Statement by the City’s Executive Mayor, Patricia de Lille
City establishes formal relations with Shenzhen to exchange
knowledge and drive economic growth
Note to editors: the below statement is an extract from remarks by City of
Cape Town Executive Mayor, Patricia de Lille, at the signing of a Sister City
agreement with Shenzhen in the People’s Republic of China today, 15
September 2015, in an effort to strengthen relations.
Thank you for hosting us here today.
As the leaders of two great cities, we have a tremendous responsibility to do
what is in the best interests of our residents and for economic growth.
Indeed, the example of China is one that the rest of the developing world
can and should learn from.
But of particular interest is the development and scope of change that cities
like Shenzhen have been able to manage and lead.
It is cities like Shenzhen that we in Cape Town can learn from and grow with.
And that is because in the economy of the 21st Century, cities are the drivers
of economic growth.
Indeed, the McKinsey Global Institute has advised that over the coming
decades growth will be determined by a class of secondary cities that
understand, build on, or develop competitive advantages or competitive
specialisations.
And for the first time in the history of the world, this century, more people will
live in cities than in rural locations.
The City of Cape Town is becoming an active player in forging a place for
ourselves in this new era.
In so doing, we have looked at our relative size, our economic strengths and
weaknesses, our place in the world and, more specifically, our place within
the economically emerging continent of Africa.
And we have taken into account the desired benefits we want to see from a
new approach, including leveraging investment attractors and playing our
part to attract people to live and work here.
While we may not have the size or scale of Johannesburg, we are
distinguishing ourselves as a highly specialised city that has taken the lead in
certain key sectors in South Africa and southern Africa, as well as being a
gateway to Africa.
We believe these features make us more competitive than other cities for the
right kind of investor, especially cities like Johannesburg.
We have reliable and quality infrastructure with reliable power and water
supplies and accurate billing systems.
We have a public transport network and useable roads.
We have an education cluster with four universities.
We have an advanced tertiary services sector, especially in terms of finance
and business process outsourcing.
And we have a broadband network that is being rapidly expanded to
provide the kind of ICT support required by business in the 21st Century.
We have become home to a number of global companies who have
established offices with us, including companies like Hisense and Naspers,
with its global stake in Tencent.
And we are trying to position ourselves as a green city with a move towards
green economy sectors.
These drives, and these great interventions, are dependent on us carving a
place in the world, however, and learning from others.
That is why we are so proud to partner with Shenzhen in formal relations.
China is a driving force of the global economy and our country has a proud
relationship with yours in the BRICS partnership.
What Shenzhen has been able to achieve in a few decades is remarkable,
especially in dealing with the pace and scale of urbanisation.
What is more, your economic competitiveness as a major centre of Chinese
business will build the links that we hope will benefit Cape Town markets,
investors, and overall commerce.
Thank you again for hosting us in your city. It is a privilege to be here.
Thank you.