The country’s oldest multi-sectoral trade exhibition, the South African International Trade Exhibition (SAITEX) will celebrate its thirtieth anniversary in 2024, commemorating its role in contributing to economic growth and development on the African continent.

For the first time, SAITEX will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre, from June 11 to 13, 2024, aiming to foster measurable improvement in the South African economy by providing a networking platform that can enhance business relationships between African and international business owners.

The organisers add that achieving a 30-year run is a noteworthy milestone, as it demonstrates the trustworthiness of the event and its partners to intercontinental and international traders, consumers and industry representatives.

“Attendees from over 25 countries, including various African countries and international nations, participated in previous editions, reflecting SAITEX’s broad international appeal and relevance​​. Next year we will cement the legacy of a platform that has been tried and tested. Our objective is to enhance representation from across the continent, showcasing the complete value chain. This approach is designed to facilitate exhibitors’ conduct of trade directly from the show floor and to enable customers to efficiently transport goods back to their countries of origin while attending the event. A crucial aspect of this strategy is to ensure that a greater number of transactions are completed on the show floor, thereby providing a robust platform for collaboration throughout the continent,” emphasises SAITEX event manager Phetogo Kubheka.

SAITEX, as a business exhibition, provides business owners, entrepreneurs and informal trade sector industry players with access to a dedicated platform to showcase products and/or services to local and international markets, and to connect with prospective business partners.

A plethora of innovative and trending products and services will be showcased by small, medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs), as well as renowned blue-chip companies, to introduce business owners to products and/or services that will provide solutions for existing and potential business challenges.

“The event will exhibit an array of products from various industries, with key focus on the sectors such as homeware, giftware, clothing, textiles, apparel, consumer electronics, beauty, hair, cosmetics, light industries, hardware and e-commerce​. Several activations are planned for 2024, including a Dragons Den activation, where SMMEs can pitch their ideas to potential financiers,” adds Kubheka.

Another main objective of the 2024 edition of SAITEX is for various industry experts to provide insights on topics such as the basics of exporting, capacity building for export-readiness, how to penetrate African and international markets, as well as microfinancing.

Further, SAITEX contributes to the mission, objectives and values outlined by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement – a flagship project of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 – with extensive efforts made to boost intra-Africa trade.

“The expo can be seen as a microcosm of the AfCFTA objectives, providing a tangible platform for realising the benefits of increased trade and cooperation within the African continent,” notes Kubheka.

The 2024 edition will afford attendees and exhibitors the opportunity to “increase sales by meeting buyers and decision-makers, promote brands, engage with key industry stakeholders, and connect with local and international trade bodies”.

“Business owners, large corporation representatives and consumers should attend SAITEX 2024 for networking opportunities, exposure and the chance to engage with a diverse set of international markets and trade opportunities,” she concludes.