rest on Monday.
A memorandum from the mayor’s office to acting city manager Ted Pillay shows that quoted travel costs would come to about R550,000.
This was for flights, accommodation, allowances, transport, travel agency fees and vaccinations.
When contacted, Lobishe did not say why she returned early.
Municipal spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya said the visit was to strengthen trade and investment ties in the areas of automotive components, logistics, agricultural innovation, fisheries and tourism.
“These partnerships amplify opportunities for local businesses to access new markets, integrate into global value chains and attract foreign direct investment,” he said.
“Through participation in international frameworks such as Brics and the African Continental Free Trade Area, the municipality leverages SA’s multilateral commitments to unlock trade corridors, harmonise market access, and support industrial and infrastructural development aligned with global trends.
“Additionally, Nelson Mandela Bay’s sister city agreements and strategic partnerships with international municipalities create platforms for collaboration on innovation, sustainable infrastructure and inclusive economic growth.”
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