Job Fair 2024 of Chinese-Invested Enterprises in South Africa attract thousands of job seekers

On April 16, 2024, Job Fair 2024 of Chinese-Invested Enterprises in South Africa was held in Johannesburg, South Africa's largest city, which targets local students and residents, attracted thousands of job seekers. The event was hosted by the South Africa-China Economic and Trade Association (SACETA), in partnership with the Chinese Embassy in South Africa.

The event received the support of various key partners and stakeholders, including government bodies, industry leaders, and educational institutions. Their involvement highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing unemployment challenges and fostering economic growth.

The Chargé d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in South Africa, Li Zhigang, opened the event.

Li Zhigang, Chargé d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in South Africa, speaks at the event. (People’s Daily Online/Liu Chang)

Li said the job fair was an important step towards implementing the consensus reached by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping, in their State meeting in South Africa in 2023.

South African Minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu speaks at the event. (People’s Daily Online/Liu Chang)

South African Minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu delivered a speech at the 2024 China-South Africa Job Fair. In her remarks, Zulu highlighted the significance of the job fair amidst South Africa's efforts to recover from various economic, social, health, and climate challenges. She emphasized the importance of foreign direct investments and the localization of value chains to address the country's growing unemployment rate, which reached 7.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2023, according to Stats SA's Quarterly Labour Force Survey. The minister noted the positive impact of Chinese investments in South Africa, citing over $25 billion in investments that have created over 400,000 jobs. She also highlighted recent investment commitments and business agreements between the two countries, which underscored the potential for further job creation and economic growth.

“The continuous deepening, thoroughgoing nature and substantial growth of relations between the Republic of South Africa and the People's Republic of China, and between the entrepreneurs and innovators of our respective nations and their people go beyond the 26 years of the formalization of our relations. Together, let us continue to defend and advance the people’s freedom from poverty, inequality, and unemployment,” she said.

Maropene Ramokgopa, Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation of South Africa, speaks at the event.  (People’s Daily Online/Liu Chang)

Maropene Ramokgopa, Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation of South Africa, expounded on South Africa’s steadfastness in building a South Africa that promotes high-quality development through an economic environment that enables economic opportunities, prioritizes redistribution, promotes industrialization and innovation, and attracts foreign direct investment opportunities. She said that in April, South Africa commemorates 30 years of Democracy and Freedom under the theme, “Partnerships and Growth,” which is a clarion call to promote active citizenry and social compacts towards achieving development targets. Therefore, institutions such as SACETA are catalysts in facilitating partnerships and social compacts across the business communities of both countries to advance key targets, including job creation.

Zhang Chaoyang, Chairman of SACETA and CEO of Bank of China Limited Johannesburg Branch, delivered a speech at Job Fair 2024 of Chinese-Invested Enterprises in South Africa. Zhang expressed his gratitude to the Chinese Embassy and the South African government for their support in organizing the job fair and facilitating the Chinese enterprises' business activities in South Africa. He highlighted SACETA's role as a representative agency of over 200 Chinese-invested enterprises in South Africa, spanning industries such as energy, finance, mining, manufacturing, transportation, logistics, communications services, cultural media, agricultural farming, and real estate, which collectively provide hundreds of thousands of jobs for South Africans.

Zhang Chaoyang, Chairman of SACETA and CEO of Bank of China Limited Johannesburg Branch, speaks at the event. (People’s Daily Online/Liu Chang)

“With the belief of 'shared future, joint pursuit', SACETA is dedicated to encouraging its members to fulfill their social responsibilities, give back to local societies, and make contributions to the social and economic development of South Africa, winning the appreciation of the local government, community and people,” he said.

Among the many esteemed guests was Liu Dong, Managing Director of Sinosteel South Africa Pty Ltd. Liu mentioned Sinosteel's commitment to localized operations, and stressed that the subsidiaries in South Africa are predominantly managed by local employees.

Liu Dong, Managing Director of Sinosteel South Africa Pty Ltd., speaks at the event. (People’s Daily Online/Liu Chang)

Although separated by thousands of miles, China and South Africa share a longstanding friendship as China stands as South Africa's largest trading partner and a significant source of investment, with Chinese-invested enterprises in South Africa generating over 400,000 local jobs.

Job seekers submit their resumes and leave their contact information at the job fair. (People’s Daily Online/Zhang Xi)

The job fair hosted by SACETA and the Chinese Embassy in South Africa is a significant step toward addressing unemployment challenges and empowering the youth. By bringing together key stakeholders and providing a platform for engagement, the event highlights the importance of collaboration in driving economic development and creating sustainable employment opportunities in South Africa. With over 75 representatives from Chinese-funded enterprises, 2,800 students and job-seeking individuals, as well as attendees from Chinese and South African media, the fair showcases a commitment to fostering partnerships.

Established in April 2011, SACETA is a non-profit social organization registered in Johannesburg, South Africa, boasting of 210 members.

Participants take a group photo at the event. (People's Daily Online/Liu Chang)