A South African delegation comprising of twenty businesspeople has arrived in Novosibirsk for the 10^th Investment and Trade Initiative (ITI) to Russia organised and funded by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti). The objective of the mission is to increase exports of agro-processing and clothing and textile products, as well as built environment and capital equipment goods and services to the Russian market. 

The Global Sales Director of the Bridge of Hope Wines, Mr. Mojalefa Mosia says he is in Russia as part of his company’s efforts to expand their export market in Russia as they are already exporting to Moscow.

“The mission has provided us with a perfect opportunity to find a market for our wines in Novosibirsk as we always wanted to export to other parts of Russia. We are confident that we will be able to successfully find a distributor or buyer that we can start doing business with in order for our wines to be sold in this part of Russia and other areas. This will enable us to grow our market,” says Mosia whose Wellington, Western Cape company is already exporting to Belgium, Kenya, Angola and United Arab Emirates.

The Managing Director of the Thulanda Consultants, Mr. Benson Mseleku says his mission is to find Russian companies that he can partner with for engineering projects in South Africa.

“We are an engineering company that is is involved in project management and design services to the mining, water and sanitation industries, as well as energy infrastructure development. We are hopeful that we will be able to find Russian companies that can be interested in partnering with us in our projects back home,” says Mseleku whose company is based in KwaZulu-Natal.

For the Sales Manager of the African Premium Brands, Mr. Benson Cornelissen, the mission to Novosibirsk provides him with an opportunity to find a market for the wines that the Western Cape-based company produces.

“We are looking for a distributor, buyer or retail stores that can be interested in importing our wines to the region and other parts of Russia. We are currently exporting to a number of Asian and African countries and we are in the process of expanding to other markets like Russia,” says Cornelissen.

Kama Industries’ Grant Rossouw says he will use the opportunity to enter the Russian industrial market in order to supply his Gauteng company’s capital equipment products to the country’s mining industry.

“We are already working with a company in St Pietersburg on a small scale and now we would like to expand the market for our products by finding buyers in Novosibirsk. Our products are doing well in Australia and Chile and we are on a mission to make inroads in the Russian market,” adds Rossouw.

The Managing Director of the Gauteng-based Selatile Moloi Consulting Engineers, Mr. Tlhalefo Moloi is confident that he will find Russian partners to design, finance and build infrastructure projects in South Africa.