Nelspruit - The Mpumalanga government will award 30 bursaries to business people to learn Portuguese to enable them to trade with their Mozambican counterparts along the Maputo Development Corridor.
Spokesperson for the Maputo Development Corridor (MDC) flagship programme, Mpumi Ramphomane, said the Portuguese language training programme will stimulate regional-co operation, economic growth and integration between South Africa and Mozambique.
"One of the problems in achieving the MDC goal of economic development is the inability of business people to explore and access more commercial opportunities within the corridor because of language barriers," she explained.
She said the language training facility will focus on Portuguese business language skills.
"We have to stress that the training is open to all businesses along the corridor, not just those who will be given bursaries," she said.
Ms Ramphomane said Portuguese language skills will benefit everyone from corporate business people to small business people and interest groups.
Applications for bursaries may be emailed to mpumi@blueprintgroup.co.za or posted to Mpumi Ramphomane at PO Box 12357, Nelspruit, 1200.
Applicants must explain why they are interested and the benefits they expect to gain.
Applications must be accompanied by certified copies of proof of residence in Mpumalanga, such as a water and lights or rates and taxes statement and a certified copy of a South African Identity Document.
Successful candidates will be notified within four weeks of the closing date which is 4 May.
The Maputo Development Corridor links Gauteng to Maputo harbor, along the N4 toll road. The project seeks to development both rail and road links as well as other infrastructure such as a one-stop border post at the Lebombo border in Komatipoort.
Besides the Maputo Development Corridor, the other four flagship projects are Water for All, Accelerated Capacity Building, Heritage, Greening Mpumalanga and Tourism, and the Moloto Development Corridor.
