E-Malt.com News article: Swaziland: SABMiller invited to partner with Swaziland for 2010 Football World Cup

SABMiller, the world's largest brewer, has been invited to partner with Swaziland in preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup to be held in South Africa, The Swazi Observer published April 11.

Enterprise and Employment Minister Lutfo Dlamini said as 2010 approaches, Swaziland was inviting companies such as SABMiller to partner with government in exploring business opportunities arising from the international soccer event.

Speaking during the second day of SABMiller's corporate affairs conference for its division representatives from Africa and Asia at the Indzaba Room at the Royal Swazi Sun yesterday, the minister further urged the company and its divisions to partner with the country in the upcoming 40/40 double celebration.

"I am happy to note that SABMiller and especially Swaziland Beverages for the support we have enjoyed in entrepreneurship development," he stated, "Swaziland Beverages has always been behind us."

Dlamini said he hoped the company would join in celebrating with its customers, who had been loyal to it for the past 40 years, through coming up with a special product for the 40/40 double celebration.

In response, Swaziland Beverages Corporate Affairs Manager Sharon Maziya assured the minister that the company was already working on something for the national celebration.

Meanwhile, Dlamini noted that government had a good working relationship with most of the countries SABMiller operates in, however, noting that despite such, Swaziland's economic growth was still slow.

"It could be that we're doing things in such a way that we're not able to grow. What we'd like to know is: what is it we're doing wrong? What is it that we need to change?" he wondered.

The minister also emphasised that as the ministry responsible for trade and industry, they were fully behind the proposed Alcohol Policy, adding that the policy was important for successful regulation of the liquor industry.

"We have a lot of people brewing illegal concoctions and we are unable to control them because not having a trading licence does not stop people from consuming your product," he pointed out.

Dlamini said the sooner this problem was resolved would be better for the industry because even though government cannot legislate what people consume, such regulation helps in ensuring product quality, price and safety.

Participating in the conference are SABMiller division representatives from Malawi, Uganda, Lesotho, South Africa, Botswana, Ghana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, India and Swaziland.


11 April, 2008