Irish business people had opportunities to invest in infrastructure projects in South Africa, the former Trinity College law lecturer and current South African Minister for Water Affairs and Foresty, Professor Kader Asmal, said yesterday.

Speaking at a Dublin Chamber of Commerce meeting, Professor Asmal said his own portfolio offered "very real partnership with foreign players". He said although there was no question of privatising water, the provision of the service was being put into private hands, in conjunction with the service providers, the local authorities, and there were opportunities "to benefit from providing expertise and investment in the process of radically altering the flow of water in South Africa. "In the area of forestry too, there are exciting developments which promise a substantial restructuring of our forestry assets, which are probably the major employer of rural people in South Africa," he said.

He added that an economic plan to foster growth, employment and redistribution had been developed and although the currency and the stock exchange had been battered by the Asia Crisis, the government had stuck by its "prudent financial policies". In some respects, South Africa was not an emerging economy, but a re-emerging one, he said, with excellent highways, competent ports and very good communications.

"I urge you to look closely at every opportunity that arises to invest in and trade with my country," he said.