Huawei investment in SA 'encouraging'

Johannesburg - Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on Sunday welcomed Chinese mobile technology company Huawei's investment in South Africa, her department said in a statement.

This was after Dlamini-Zuma, together with Arts and Culture Deputy Minister Paul Mashatile held discussions with the senior vice president of Huawei Technology Junfeng Guo in Shanghai earlier on Sunday.

The discussions were held ahead of the minister's keynote address at the official closing of the South African Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo on Monday.

Dlamini-Zuma said the discussions, also attended by South Africa's ambassador to China and the Consul-General to Shanghai, looked at the impact Huawei was making on the mobile phone and wireless market in the country and the world in general.

"Huawei Technology has established one of its few research and development facilities in South Africa through which South Africans are able to access employment opportunities in addition to benefiting from skills development programmes.

"Government welcomes the company's investment in South Africa including foreign direct investment, as well as the company's contribution to the country's human capital," Dlamini-Zuma said.

"We also encourage Huawei Technology to use South Africa as a gateway to access the region and indeed the continent," she said.

The company currently co-operates with MTN, Vodacom and Neotel in South Africa and offers a wide range of services that contribute to mobile accessibility for the nation.

Dlamini-Zuma would on Sunday attend a cultural performance at the South African Pavilion that would include acts such as Jonas Gwangwa, Don Laka and Woutter Kellerman.