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With the quick changing global environment, comes with it skills demand and the Free State province is making it its ambition to ensure that it can meet the new demand by investing in skills development and attracting foreign direct investment into the province.
The Free State Premier Ms MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae recently welcomed the Indian Consulate General Mr Niteen Subhash in Bloemfontein, who paid a courtesy visit; during the visit; the two discussed economic opportunities in the Free State to further strengthen their diplomatic and trade relations.
In order to grow the economy of the Free State Province, Letsoha-Mathae highlighted the scourge of unemployment and poverty within the province. She said the lack of skills amongst citizens affects their ability to find jobs; hence the urgent need to prioritise investment-driven initiatives. She said these initiatives must have a direct and measurable impact on economic growth and job creation within the province.
India is currently having an aggressive drive on skills development investing in technology. The country currently ranks sixth in the world amongst the biggest economies, slipping from its fifth place in 2023. According to the World Bank Group, India is one of the fastest growing economies of the world and is poised to continue on this path. With aspirations to achieve high middle-income status by 2047.
The World Bank Group says India has achieved remarkable development over the past two decades. Since 2000, the economy has nearly quadrupled in real terms, and per capita income has almost tripled. Its share in the global economy has doubled—from 1.6 percent in 2000 to 3.4 percent in 2023—making India the world’s fifth-largest economy.
India and South Africa are both member states of the BRICS economic bloc and already have trade relations. With India’s technological advancement, the Free State seeks to import those skills to empower its citizens to make them globally competent for the new economic environment.
To advance this objective, both parties agreed on the critical importance of skills development aligned to the evolving demands of the economy. In collaboration with Indian institutions, the Free State Provincial Government will facilitate the training of young people and government officials in key areas such as Information Technology (IT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and cybersecurity.
In addition, women’s cooperatives will receive specialised training in textile production, equipping them with practical skills to participate in and contribute to the industrial economy.
The Premier further highlighted the province’s commitment to revitalising local industries, positioning this as a central pillar of the partnership and a key area for enhanced collaboration.
The Free State–India partnership has, over the years, yielded tangible results in strengthening the province’s human capital. Provincial communicators previously benefited from a fully sponsored training programme in communications and media at the Institute of Telangana in Hyderabad. In partnership with the Indian company Tech Mahindra, numerous young people were trained in IT, with many now employed within government structures.
This collaborative relationship has also extended to the healthcare sector, with medical professionals, particularly nurses, receiving advanced training in India, further contributing to improved service delivery within the province.
