On his first state visit to South Africa, the President of the Republic, Daniel Chapo, as well as holding a customary meeting with his counterpart, Cyrill Ramaphosa, met for an "intimate and informal dinner" with the main CEOs of the companies listed on the country's largest stock exchange, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).

At the heart of the conversation were the companies' commitments to strengthen their industrial presence in Mozambican territory.

Hosted by the South African Chamber of Business in Mozambique (SACBM), the dinner was attended by companies such as Grindrod, Mozal and Sasol. Both were unanimous in signaling a positive outlook on Mozambique's economic potential.

Despite the post-election protests in the last quarter of 2024, the outlook and evaluation of investments in the country remain positive. In that period, South African companies lost around 455 million rand a day.

"The proactive response of BUSA's [Business Unity South Africa] logistics and transportation sectors and SACBM's crisis committees ensured the continuous flow of cargo, especially food and fuel, to ensure availability. These actions demonstrated the commitment of South African companies to the well-being of the people of Mozambique, who are our main customers and stakeholders," said SACBM Secretary General Ike Cha.

During the dinner, President Chapo listened attentively to the challenges expressed by the business leaders and was inspired by the passion and commitment exuded by the room.

Overall, the president's visit and the fruitful dinner served as a catalyst for strengthening trade ties between Mozambique and South Africa, highlighting the mutual benefits that can arise from closer cooperation and investment in key sectors, wrote a South African mining portal.