Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's official trip to South Africa started this morning in Cape Town with a visit to the Niall Mellon Township Trust.
Thousands of Irish volunteers have helped the Irishman's organisation, which builds houses to improve the conditions of people living in townships across the country.
Some 1,350 volunteers built 205 houses during the trust's most recent building blitz in November Mr Ahern said today that €5 million in Government funding would be given to the housing project.
Later, the Taoiseach will attend a reception hosted by the Irish ambassador to South Africa, Colin Wrafter in the Table Bay Hotel, Cape Town.
In afternoon, the Taoiseach will announce the launch of the Chello Foundation, an educational charity set up by Chellomedia, a division of the Liberty Global media company, a spokesman said.
The aim of the foundation is to educate children who have been orphaned by HIV/Aids.
The Taoiseach will also visit the offices of Eurocape, part of the Dublin based Howard Eurocape group, one of the leading property development companies in South Africa.
The Taoiseach's delegation, which includes Enterprise Minister Micheál Martin and representatives from more than 50 Irish firms - will leave Cape Town for Johannesburg this evening.
Organised by Enterprise Ireland, the trade mission will be used to explore opportunities for Irish firms in South Africa.