The Eastern Cape government is intent on wooing professionals hailing from the province but now working in Gauteng to "plough back" into their home region.

To this end the Office of the Premier is calling on service providers to put in tenders to organise three imbizos in Gauteng over the next year.

According to provincial government spokesperson Phila Ngqumba, Premier Nosimo Balindlela wanted to reach out to Gauteng-based Eastern Cape professionals so they would "think seriously" about investing in the province.

"We are trying to organise those meetings. We are looking for people who can put up those events."

Ngqumba said the imbizos aimed at keeping Eastern Cape professionals who had moved to Gauteng abreast with developments and plans for the province, and to see if they were interested in contributing.

He said professionals working at major companies and academic institutions could indirectly contribute by influencing their institutions to invest and do research in the province.

This is the second time the province has embarked on an exercise of this nature. It met professionals in Durban and Cape Town over the past two years.

Although Ngqumba did not know of any "tangible" outcomes from the previous imbizos, he said Eastern Cape professionals who had met with the provincial government were "keen to come back" and had shown great interest in contributing towards the province.

They also "appreciated knowing about the plans at home - like the provincial growth and development plan".

Some Eastern Cape professionals are already investing in the province, including businessmen Bulelani Ngcuka and Saki Macozoma.

The Saturday Dispatch recently reported that the two were investing more than R2 billion in business ventures.

Ngcuka's company Amabhubesi Investments is reportedly investing R1,7bn in a shopping complex in Jeffrey's Bay; a housing development and tomato farming projects in East London, and a dairy project in Middledrift.

Macozoma reportedly owns a 25 percent share in Swiss Villa Farms, which is developing a golfing estate in Chintsa. Once completed the R1,2bn river estate is expected to create about 900 permanent jobs.

Mdantsane-born Sisa Ngebulana of Billion Properties is investing in a R1,2bn golf course and a five-star hotel in Gonubie. Billion Properties is also planning to invest in a R125m shopping centre in Mdantsane.

These investments follow SABC chief executive Dali Mpofu's "Plough Your Millions Back Home" campaign.