Sharon Ramudzuli: “More and more South Africans are tapping the Mauritian potential”

Sharon Ramudzuli, the First Secretary of the South African High Commission, and acting High Commissioner of South Africa, speaks on the nature of the bilateral relations between South Africa and Mauritius and on what is being done to further strengthen diplomatic ties.

BUSINESSMAG. South Africa is a major regional power. But how far does small Mauritius play a role in the objectives of the South African economy in internationalising itself?

Geographically, since we are in the South African Development Community (SADC), the development of one country has a bearing on the others, whether you like it or not. SADC is organised in such a way that the development of the region in itself is very linked to the development of each country. So, South Africa, in a way, does view Mauritius as a very important partner in its economic development, regionally, internationally or otherwise. This is evidenced by the fact that South Africa is the second largest investor here. We view Mauritius as a very important partner for the economic development of our country and that of the region as well.

BUSINESSMAG. What is the nature of our bilateral relationship and how has this relationship evolved over time?

We enjoy a very close relationship. We have not encountered any major conflicts with Mauritius and you have always supported South Africa in its quest for freedom. We are among the youngest democracies in the world. We are only 23 years old now and Mauritius has been playing a role in achieving that. This office was used as an economic desk until it was turned into a full-fledged embassy because of the importance of South Africa in the Mauritian economy. We have supported each other bilaterally at the United Nations and the African Union’s level.

BUSINESSMAG. What does Mauritius offer to South Africa and vice versa?

We have quite similar heritage and history. We have similar struggles. When it comes to heritage, we partner in a lot of initiatives. South Africa is a multicultural country just like Mauritius and there is a lot we can learn from each other. Recently, we just had an agreement signed which is twining South Africa’s Robben Island and the Le Morne Heritage Trust Fund. This shows how close we are.

BUSINESSMAG. Figures show that in 2014, South Africans picked Mauritius above all African countries to invest in. What attracts South African capital and has anything changed since 2014?

Nothing has changed except the fact that the trend shows that investment is growing. It is very common in worldwide markets that a country’s stability is one key factor that attracts businessmen. This includes South Africans as well. When it comes to security too, Mauritius does well. When you invest somewhere, you do not want to invest in a country where there may be civil unrest. And Mauritius, because it is stable and business friendly, attracts South Africans. We can see more and more South African businesses tapping on the potential of the Mauritian market and facilities that it offers, despite its small size.

BUSINESSMAG. What is being done by our two governments to improve trade relations?

What we do is creating an environment in which businesses can operate. One of the things we have been doing is that we have signed a comprehensive economic agreement which seeks to improve trade between the two countries. We have engaged ourselves in trade agreements. Also last year, the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements came into power. This is meant to improve trade as well. We are reviewing the air services agreement. When it comes to agriculture, we are also looking at the ways we may work together. Regarding health care, Mauritian doctors could be sent to South Africa soon. We are cooperating in numerous areas.

BUSINESSMAG. South Africa seems to have the upper hand when it comes to trade. Do you think that Mauritius can do better in the future?

One of the things we do is that we host South African business presentations and the aim is to present to Mauritian businesses the incentives that South Africa gives to do business on its soil. We organise such events to get Mauritian businesses to invest in South Africa. We now have the Board of Investment (BOI) in South Africa not only to attract South African investors in Mauritius but also to assist Mauritians investing in South Africa.

BUSINESSMAG. On the political front, there are a number of protests against the South African government. Do you think that this situation can have an impact on bilateral trade or affect South Africa’s role in the region?

On the bilateral relations, every country has its own political dynamics, Mauritius included. South Africa is a democratic society and we all have our rights to express our rights which include peaceful protests. That does not mean that this will have any impact on the political relations with Mauritius. It does not have apolitical bearing to Mauritius. It may have an economic bearing in the sense that the situation may make it harder to import things from South Africa for Mauritian businesses. But in terms of the political dynamics, we are a sovereign nation and we are just exercising our democratic rights.