South Africa's deputy president, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, has been confirmed to lead a major delegation to the UK to further South Africa's economic development and growth.

Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka will be joined on her visit by the ministers of minerals and energy, environmental affairs and tourism Lindiwe Hendricks and Marthinus van Schalkwyk, and the delegation is expected to speak to a number of representatives from various firms, including major contributors to the South African economy, platinum miners Angloplat and Impala.

Topics expected to be discussed include labour issues and the black economic empowerment (BEE) initiative, both of which are currently very close to the top of the agendas of all platinum miners in South Africa.

Angloplat itself has recently headed off a strike by the country's largest union, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), while the Solidarity Union has this week launched a dispute with platinum miner Lonmin.

These factors should ensure that Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka has plenty of issues to discuss with the platinum producers.

The deputy president will also give a keynote address at the United Bank of Switzerland's (UBS) 2005 South Africa One-on-One Conference, and is expected to visit her UK counterpart John Prescott before the event.


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