Johannesburg: Three South African Indian leaders in different fields have formed a new company and entered into a partnership with India’s Tata Business Group to promote empowerment and facilitate information networks in South Africa.

Jay Naidoo, a former minister of telecommunications, post and broadcasting, and Jayendra Naidoo, a former executive director of the National Economic Development and Labour Council, have formed the Jay and Jayendra Group which in partnership with the Tatas, has launched Consilience Technologies, a total information and communications technology solutions provider.

The company has appointed Hasmukh Gajjar, president of the Black Business Council, as its chief executive officer, Mr Gajjar is a pioneer in the ICT industry in South Africa and also serves on a number of bodies pertaining to these areas.

"Our goal is to become one of the top five ICT companies in South Africa through organic growth and appropriate acquisitions," Consilience Technologies chairman Jay Naidoo said.

"We have the resources and experience to do this. We intend coalescing smaller companies into a larger entity that achieves a critical mass in promoting empowerment and facilitating greater communication networks in South Africa," he added.

"This partnership is a landmark in co-operation between two societies that have enormous complementary strengths and potential for mutual benefit," said Nirmal Jain, Tata Infotech’s managing director.

"As a leading systems integrator from India, Tata Infotech and Tata Africa holdings were looking for a partner with serious social and business commitments towards Africa. We are extremely pleased to have forged a relationship that resulted in the formation of Consilience," he added.

"In creating a company with a new-South African identity, we are determined to establish ourselves as a broad-based world class solutions-provider rather than as product suppliers," says Mr Naidoo.

"Consilience Technologies understands the transformation needs and challenges of the public and private sectors. In combining global and local expertise, we will focus on new growth areas relating to e-business," he added.

"This joint venture supports the national drive and concomitant processes to establish information and communications technology as a priority growth and development sector," Mr Naidoo said. "It reflects the government’s strategy of promoting partnerships between South Africa."