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“Business, Govt should promote brand SA”
February 4, 2013, 2:28 pm

South African President Jacob Zuma. [AP]

South African President Jacob Zuma wants to work together with businesses to improve the economy. [AP]

The South African government and the business sector will meet within two months in an attempt to overcome obstacles to economic growth, it was decided at a government-business meeting in Pretoria on Sunday.

The meet was hosted by Jacob Zuma, the South African President who was accompanied by Kgalema Motlanthe, Deputy President and economic cabinet committee ministers.

President Zuma said at the meeting: “As government and business we share the goal of building a prosperous society, free of poverty, inequality and unemployment.

“We share the goal of promoting a strong and positive South African brand. We therefore need to work very closely together, especially at this critical period when our economy is affected by the harsh European economic meltdown that refuses to go away.

Business leaders had approached Zuma at the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland last month asking for an opportunity to “engage the government on priorities” before Zuma’s State of the Nation address on February 14.

“Seventy five per cent of the jobs must come from the private sector. We are engaging our members to point out three to five constraints that make it difficult for business to triple economic growth by 2030”, said Jabu Mabuza, Business Unity South Africa President who was present at the meet.

Source: Agencies