by MTHULISI SIBANDA
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – THE country’s sole manufacturer of mobile devices has welcomed the South African government’s recognition as its preferred device brand in all procurement for the next five years.
Mara Phones welcomed the endorsement, which is under the aegis of the recently -awarded RT15-2021 contract for the supply and delivery of mobile communication services to the state for the period April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2026.
“This is the result of years of hard work and tireless dedication from my exceptional team,” said Sylvester Taku, Managing Director of Mara Phones SA.
He said this was a huge boost to South Africa’s local economy and employment, and it demonstrated the government’s and the network operators’ faith in them as South Africa’s flagship smartphone brand.
“Every South African can be proud that world-class smartphones roll out of our KwaZulu-Natal high-tech electronics manufacturing plant – not simple assembly plant – and we cannot wait to get our devices into the hands of more South Africans,” Taku added.
Mara Phones is a subsidiary of Mara Corporation, an African brand and company that has been working on the continent for over 25 years.
Ashish Thakkar, Mara Phones Group CEO, noted the deal in South Africa came on the back of the heightened importance of countries investing in their own capacity in critical goods and services.
“COVID-19 and the Suez Canal blockage have perfectly demonstrated the fragility of international trade,” Thakkar said.
In 2020, the first bricks-and-mortar Mara Experience Store was opened in Soweto.
This was exactly a year after Mara Phones unveiled the country’s first smartphone manufacturing facility in KwaZulu-Natal.
– CAJ News