Design Indaba: The Cape of Creativity | Western Cape Government

News

News

Design Indaba: The Cape of Creativity

26 February 2013

From Wednesday, 27 February, Cape Town will once again play host to one of the world’s leading design events - Design Indaba. The event encompasses five days of the best of South Africa’s creative industry.

This year’s Design Indaba will feature 30 local and international speakers at the Design Indaba Conference to be held Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC); showcase high-end, home-grown design at the Design Indaba Expo; present the Design Indaba FilmFest and host 32 musicians at eight venues across the City.

Western Cape Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Alan Winde said: “We welcome all local and international visitors attending the conference to our beautiful province. The Western Cape is a recognised world leader in the provision of design-led products, services and solutions to the global market place. With just one year to go until Cape Town hosts the World Design Capital 2014, design is currently right at the top of the province’s agenda. This year’s Design Indaba promises to exceed expectations and further cement our position on the global design map.”

Minister Winde explained: “The Design sector is priority for our government as it absorbs a significant number of the unemployed, who are largely unskilled and semi-skilled. The Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism has identified design as an important catalyst for innovation-led economic growth. The Department’s Cape Catalyst Initiative is already rolling out five design orientated infrastructure development projects:

• The Broadband initiative;

• The Cape Town Health Technology Park;

• The Fringe;

• Saldanha IDZ; and

• The expansion of the CTICC”

The founder of the Design Indaba, Ravi Naidoo, said: “The Design Indaba’s importance is related to contribution to the growth of the economy and jobs. Last year’s Design Indaba saw 52 000 people visit Cape Town for the conference, at a contribution of R326.9 million and R101.5 million to South Africa’s National Gross Domestic Product GDP and the Western Cape Gross Geographic Product respectively. Employment created last year by the event is also significant, at no less than 1 151 part- and full-time jobs. The Design Indaba has this year reached new heights, there will be 485 exhibitors, largely SMMEs, showcasing their design and creative produce. We are expecting an even bigger impetus to our GDP contribution.”

According to Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), CEO Rashid Toefy, “The CTICC is proud to be the home of this renowned international event. Since inception, Design Indaba’s vision rests on the premise that creativity will fuel an economic revolution in South Africa. This vision is closely aligned to the centre’s core objective of driving economic growth, through innovation in the province, and we are excited to expand on the ten year partnership with the organisers, to further raise the stature of this event and the global profile of the destination”.

Media Enquiries: 

Phumzile Van Damme
Spokesperson for Minister Alan Winde
Cell: 082 378 2235