South African Minister Visits Goldsmith Complex In Istanbul

ISTANBUL - A South African minister visited Kuyumcukent, a goldsmith complex in the Turkish city of Istanbul, on Wednesday.
South African Trade & Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa, accompanied by a delegation, visited the ateliers in the complex and held talks with officials.
Speaking during the visit, Mpahlwa said his country watched closely the activities carried out in the Turkish goldsmithery sector. He said Turkey and South Africa should definitely cooperate in such sector.
Mpahlwa also said that officials were planning to construct a complex similar to Kuyumcukent in a free trade zone in South Africa.
Ercan Ozgur, chairman of Kuyumcukent, said during the visit that South Africa was the "strongest" country in the world`s gold mining sector.
Kuyumcukent, the investment of which was undertaken by the Jewelry Craftsmen`s Construction Cooperative in Istanbul, is "the world`s biggest expansive goldsmith complex".
With nearly 2200 jewelry manufacturing workshops, wholesale stores, factory type workshops, retail stores, movie halls, fast food units and restaurants, Kuyumcukent is an integrated complex that gathers jewelry manufacturers, consumers, wholesalers, retailers, and exporters under one roof.
(DO-AÖ)