Trade between the EU and South Africa is worth around 700 billion rand annually.
From Brussels, our Europe correspondent Jack Parrock reports.
IN: "The changing ..."
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VO #1: The changing of president is being watched closely by the European Union with whom the now former South African president Jacob Zuma hasn't always had the easiest relationship.
SOT: <<Catherine Ray - EU Commission Spokesperson>>
"This is first and foremost an internal matter for the people of South Africa, for the parliament, so we will continue to follow it closely, notably via our delegation. And we fully trust the South African strong democratic, institutions and the rule of law respect in the country. We will obviously continue to engage with the next, future leadership because we believe the EU and South Africa partnership is a very important one for us."
VO #2: The last time Jacob Zuma visited Brussels was in 2012 and a September 2013 EU-South Africa summit in Pretoria was the last time the two sides met bilaterally at the highest level.
In 2014, Jacob Zuma stayed away from a Brussels summit of EU and African leaders in solidarity with Robert Mugabe - the former Zimbabwean president wasn't invited due to european concerns about the human rights record in his country.
International relations minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane attended instead and criticized the EU for not allowing Mugabe to attend.
SOT: <<Ministter Maite Nkoana mashabane - South African international relations minister>>
"The AU and the EU should take care of their own guest-lists."
VO #3: In 2016, the EU and the Southern African Development Community signed an economic partnership agreement to open up to one another's markets - it's effectiveness is still being questioned.
SOT: << Faten Aggad-Clerx - Head of Africa programme - European Centre for Development Policy Management>>
"Economically it is seen as one of the powerhouses if not the powerhouse in Africa and with the way South Africa was going over the last years it was a worrisome trend."
VO #4: President Zuma also encountered criticism when he allowed international criminal court indicted Sudanese president Omar al-Basir to attend and AU summit in South Africa - the ICC wanted him arrested and transferred to The Hague to face trial.
VO #5: The new leadership in South Africa under Cyril Ramaposa will be watched closely here in Brussels where they'll be looking at ways to increase diplomatic cooperation and strengthen ties that haven't always looked so solid under the Zuma presidency.
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