The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) in partnership with Tshwane Economic Development Agency (TEDA) hosted the Exporter Development Training in Pretoria earlier today. The purpose of the training was to prepare small medium enterprises (SMEs) for the successful expansion of their businesses into international markets. 

According to the Director of Export Development at the dti, Mr Vusi Mweli, for South African companies to become globally competitive, they have to know what they are up against on the international market when it comes to offering products or services as their foreign counterpart in the same market.

“Businesses have to know the steps to export, what it entails and the main parties involved in a typical export transaction. Becoming globally competitive translates into South African businesses contributing to the economic growth of the country and job creation,” said Mweli.

Mweli added that companies needed different types of services and interventions at various stages of their export development. Capacity building and export training supported by mentorship are such deliberate interventions to enhance export readiness of companies under scored by the Global Exporter Passport Programme (GEPP).

“the dti developed the GEPP as a training programme that forms part of the critical component of the National Export Development Programme (NEDP), and therefore acts as a guide that gives insight into how businesses can develop their export capabilities,” he added.

The GEPP initiative focuses on export capacity-building and the training of emerging and experienced exporters to ensure their export-ready status and sustainability in the international market. The programme builds on existing activities and capacities of the dti, provincial economic development departments, provincial trade and investment agencies, Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) and other international and local stakeholders to ensure the delivery of key interventions to emerging and experienced exporters.

Ms Tebogo Mphephu, Export Development and Promotion Specialist at the Tshwane Economic Development Agency (TEDA) said that the training will enhance and capacitate market competitiveness of emerging and experienced exporters within the City of Tshwane, and create an enabling export platform by addressing the significant aspects of market entry thereby growing employment, with an ultimate contribution to economic growth.

She further added that government prioritises the creation of a vibrant export culture within South Africa in order to increase the number and quality of exporters through outreach programmes and export awareness targeting potential exporters.

The training covered topics such as pricing, costing, promotion, distribution, product development, adaption for exports, packaging and labelling, feasibility analysis, negotiating techniques, export logistics, export strategic planning, and drafting an export plan.