Western Cape Business 2018 edition
The 2018 edition of Western Cape Business is the 11th issue of this highly successful publication that, since its launch in 2005, has established itself as the premier business and investment guide for the Western Cape. In addition to the regular articles providing insight into each of the key economic sectors of the province, there are special features on the growth of tourism (spurred by an innovative programme designed to create more direct flights to Cape Town), medical technology as a growth sector and the pursuit of excellence that drives the Cape Winemakers Guild. The journal contains a message from Alan Winde, Minister of Economic Opportunities, and contributions from significant business leaders from Accelerate Cape Town, the Cape Chamber of Commerce and the Western Cape Business Opportunities Forum. An interview with Tim Harris, Wesgro’s CEO, reveals some of the recipe for the province’s economic success. Updated information on the Western Cape is also available through our monthly e-newsletter, which you can subscribe to online at www.globalafricanetwork.com, in addition to our complementary business-to-business titles that cover all nine provinces as well as our flagship South African Business title.
The 2018 edition of Western Cape Business is the 11th issue of this highly successful publication that, since its launch in 2005, has established itself as the premier business and investment guide for the Western Cape.
In addition to the regular articles providing insight into each of the key economic sectors of the province, there are special features on the growth of tourism (spurred by an innovative programme designed to create more direct flights to Cape Town), medical technology as a growth sector and the pursuit of excellence that drives the Cape Winemakers Guild. The journal contains a message from Alan Winde, Minister of Economic Opportunities, and contributions from significant business leaders from Accelerate Cape Town, the Cape Chamber of Commerce and the Western Cape Business Opportunities Forum. An interview with Tim Harris, Wesgro’s CEO, reveals some of the recipe for the province’s economic success.
Updated information on the Western Cape is also available through our monthly e-newsletter, which you can subscribe to online at www.globalafricanetwork.com, in addition to our complementary business-to-business titles that cover all nine provinces as well as our flagship South African Business title.
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INTERVIEW<br />
• Tap into the depth of expertise found in universities,<br />
ensuring we remain innovative and relevant<br />
as a city.<br />
Accelerate <strong>Cape</strong> Town has recently<br />
launched an ESD Programme. How can<br />
this programme benefit corporates,<br />
as well as the local economy?<br />
South Africa greatly needs jobs and economic development,<br />
but with government coming under<br />
increasing pressure to reduce its wage bill, and the<br />
corporate sector similarly pushing for greater efficiencies<br />
in a recessionary economy, the only remaining<br />
hope for job growth is the SME sector. In<br />
order to significantly grow SMEs, we need to provide<br />
them with access to market opportunities, finance,<br />
technical support, and mentorship.<br />
Identified as a key economic driver globally, the<br />
development of SMEs is probably the most meaningful<br />
way to grow a more diverse and sustainable<br />
economic landscape for South Africa. Accelerate<br />
<strong>Cape</strong> Town’s Enterprise and Supplier Development<br />
(ESD) Programme aims to build more sustainable<br />
sectors in an effort to encourage greater, socioeconomic<br />
transformation.<br />
The ESD programme aims to:<br />
• Identify suitable (risk averse) supply chain<br />
opportunities for emerging suppliers<br />
• Find suitable suppliers that could be developed<br />
and upscaled into larger businesses<br />
• Support the in-house SME training programmes<br />
of our member companies.<br />
How can SMEs be supported?<br />
SMEs require support and resources that include<br />
access to suitable market opportunities, access to<br />
finance for upscaling, access to technical support<br />
required for upscaling and most importantly, access<br />
to best of-breed mentors.<br />
Is something being done to tackle <strong>Cape</strong><br />
Town’s traffic problem holistically?<br />
Traffic congestion in <strong>Cape</strong> Town is the highest<br />
in South Africa according to TomTom, and with<br />
Metrorail’s challenges from cable theft and vandalism,<br />
commuters can spend almost double their<br />
travel time during peak hours.<br />
As part of the Transport programme, Accelerate<br />
<strong>Cape</strong> Town has launched a Transport Project<br />
Office (TPO), a progressive initiative, which aims to<br />
coordinate corporate leadership and action in relation<br />
to the transport challenges and opportunities<br />
in the <strong>Cape</strong> Town city-region.<br />
The aim of the programme and TPO is to:<br />
• Address traffic congestion and find solutions to<br />
the problem in an effort to enhance business<br />
productivity<br />
• Encourage behavioural change among<br />
commuters<br />
• Foster a spirit of collaboration among corporate<br />
<strong>Cape</strong> Town, encouraging them to consider innovative<br />
and alternative transport solutions to<br />
ease congestion<br />
• Forming part of steering committees in projects<br />
such as the aerotropolis at <strong>Cape</strong> Town<br />
International Airport and the Air Access project.<br />
53 WESTERN CAPE BUSINESS <strong>2018</strong>
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