Western Cape Business 2020 edition

WESTERN CAPE 

BUSINESS 

THE GUIDE TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT 

IN THE WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE 

2020 EDITION 

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1 WESTERN CAPE BUSINESS 2020

The Cape Winelands 

District charts the way 

to a prosperous future 

A new regional Socio-Economic Development 

Strategy has been developed. 

The Cape Winelands District Municipality has recently adopted 

its new Socio-Economic Development Strategy. The objective 

is to identify key social and economic challenges of the Cape 

Winelands region and find ways to overcome those challenges 

while exploring new opportunities for growth. 

The strategy outlines how the Cape Winelands District Municipality 

will invest in its people and how it will create an enabling environment 

in which business can develop, grow and thrive by fostering greater 

investment that will increase job growth and alleviate poverty. 

The involvement of local stakeholders in the process of developing 

their own territory is a prerequisite for sustainable growth. 

Strategic goals 

Five main goals have been identified. 

Growing and thriving entrepreneurship and innovation 

Businesses create employment for local residents, provide families 

with livelihoods and ignite local economic development. A strong 

and diversified business sector can assist to mitigate the area’s 

dependence on the agricultural sector. The municipality will: 

• Continue to focus on supporting small business development. 

• Continue to support sector development in wine tourism. 

Wine tourism already contributes in excess of R6-billion to 

the GDP annually and with a national wine tourism strategy 

and a coordinated plan, the aim is to increase that to R16-billion 

by 2025. The CWDM will continue to support industry 

associations such as VINPRO and WOSA to grow the wine 

tourism industry. 

• Grow the creative economy. The Cape Winelands is home to 

many artists, writers, dancers, designers, musicians, chefs, 

and all sorts of talented and interesting people. The Cape 

Winelands will support this ecosystem through its partnership 

with the University of Stellenbosch. 

• Promote innovation and diversification. Successful businesses 

continually strive to improve on their products and services 

and search for new markets. The municipality undertakes 

to give recognition to those 

innovative businesses. 

Working towards building 

safe, healthy, active and 

productive communities 

together 

The role of the Municipality 

is one of support, facilitation 

and creating an enabling 

environment. Coordinating 

efforts and cooperation between 

all spheres of government and 

the various NPOs and NGOs 

can prevent duplication of 

programmes and enhance the 

impact of programmes. The 

Municipality should not attempt 

to replace or duplicate the work 

done by NPOs and NGOs but 

aim to maximise the benefits of 

these civil society and private 

sector initiatives. 

Facilitating investment 

attraction, retention and 

opportunities 

In order to attract foreign 

investment, government 

should establish support 

infrastructure and be committed 

to a pro-business (private sector) 

attitude. The local workforce 

should be well-trained, basic 

infrastructure should be in place 

and international links should 

be fostered. Potential investors 

WESTERN CAPE BUSINESS 2020 

2

are also attracted by good 

governance and capable market 

institutions. The Cape Winelands 

District investment attraction, 

retention and opportunities 

plan has within it Business 

Retention and Expansion (BR&E), 

Investment Opportunities and 

creating competitiveness as key 

focus areas. 

The CWDM will continue to 

implement co-funded tourism 

projects with the private sector. 

The programme has already seen 

a number of successful projects: 

• The Franschhoek Hospitality 

and Learning Academy 

trains about 20 students a 

year in hospitality and 

students do in-service 

training at restaurants. 

• Dine with a Local project has 

been so successful that one 

of the hostesses is booked 

out a year in advance. 

• The DansCape ballet 

dancing in Zolani has 

produced talents that are 

currently dancing all over 

the world. 

• Past projects include the 

development of an online 

Wine Tourism Industry 

Toolkit which is a 

comprehensive online 

resource for the wine 

industry. 

• Tourism mobile apps for the 

district’s 14 towns have 

also been developed. 

Environmental protection 

that promotes sustainable 

development and economic 

growth 

The key driver is to uplift rural 

places, the rural economy and 

people. The District will facilitate 

Early Child Development centre staff members with their First Aid 

certificates. Training was sponsored by the CWDM. 

continued support for projects and programmes that improve 

competitiveness, encourage diversification of the rural economy and 

that improve community resilience, improve the quality of life in rural 

areas and that protect and enhance the natural environment. 

Culture, diversity and vibrant places 

The Cape Winelands District Municipality is the Regional Tourism Organisation 

(RTO) for the Cape Winelands Tourism Region. The CWDM 

provides regional leadership and coordination and works with industry 

partners, such as the Local Tourism Associations, to grow tourism 

through activities such as strategic planning, research, product development, 

training and marketing. 

It is the people of the Cape Winelands, their stories, their books, their 

poems, their paintings, their theatre performances, their vision for their 

tourism businesses, their story-telling, their music and songs, their culinary 

creations, their wine-making talents, their arts and crafts and their business 

innovation talents alike, that the District wants to share with visitors. 

The tourism industry has an important role to play in attaining the 

region’s goals for growth and job creation. 

The way forward 

The Socio-Economic Development Strategy provides strategies 

that will help the District Municipality in collaboration with 

its partners and communities to build on our socio-economic 

development efforts. 

It is only through collaboration and a shared commitment 

between all stakeholders, that the Cape Winelands Regional Socio- 

Economic Development Strategy can be successfully implemented. 

The Cape Winelands Socio-Economic Development Strategy 

builds on previous programmes and identifies new ways in which 

the District Municipality can grow the economy and facilitate the 

creation of new jobs. The strategy will continue to evolve over 

time so that the District Municipality and its partners can seize new 

opportunities and respond to emerging challenges. 


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5 WESTERN CAPE BUSINESS 2020 

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CONTENTS 

CONTENTS 

Western Cape Business 2020 Edition 

Introduction 

Foreword 13 

Western Cape Business is a unique guide to business, 

tourism and investment and tourism in the Western Cape. 

Special features 

Regional overview 14 

The Western Cape’s exports are expanding while the 

region’s reputation as a technology hub continues to grow. 

Water solutions are available 34 

The De Rust WaterWise Ways project is showing the way. 

Economic sectors 

Agriculture 46 

Blueberries are good for job creation. 

Wine and grapes 48 

Wine exports to China are up 109%. 

Fishing 50 

Ownership patterns in the fishing industry are changing. 

Mining 51 

A huge project to increase volumes at the Port of Saldanha 

is planned. 


8

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ABC has built up a substantial fleet of Bandit 

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A commitment to support 

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CONTENTS 

Oil and gas 52 

The Western Cape is turning to gas. 

Energy 54 

Green business is blooming in the Western Cape. 

Manufacturing 58 

Boatbuilding exports have soared since 2014. 

Maritime 60 

The Oceans Economy is creating new opportunities. 

Construction and property 61 

Student accommodation is on trend. 

Tourism and events 68 

Arts and culture are front and centre in the Western Cape. 

Banking and financial services 70 

Cape Town is a fintech hub. 

Development finance and SMME support 71 

Sauce company finds the right funding recipe. 

Education and training 76 

Skills training is a national priority. 

Business Process Outsourcing 84 

A war room is removing red tape in BPO. 


10

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Art & Design 

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Business Studies 

Education and Training 

Electrical Engineering 

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CENTRE OF SPECIALISATION (CoS) is a 

national programme aimed at producing: 

A skilled and capable workforce to 

support inclusive economic growth 

Increased availability of intermediatelevel 

technical skills 

Increased delivery of qualiied artisans in 

13 priority trades 

Improved capacity of public TVET 

colleges to train in skills in demand by 

industry 

How does it work? 

Dual system apprenticeships that 

combine 

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with... 

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lots of authentic work experience in a 

single, integrated learning programme 

... with employers in the driver’s seat 

Who are involved? 

It’s a partnership between the national 

Department of Higher Education and 

Training and business associations from 

the private sector, focusing on 13 priority 

trades. 

The College of Cape Town has been 

appointed as Centres of Specialisation 

for Plumbing and Automotive Motor 

Mechanics. 

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After apprenticeships: 

- Skilled employees, trained to 

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your company - immediately 

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- Lower-risk and lower cost of 

recruitment 

- Enhanced employee retention 


CONTENTS 

Government 

Western Cape Provincial Government 85 

An overview of the Western Cape Provincial 

Government departments. 

Reference 

Sector contents 44 

Index 88 

Maps 

Western Cape municipal map 19 

ABOUT THE COVER: Credit: subman/iStock by Getty Images. Cape Town routinely wins awards such 

as “Africa’s Leading Festival & Event Destination” 2018 and 2019 (World Travel Awards, 2018 and 2019). 

Surveys often find that tourists love the place, such as the Daily Telegraph’s readers who voted in the 

Telegraph Travel Awards for “Greatest City on Earth”. The city has 33 Blue Flag beaches, nine Blue Flag 

marinas and two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Robben Island and the Cape Floral Kingdom. Beyond the 

Cape Peninsula, the Cape Winelands ranks among the must-sees, as does the Garden Route. 


12

Western Cape Business 

A unique guide to business, investment and tourism in the Western Cape. 

FOREWORD 

Credits 

Publisher: Chris Whales 

Publishing director: 

Robert Arendse 

Editor: John Young 

Managing director: Clive During 

Online editor: Christoff Scholtz 

Art director: Brent Meder 

Designer: Richard Smith 

Production: Lizel Olivier 

Ad sales: Gavin van der Merwe, 

Sam Oliver, Jeremy Petersen 

Gabriel Venter, Vanessa Wallace, 

Shiko Diala and Sandile Koni. 

Administration & accounts: 

Charlene Steynberg 

and Natalie Koopman 

Distribution & circulation 

manager: Edward MacDonald 

Printing: FA Print 

DISTRIBUTION 

Western Cape Business is distributed internationally on 

outgoing and incoming trade missions, through trade and 

investment agencies; to foreign offices in South Africa’s 

main trading partners around the world; at top national 

and international events; through the offices of foreign 

representatives in South Africa; as well as nationally and 

regionally via chambers of commerce, tourism offices, airport 

lounges, provincial government departments, municipalities 

and companies. 

Member of the Audit Bureau 

of Circulations 

The 2020 edition of Western Cape Business is the 13th 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. 

The Western Cape has several investment and business 

opportunities. In addition to the regular articles providing insight 

into each of the key economic sectors of the province, a special 

feature examines the water sector in the light of the drought 

which led to many people rethinking their approach to this vital 

resource. The journal contains news and information from business 

and investment agencies and bodies such as the Cape Chamber 

of Commerce, the Western Cape Business Opportunities Forum 

and Wesgro, the Western Cape’s dedicated tourism, trade and 

investment agency for the Western Cape and the City of Cape Town. 

To complement the extensive local, national and international 

distribution of the print edition, the full content can also be 

viewed online at www.westerncapebusiness.co.za. 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. ■ 

Chris Whales 

Publisher, Global Africa Network Media • Email: chris@gan.co.za 

PUBLISHED BY 

Global Africa Network Media (Pty) Ltd 

Company Registration No: 2004/004982/07 

Directors: Clive During, Chris Whales 

Physical address: 28 Main Road, Rondebosch 7700 

Postal address: PO Box 292, Newlands 7701 

Tel: +27 21 657 6200 | Fax: +27 21 674 6943 

Email: info@gan.co.za | Website: www.gan.co.za 

ISSN 1816 370X 

COPYRIGHT |Western Cape Business is an independent 

publication published by Global Africa Network Media (Pty) 

Ltd. Full copyright to the publication vests with Global Africa 

Network Media (Pty) Ltd. No part of the publication may be 

reproduced in any form without the written permission of 

Global Africa Network Media (Pty) Ltd. 

PHOTO CREDITS | Pictures supplied by subman/iStock 

by Getty Images (cover), Amdec Group, Gouritz Cluster 

Biosphere Reserve, iStock by Getty Images, Marriott 

International, Pesto Princess, Dr Joseph Raimondo/UCT, Richard Smith, 

Southern Wind Shipyard, Transnet National Ports Authority, Chris Whales. 

DISCLAIMER | While the publisher, Global Africa Network Media (Pty) 

Ltd, has used all reasonable efforts to ensure that the information 

contained in Western Cape Business is accurate and up-to-date, the 

publishers make no representations as to the accuracy, quality, 

timeliness, or completeness of the information. Global Africa Network 

will not accept responsibility for any loss or damage suffered as a result 

of the use of or any reliance placed on such information. 


SPECIAL FEATURE 

A regional overview 

of the Western Cape 

By John Young 

The Western Cape’s exports are expanding while the region’s reputation 

as a technology hub continues to grow. 

Investment into the Western Cape is steadily 

growing in a wide range of sectors and from an 

increasingly diverse set of countries. 

These include a Japanese financial services 

company, several French outfits concerned with 

financial technology and Spanish and Danish 

firms in the renewable energy sector. Tech giants 

such as Amazon and Microsoft have recently made 

major investments. 

The City-region surrounding the provincial 

capital, Cape Town, has established itself as a 

technology hub with ICT a priority for city and 

provincial governments. In global survey done 

in 2017, Savills identified 22 cities that had the 

potential to be world leaders in technology and 

Cape Town was on that list. More than 80% of 

schools in the province now have access to the 

Internet and foreign companies are choosing 

the Cape. 

The French government has officially 

designated the city as one of six global French 

Tech Hubs. French Tech Labs is a fintech incubator, 

offering mentoring for innovators, connections 

to possible investors and a chance to travel to 

France. Barclays Bank has invested in a fintech 

incubator in Cape Town, Rise. There are six other 

Rise sites around the world, including New York 

and Mumbai. 


14


Amazon Web Services (AWS) will set up a data 

centre in Cape Town in 2020 to serve Sub-Saharan 

Africa. Microsoft Azure data centres have been 

launched in Cape Town and Johannesburg. There 

are 2 000 ICT firms in the Western Cape, and they 

have 17 000 employees. 

Encouraging investment in Cape Town has 

been recognised as something that needs a fulltime 

office and a strategy. Invest Cape Town is an 

agency of the city that works to create the best 

possible conditions to attract investors. Areas of 

focus include broadband access, energy security, 

the reduction of red tape and improving air access 

to the city. 

The province has a dedicated investment 

agency, Wesgro, which also serves the City of 

Cape Town. The Investment Promotion Unit of 

Wesgro has been working with various regions 

within the Western Cape to attract investment and 

accelerate exports. Seminars have been held in the 

Cape Winelands, the West Coast and the Garden 

Route. In the decade to 2015, the Garden Route’s 

economy grew at an average rate of 4.8% and total 

exports (about R2-billion) expanded by 45% in the 

same period. 

Key sectors are agri-processing, aviation, 

business services, education and training, financial 

services, real estate, ICT, light manufacturing, oil 



and gas, timber, tourism, waste beneficiation and 

clean energy. 

Being perceived as business-friendly is clearly 

important to policy planners in the Western 

Cape. In his first State of the Province Address, 

new Premier Alan Winde said in 2019 that his 

administration’s priorities included removing and 

streamlining barriers for business, developing a 

provincial “Ease of Doing Business Index” in the 

Western Cape, supporting informal and township 

economies and providing incentive schemes for 

small businesses. 

Africa was the destination for the largest share 

of Western Cape exports ($3.3-billion) in 2017, 

with SACU and SADC being the second and third 

largest subregions for Western Cape exports after 

the European Union ($2.4-billion). The rest of Africa 

is also the largest destination for investment by 

Western Cape companies, accounting for 54% of 

outward FDI investment from 2008 to September 

2018. An estimated 46% of international 

companies investing in the Western Cape 

indicated that they intended using the Western 

Cape as a springboard into Africa (Wesgro). 

One of the strongest growth areas for exports 

is in the halal market. The inaugural Africa Halal 

Week in 2018 had 25 international guests with 

700 delegates. Agricultural and agri-processing 

products have done well in all markets. 

Key export facts 

By reporting time at the end of Quarter 3 of the 

2018/19 financial year, Wesgro reported: 

• A total of 16 global export business 

agreements amounting to an estimated 

R338-million in export value in Quarter 3. 

• R4-billion in trade deals secured for Cape 

Town and the Western Cape to date. 

• Resulting in 783 jobs over the next five years. 

Speaking at a conference in 2019, Cape Town 

City Mayoral Committee Member for Economic 

Opportunities and Asset Management James 

Vos said, “Our main aim is to be the go-to city in 

Africa for business, investment, film, trade and 

tourism.” Vos outlined how the city was investing 

in IT infrastructure, with 848km of fibre-optic cable 

laid and a further R1.9-billion in the pipeline to be 

spent on fibre infrastructure. 

The successful Air Access programme has 

not only boosted tourist numbers to the Western 

Cape. The new United Airlines flight between Cape 

Town and New York will lead to an increase in 

direct and indirect imports into the province, with 

cargo capacity contributing approximately R94- 

million in possible additional trade. It could also 

contribute R286-million to the Gross Geographic 

Product (GGP) and R144-million in direct Gross 

Value Add (GVA) to the local economy. 


16


Economy 

Finance, business services and real estate 

combined contribute 28% to the Gross 

Domestic Product (GDP) of the Western Cape. 

The financial services and insurance sectors 

are key components of the economy. Many of 

South Africa’s biggest companies have their 

headquarters in Cape Town. Asset management 

and venture capital companies have been 

growing steadily. 

Although agriculture only accounts for 4.3% 

of GDP on its own, the sector is responsible for 

the fruit and vegetables that contribute to agriprocessing 

which accounts for nearly 40% of 

the province’s export basket. (Agri-processing 

accounts for 8.1% of GDP.) Citrus, wine, apples 

and pears, grapes, fruit juice, fruit and nuts and 

tobacco all appear in the top 10 of the province’s 

exports. Seventy percent of South Africa’s 

beverage exports come from the Western Cape. 

Grapes and wine sales to Europe remain very 

strong but the Chinese market is becoming 

increasingly important. 

The province has a diverse manufacturing 

sector ranging from textiles, clothing, footwear 

and furniture to coke and refined petroleum 

products. Excluding agri-processing, other 

manufacturing makes up 6.9% of GDP. 

Regions 

The province is divided into one metropolitan 

municipality and five district municipalities: 

Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality 

Cape Town is a culturally diverse and dynamic 

metropolis set among beautiful beaches and 

winelands with the spectacular Table Mountain as 

a backdrop. The city is the engine of the regional 

economy, with most of the Western Cape’s 

heavy and medium industry located within the 

metropolitan area of Cape Town. 

The largest sector in the city’s economy is 

the financial and business services industry. 

The opening of a branch of the JSE in the city 

is a sign that this sector continues to grow, as is 

the decision of more asset managers to move 

their headquarters to Cape Town. The tourism, 

retail, construction and property sectors have 

been doing well for many years. The city has a 

population of 3.2-million and contributes 76% of 

the Regional Gross Domestic Product. 

Cape Town is home to the nation’s parliament 

and is the site of two World Heritage Sites: the 

Cape Floral Region (including Table Mountain) 

and Robben Island. The Cape comprises only half 

a percent of the landmass of Africa yet the Cape 

Floral Region accounts for nearly 20% of the flora 



The property market in Plettenberg Bay reflects this Garden Route town’s popularity as a destination. 

of the continent. Robben Island was the site of 

the incarceration of the most prominent political 

prisoners during the apartheid era, including 

Nelson Mandela. 

Cape Town has been welcoming the world 

in increasing numbers since Mandela’s release in 

1990, and it is now regarded as one of the world’s 

great tourist destinations. 

The Port of Cape Town is ideally situated at the 

crossroads of some of the world’s most important 

trade routes. The transport, maritime and logistics 

sector is consequently very important. Bunkering 

and ship repair are other vital port facilities, and the 

boat repair and boat building industries continue 

to grow. The port plays a major role in exporting 

the province’s excellent fruit, wine and other 

agricultural products to international markets. 

Cape Town has a diverse manufacturing 

sector, with petroleum products, food and 

beverages and metals and metal products being 

major sectors. Growth sectors include the film 

industry, ICT and other tech specialities such as 

fintech and medical diagnostics. 

West Coast District Municipality 

Towns: Saldanha Bay, Malmesbury, Clanwilliam, 

Vredenburg, Moorreesburg. 

The economy of this region ranges from 

manufacturing in Saldanha, Atlantis and 

Malmesbury to agriculture and forestry centred 

on inland towns like Moorreesburg (wheat), 

Cedarberg (forestry) and Citrusdal. Cement is 

made in Riebeeck West and Piketberg and fishing 

takes place all along the coast. Rooibos tea and 

shoes are made in Clanwilliam. The remote mission 

station of Wupperthal, famous for its veldskoens, 

suffered a bad fire in 2018. The Port of Saldanha 

Bay is the principal port for the export of iron 

ore and with the impending declaration of the 

Saldanha Industrial Development Zone, is gearing 

up to service the continent’s oil and gas industry 

with oil rig maintenance among the services. 

Mineral sands are mined north of Saldanha. 

Cape Winelands District Municipality 

Towns: Stellenbosch, Paarl, Worcester, Robertson, 

Wellington, Franschhoek. 

Nearly 70% of South Africa’s wine comes from 

this area. Vineyards also attract many tourists but 

tourism in the Winelands includes wellness spas, 

adventure tourism and game farms. Manufacturing 

is concentrated on processing grapes and fruit into 

wine, juice, brandy, dried and tinned fruit products. 

Dairy manufacturer Parmalat has a large cheesemaking 

facility in Bonnievale. Robertson is known 

for roses and thoroughbred horses. Stellenbosch 

is home to its eponymous university which is 

becoming synonymous with tech start-ups and 

innovation. Several large companies, such as PSG 

Group, have their headquarters in the town. 

Overberg District Municipality 

Towns: Caledon, Bredasdorp, Hermanus, 

Swellendam, Cape Agulhas. 

The Overberg contains the southernmost 

tip of Africa (Cape Agulhas), the oldest mission 

station in South Africa (Genadendal), a large 

casino resort (in Caledon) and some of the 


18


best whale viewing in the world (Whale 

Coast). Swellendam is a superb location for the 

cultivation of berries and horse breeding. The 

region hosts high-quality fruit farms in the Ceres 

Valley and rural villages that are very popular 

with tourists such as Barrydale and Greyton. 

Agriculture is the principal economic activity of 

the region and the services sector is strong. 

Garden Route District Municipality 

Towns: George, Oudtshoorn, Calitzdorp, Knysna, 

Mossel Bay, Plettenberg Bay. 

The area has two important tourist names: the 

Cape Garden Route on the coast and the Klein 

Karoo between the mountain ranges. Route 62 is a 

popular route which ends (or starts) in Oudtshoorn, 

home of the Cango Caves. A report by the Bureau 

for Economic Research has found that the Garden 

Route DM is one of the best-performing regions 

because of tourism. The area is famous for fine 

golf courses and golf estates. Mossel Bay, where 

the slipway in the harbour has received a multimillion-rand 

upgrade, hosts a large gas-processing 

plant while George is a node of manufacturing, 

trade and administration. The Klein Karoo has its 

own wine route and port, cheese and brandy are 

produced. Fruit, vegetables and ostriches are other 

main products. 

Central Karoo District Municipality 

Towns: Beaufort West, Laingsburg, Prince Albert. 

The largest district in the province has the 

smallest population, a reflection of the semi-desert 

conditions: 71 000 people live on 38 000km². 

Sheep farming predominates and there are 

plans to introduce agri-parks to towns in the 

region. Beaufort West is strategically positioned 

on the N1 highway which links Cape Town 

with the interior of South Africa but has been 

experiencing terrible drought conditions in 

recent years. The nearby Karoo National Park 

has acquired some lions and Prince Albert is a 

quaint town in the shadow of the Swartberg 

Mountains, close to the dramatic portals that link 

the Karoo to the Klein Karoo: Seweweekspoort, 

the Swartberg Pass and Meiringspoort. ■ 

Municipalities in the Western Cape 

WCDMA01 

Northern Cape 

Metropolitan/District Municipality 

Boundary 

Local Municipality Boundary 

District Municipality 

Local Municipality 

Garden Route 

Oudtshoorn 

Matzikama 

WCDMA05 

Cederberg 

Beaufort West 

West Coast 

Central Karoo 

Bergrivier 

WCDMA02 

Saldanha 

Bay 

Swartland 

City of 

Cape Town 

Metropolitan 

Municipality 

ATLANTIC OCEAN 

Witzenberg 

Cape Winelands 

Breede Valley 

Drakenstein 

Langeberg 

Stellenbosch 

Theewaterskloof 

Swellendam 

Overberg 

Cape Agulhas 

WCDMA03 

Overstrand 

Laingsburg 

Kannaland 

Hessequa 

Prince Albert 

Oudtshoorn 

WCDMA04 

Garden Route 

George Knysna Bitou 

Mossel Bay 

INDIAN OCEAN 

Eastern Cape 


Red Tape 

Reduction 

Unit 

The Red Tape Reduction Unit makes it easier for businesses 

to thrive in the Western Cape, by growing our economy and 

creating more jobs. The amount of red tape and bureaucracy 

faced by businesses when dealing with government restricts 

economic development and growth. Creating an enabling 

The Red Tape Reduction Unit makes it easier 

for businesses to thrive in the Western Cape, by 

environment for business is, growing therefore, our economy fundamental and creating more to jobs. creating 

The amount of red tape and bureaucracy faced 

a competitive economy. by businesses when dealing with government 

restricts economic development and growth. 

Research shows that red Creating tape an enabling costs environment South for Africans business R79 

is, therefore, fundamental to creating a 

competitive economy. 

billion per year. This is equivalent to 6,5% of GDP, or 16,5% of 

Research shows that red tape costs South 

the total wage bill in 2003 (Small Africans R79 Business billion per Project year. This is (SBP) equivalent 2005). 

The amount of red tape and bureaucracy faced 

Red tape is defined as: 

by Red businesses tape is defined when dealing as: with government 

• restricts non-essential economic procedures, development forms, and licences, growth. 

• non-essential procedures, Creating and regulations forms, an enabling that licences, environment add to the for cost business of 

is, dealing therefore, with government; fundamental or to creating a 

• competitive anything obsolete, economy. redundant, wasteful 

regulations that add to or the confusing cost of that dealing diminishes with the 

Research competitiveness shows that of the red province, tape costs which South 

government; or Africans stands in R79 the billion way of per economic year. This growth is equivalent and 

to job 6,5% creation of GDP, or wastes or 16,5% taxpayers’ of the total time wage and bill 

money. 

• anything obsolete, redundant, in 2003 (Small Business wasteful Project or (SBP) confusing 

2005). 

that diminishes the competitiveness Red Red tape tape interferes is defined with: of as: the 

• • the non-essential ability of businesses procedures, to forms, compete licences, 

province, which stands 

in 

in 

a and global 

the regulations way 

marketplace 

of that economic 

add as a to result the cost of of 

unnecessary dealing with costs government; and/or delays; or 

• • the anything rate of obsolete, establishment redundant, of wasteful new 

growth and job creation businesses; or wastes and taxpayers’ time 

or confusing that diminishes the 

• the competitiveness sustainability and/or of growth the province, of existing which 

and money. 

enterprises. stands in the way of economic growth and 

remove bureaucratic blockages to make it 

Red tape interferes with: easier and Red more tape cost-effective interferes with: to do business 

• the ability of businesses to compete 

• the ability of businesses in to a compete global marketplace in a as global a result of 

unnecessary costs and/or delays; 

• the rate of establishment of new 

marketplace as a result of unnecessary costs 

businesses; and 

• the sustainability and/or growth of existing 

and/or delays; 

enterprises. 

The Red Tape Reduction Unit was established 

• the rate of establishment of new businesses; and 

by DEDAT in 2011. Its main objective was to 

remove bureaucratic blockages to make it 

• the sustainability and/or easier growth and more of cost-effective existing to enterprises. 

do business 

Western Cape. The Unit follows a twopronged approach in 

tackling bottlenecks in the business environment: 

• reactive through its response to cases lodged to 

the unit; and 

• proactive, which seeks to identify legislation and 

processes that represent barriers to business or 

efficiency in government, and designing 

interventions that cut across an entire industry sector 

or several processes. 

Red Tape 

Reduction 

Unit 

Red Tape 

Reduction 

Unit 

in the Western Cape. The Unit follows a twopronged 

approach in tackling bottlenecks in the 

business environment: 

• reactive through its response to cases 

lodged to the unit; and 

• proactive, which seeks to identify 

legislation and processes that represent 

barriers to business or efficiency in 

government, and designing interventions 

that cut across an entire industry sector or 

several processes. 

The in outcome the Western of the Cape. interventions The Unit must follows impact a twopronged 

the cost approach of doing in tackling business bottlenecks in terms of in the 

on 

reducing either time, costs or complexity. 

to 6,5% The Red of GDP, Tape or Reduction 16,5% of the Unit total makes wage it bill easier business environment: 

To date the unit has dealt with almost 8,000 

in 2003 for businesses (Small Business to thrive Project in the (SBP) Western 2005). Cape, by • reactive through its response to cases 

business and red tape related matters. It 

growing our economy and creating more jobs. lodged to the unit; and 

maintains • proactive, a resolution which rate in excess seeks of to its 85% identify 

target. legislation and processes that represent 

barriers to business or efficiency in 

The WCG government, made and Regulatory designing interventions 

Impact 

Assessments that cut (RIAs) across standard entire practice industry for sector new or 

policy and several legislation. processes. Cabinet has approved it 

as a mandatory requirement for all significant 

legislation The outcome and policies. of the interventions We are the must first and impact 

only on province the cost to elevate of doing RIA business to this level. in terms of 

The reducing Red Tape either Reduction time, costs Unit or has complexity. partnered 

with To sister date departments the unit has to dealt improve with almost businessfacing 

business processes. and red This tape benefits related business matters. It 

8,000 

process maintains improvement a resolution (BPI) rate projects, in excess such of its as 85% 

the target. Department of Transport and Public Works 

(tourism signage and abnormal load permit 

applications) The WCG and Agriculture made Regulatory (export related Impact 

processes, Assessments permit (RIAs) applications standard and practice auditing). for new 

Several policy BPI and project legislation. possibilities Cabinet with has national approved it 

departments as a mandatory are being requirement explored as for well. all significant 

The legislation potential for and making policies. it easier, We are cheaper the first and and 

faster only to province do business to elevate in the RIA province to this is level. huge, 

considering The Red the Tape many Reduction approvals, Unit licences has partnered and 

job creation or wastes taxpayers’ time and authorisations that businesses need to operate. 

The Red money. Tape Reduction Unit was established with sister departments to improve businessfacing 

processes. This benefits business 

by DEDAT in 2011. Its main objective was to 

For 

process 

more information 

improvement 

on the 

(BPI) 

Red Tape 

projects, 

Reduction 

such as 

Unit 

the 

please 

Department 

visit https://www.westerncape.gov. 

of Transport and Public Works 

za/red-tape-reduction/ 

(tourism signage and abnormal load permit 

applications) and Agriculture (export related 

processes, permit applications and auditing). 

Several BPI project possibilities with national 

departments are being explored as well. 

The potential for making it easier, cheaper and 

faster to do business in the province is huge, 

considering the many approvals, licences and 

authorisations that businesses need to operate. 

The outcome of the interventions must impact on the cost 

of doing business in terms of reducing either time, costs 

or complexity. To date the unit has dealt with almost 8,000 

business and red tape related matters. It maintains a resolution 

rate in excess of its 85% target. 

The WCG made Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs) 

standard practice for new policy and legislation. Cabinet has 

approved it as a mandatory requirement for all significant 

legislation and policies. We are the first and only province 

to elevate RIA to this level. The Red Tape Reduction Unit has 

partnered with sister departments to improve businessfacing 

processes. This benefits business process improvement 

(BPI) projects, such as the Department of Transport and 

Public Works (tourism signage and abnormal load permit 

applications) and Agriculture (export related processes, permit 

applications and auditing). Several BPI project possibilities with 

national departments are being explored as well. 

The potential for making it easier, cheaper and faster to 

do business in the province is huge, considering the many 

approvals, licences and authorisations that businesses need 

to operate. 

For more information on the Red Tape Reduction 

Unit please visit https://www.westerncape.gov. 


The Red Tape Reduction Unit was established by DEDAT in 

2011. Its main objective was to remove bureaucratic blockages 

to make it easier and more cost-effective to do business in the 

For more information on the Red Tape Reduction 

Unit please visit https://www.westerncape.gov. 



20

DEDAT expands Global Entrepreneurship Week 

to Western Cape Entrepreneurship Month 

The future of youth entrepreneurship in the Western Cape is 

bright indeed. As part of Global Entrepreneurship Week, which 

hosts thousands of events caterering to millions of people, the 

Department of Economic Development and Tourism has held a 

series of workshops at Youth Cafés, which focused on ideation, fundraising, 

and social media optimisation. The aim was to encourage youths in 

smaller towns to start their own businesses and to promote entrepreneurship 

as a skill. 

The week was dedicated to targeting young start-ups in townships 

and rural areas. The initiative diverged from the usual practice of having 

“suits-and-ties” teaching business advice to a generic audience. Talks were 

conducted by experts and business owners who understand “millennial 

culture”. The power of the workshops rested on the use of minimal 

technical jargon, colourful, easy-to-follow presentations, and concrete, 

usable business tips. Participants received tangible help in creating 

their business plans, checking idea feasibility, and understanding the 

importance of digital skills and having an online presence in the modern 

age of business. 

Long-term support 

A single visit is unlikely to make a lasting impact on the current 

youth situation, where work prospects are limited. After engaging 

with management at the Youth Cafés, the Department of Economic 

Development and Tourism is looking into options for longer-term 

support, whereby contact is maintained and visits occur more frequently. 

A key goal is to move rural economies into the mainstream economy 

through targeted government support and assistance which creates 

an enabling environment for 

businesses to thrive. 

While such interventions 

only scratch the surface of the 

problem, they do provide an 

excellent basis for gauging the 

demands and challenges faced 

by the locals. Thus, November’s 

events involved a range of 

activities, from workshops with 

young start-ups, to recognising 

the cream of the entrepreneurial 

crop at the Western Cape 

Entrepreneurship Expo, Summit 

and Awards. 

Youth and start-ups are very 

much interlinked so more startups 

need to be equipped with 

the skills to build SMEs. These 

workshops include themes 

such as business ideation, to 

maximising “likes” through 

developing a social media plan. 

We would like you to 

join the conversation around 

entrepreneurship, tackling red 

tape, and supporting the growth 

of the Western Cape economy. 


Commercial saved by cutting star’s red tape 

Nigerian model Jemima is the star in a well-known 

soap brand’s commercial. The R2-million commercial 

and 75 jobs were on the line when she couldn’t get 

a visa for three weeks because the South African 

mission in Nigeria was having technical difficulties 

with essential equipment. Without a visa, it looked 

like South Africa and the Western Cape economy 

would lose the shoot to India. 

Through the interventions by the Red Tape 

Reduction Unit (RTRU), with assistance from Home 

Affairs, the unit convinced authorities to allow 

Jemima to fly to Ghana, to apply for a visa there, 

because the South African High Commission in 

Lagos was closed in the run-up to elections (which 

were postponed). 

The result was that the shoot and the 75 people 

who were working, could continue per schedule, by 

ensuring that the actress would be able to make it 

in time for the location shoot. 

Karoo reality show saved, by “cutting” the wait 

In 2018, Getaway Productions, a local film company, managed the 

production of a UK film “Carnage”, shot on a private farm in the 

Western Cape Tankwa Karoo. The film was paid for from the UK – 

a cost of R74m. It emerged, contrary to expectations, that filming 

on private farms was governed by environmental legislation. This 

resulted in production delays. These delays were compounded 

when the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development 

Planning (DEADP) insisted on a permit. This is typically a 109-day 

process which put the production in jeopardy. 

The RTRU intervened and was able to arrange a meeting with 

the DEADP within a week. The legislative conditions were explained 

to the production team and a more suitable location on the farm 

was found. This new location complied with both the necessary 

legislative and production requirements. The location was set up 

and shooting was finished within the stipulated time schedules. 

The direct benefit was an injection of R74-million into the 

provincial economy, with extensive secondary economic benefits 

for local businesses providing catering, accommodation, fuel and 

other services, such as maintenance and security. This while securing 

the reputation of the Western Cape as an attractive proposition for 

international filming. 


22

Municipal Economic Support eases building plan 

approvals for local businesses 

The Municipal Economic Support Unit, in 

partnership with the Drakenstein Municipality, 

implemented the Collaborator Extension Project 

which involved the design and development of 

a Building Control Portal that allows clients to 

submit building plan applications online. This, 

along with technical process enhancements to 

current municipal electronic systems, aims to 

efficiently support the building control function and 

streamline processes and approvals. 

A benefit of the project is that local businesses 

Managing abattoir waste 

Abattoir waste has been 

identified through numerous 

reports and studies as being 

the most problematic foodwaste 

type to manage in 

the Western Cape due to 

its hazardous nature and its 

potential impacts on the 

environment and human 

health. The Guideline on the 

Management of Abattoir 

Waste in the Western Cape was developed as one 

of the recommendations stemming from the Status 

Quo study of Abattoir Waste conducted in 2015. 

The guideline provides various role-players in 

the abattoir sector with the necessary advice to 

ensure compliance with the legislation while also 

realise savings through reduced red tape costs as a 

result of reduction in timeframes of approvals, and 

the easing of unnecessary complexity in finalising 

building plan applications. 

More importantly, the portal will allow applicants 

to track their applications and establish where 

it is in the approval process at any given time. 

This portal has reduced the approval time for 

plans from 32 days to 15 days. 

The Department of Economic Development 

and Tourism has also rolled the portal out to 

municipalities along the West Coast including 

Matzikama, Saldanha Bay, Bergriver and Cedarberg. 

Lauren Waring, The Executive Director: 

Planning and Development at Drakenstein 

Municipality, indicated that the partnership with 

the Department of Economic Development and 

Tourism was a valuable one, and that the new 

system significantly boosted staff morale. “It was 

also interesting seeing the rise in the number of 

compliments by satisfied applicants that the unit 

started receiving,” said Lauren. 

providing the various 

options available for 

management that 

ensures the protection 

of the environment and 

human health. 

The guideline 

also explores the 

possibility of regional 

cooperation among 

role-players as an 

option in resolving some of the challenges 

experienced in the sector. The mini-guide is a 

collaboration between the Red Tape Reduction 

Unit and the Waste Management Directorate of 

the Department of Environmental Affairs and 

Development Planning. 



24


The Western Cape economy 

in statistics 

Tourism statistics (2018) 

• Western Cape share of international tourist arrivals: 1.7-million (16.2% of SA) 

• Total foreign direct spend in Western Cape: R16.3-million (19.8% of SA spend) 

• Bed nights: 23.3-million (19.7% of SA bed nights) 

• Length of stay: 12.9 nights (most in SA) 

Top 10 tourism source markets (2018) 

1. United Kingdom 

2. Germany 

3. United States 

4. Namibia 

5. France 

6. Netherlands 

7. China 

8. Australia 

9. Brazil 

10. Italy 

Western Cape export markets 

Largest markets for Western Cape exports 

Africa: $3.3-billion 

EU: $2.4-billion 

SACU: $1.8-billion 

SADC: $973-million 

Western Cape export markets – Africa 

Exports to Africa 

2015 $3.45-billion 

2016 $3.19-billion 

2017 $3.36-billion 

Imports from Africa 

2015 $2.76-billion 

2016 $2.49-billion 

2017 $2.79-billion 

Exports to Africa by value (2017) 

Refined petroleum oil: $558-million 

Flat rolled iron: 

$185-million 

Tobacco: 

$122-million 

Fruit and vegetable juices: $105-million 

Apples, pears and quinces: $96-million 


26

gion 

stern Cape Trade & Investment into Africa 

18 

Imports from Africa by value (2017) 

1. Introduction to Trade 

Crude petroleum: $1.9-billion 

Frozen fish: 

$69-million 

he Western Cape exported USD9.33bn worth Shirts: of goods and imported $67-million 

USD13.9bn worth of goods in 2017. The 

rade deficit is mainly due to the large import Malt of petroleum beer: products, that $59-million 

when excluded from imports and exports 

everse to a trade surplus. The strategic location Men’s of the clothing: Western Cape, being $54-million home to three important South African 

orts makes it the second largest province in terms of total trade after Gauteng. The Western Cape’s total share 

f South African exports was 10.46% in 2017. 

Top African destinations for Western Cape exports (2017) 

he Western Cape has advantageous access Namibia: to world markets through $864-million 

preferential trade agreements between 

outh Africa and other major markets such as Botswana: Europe and the United States. $518-million South Africa is also a member of the 

outhern Africa Development Community (SADC), Kenya: the Trade Development $225-million and Cooperation Agreement (TDCA) 

nd the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Zambia: among other agreements. $210-million The international trade regime has 

ertainly seen some reorganisation of late. Lesotho: To the North, Brexit has cast $193-million widespread uncertainty across almost 

very aspect of cross-border trade and investment involving the UK. To the West, global supply chains have been 

nsettled by the renegotiation of NAFTA (now Top the African USMCA) sources and US tariffs for on Western steel and Cape aluminium. imports To the East, (2017) 

hina’s escalating trade war with America will Angola: have far-reaching economic $1-billion repercussions. 

Nigeria: 

$678-million 

he potential showstopper, however, is happening Namibia: right here on the doorstep $204-million of the Western Cape, with the signing 

f the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Swaziland: Agreement earlier $186-million 

in 2018. The AfCFTA aims to establish a 

ree trade area spanning the 55 Member States Equatorial of the African Guinea: Union (AU). $88-million It was launched in March 2018 and has 

een signed by 49 countries. The AfCFTA includes undertakings by Member States to progressively eliminate 

ariffs and non-tariff barriers to trade in goods Western and liberalise Cape trade share in services; of agricultural cooperate on investment, products intellectual imported by 

roperty rights, competition policy, customs the matters, rest and of to Africa establish (2017) a dispute settlement system. 

Fruit and vegetable juices: 20.4% 

he AfCFTA is aspirational by nature; it is Fresh a framework apples, agreement pears and that quinces: will systematically 6% be implemented by 

uilding upon existing Regional Economic Wine: Communities (RECs) and preferential 20.7% trade arrangements. The 

greement establishes an agenda by which Other further fermented technical alignment beverages: and trade liberalisation 49% will take place. The 

greement enters into force once ratified by Citrus 22 countries. fruit: Although South Africa 26.6% is likely to ratify the AfCFTA by 

he end of 2018, most of the details are only set to be negotiated over the coming years. Once in force and ratified 

he Agreement will become legally binding for South Africa. 

Wesgro is the Official Tourism, Trade & Investment Promotion 

uccessful implementation of this agreement holds the potential to change the face of intra-African trade and 

acilitate enormous investment into the Continent. The AfCFTA will cover a market of 1.2 billion people, projected 

o reach 2.5 billion Agency by 2050, and for a Cape combined Town gross domestic and product the Western (GDP) of more Cape. than USD3.4 trillion. The 

conomy of Africa 

www. 

as a whole 

wesgro.co.za 

is the second fastest growing region in the world however intra-Africa trade remains 

ow (Afdb, 2017). In 2016 intra-Africa trade constituted only 18% of Africa’s total trade with the globe (Tralac, 2018). 

he United Nations Economic Commission for Africa therefore estimates that the AfCFTA has the potential to 


oost intra-Africa trade by 52% by eliminating tariffs. They also predict that the figure would double through the 

limination of non-tariff barriers.

INTERVIEW 

Geoff Jacobs, President 

Biography 

After a successful career in 

teaching, Geoff joined the corporate 

sector, eventually retiring 

in 2015 as HR Director of 

Maersk South Africa. Geoff runs 

his own management consultancy 

and serves on the boards 

of Dinaledi Educational Coaching, 

School Turnaround Foundation 

and St James Church, 

Kenilworth. Geoff has BA and 

BEd degrees from UCT, a BA 

(Hons) degree from UNISA, an 

MA from the University of Wisconsin, 

and an MBA from UCT’s 

Graduate School of Business. 

Networking and 

learning from best 

practice are key for 

Cape businesses 

Geoff Jacobs, the President of the Cape Chamber of 

Commerce and Industry, supports efforts to reduce 

red tape for business. 

What is the history of the Chamber? 

The Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry traces its history 

back through its predecessor the Commercial Exchange of Cape 

Town to the founding in 1804 of the Kamer van Commercie by 

Governor de Mist, the Batavian Government’s representative. 

By 1860 business in the Cape had grown to such an extent 

that modern business services were in demand. As a result, the 

Commercial Exchange was established and merged with a new 

body in 1861 called the Chamber of Commerce. In 1891, the Cape 

Chamber of Commerce was incorporated by an Act of Parliament. 

In recent years, the Cape Chamber has been expanded to become 

the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 

What is your strategy and how do you express it? 

The strategy of the Chamber is a single word: engagement. The 

more we create opportunities for our member organisations to 

engage one another, the more value is created for members. This 

includes more than 200 events per annum, ranging from training 

programmes linked to business effectiveness and efficiency, to 

engaging local, provincial and national government officials on 

strategies to turn the economy around. 

The tagline of the Chamber is: Where Opportunity Meets. We 

work hard to remain abreast of the key challenges in our region, 

and through our portfolio committees to give input into legislative 

changes. Through our Chapters, our footprint extends across 

the Western Cape, addressing local issues. The biggest need for 

business is the need for networking and learning from best practice 

and the Chamber facilitates this at every event that it hosts. 

What are some of the challenges that businesses face in the region? 

In a recent survey of its 2 100 member organisations, respondents 

gave clear responses. Firstly, over-regulation/bureaucracy: the 

plethora of legislative requirements for businesses is an obstacle 


28

INTERVIEW 

challenge the powers that 

be on the crisis facing our 

business ecosystem. 

to doing business. Less red tape and a more business-friendly 

environment encourages innovation and enterprise. In the 

Western Cape, we’ve already seen the benefits of the Premier’s 

Red Tape Reduction Unit, which we acknowledge as a step in the 

right direction. 

A second issue can be grouped under a broad category – 

national infrastructure challenges – electricity supply and rail 

commuter infrastructure, specifically. The failure of Eskom to 

guarantee consistent energy supply carries massive risks for 

businesses. The Chamber is in full support of the local and provincial 

government’s efforts to effect a shift to renewable energy and 

to promote investment in Independent Power Producers (IPPs). 

Similarly, the Metrorail crisis has put thousands more vehicles on 

the roads during peak commuting hours, creating serious traffic 

congestion. This has a direct bottom line impact on business. 

Problems are not show-stoppers but challenges to be confronted, 

and the Chamber supports local and provincial government 

structures working to address these challenges. 

A third challenge is that relating to late payment to small 

business suppliers. The Cape Chamber will continue to lobby for 

this issue to be resolved at government level, as this benefits the 

entire economic eco-system. 

What makes the Western Cape unique is that its provincial 

government is alive to these challenges and understands that it 

is not government’s role to create jobs, but to create an investorfriendly 

and business-friendly environment, so that business can 

get on with the job of creating jobs. 

Has the Chamber as a business also been affected? 

The Chamber has not been immune to the challenges outlined 

above. We have introduced a flexible working arrangement to 

avoid the congestion. Similarly, the effects of crime and violence 

have been experienced by many of our employees. The fact 

that we experience the same challenges as our members gives 

us the credibility to speak with greater conviction when we 

How do you provide value to 

your members? 

When it comes to a voluntary 

membership organisation 

such as ours, value is a key 

determinant of acquisition and 

retention. Although our role as 

the voice of business for the 

region is the foundation of the 

Chamber’s raison d’être, this 

is an intangible benefit that 

must be supported by valueadds 

that have value and are 

contemporary. We have an 

extensive list of benefits for 

our members that is often 

updated on our website, as it 

is changing constantly to keep 

pace with changing needs. 

How do you see the future of 

Chambers of Commerce? 

At the moment there is a 

social gap that technology 

is unable to fill. However, 

history has taught us never to 

underestimate its capability. 

Although we see digital as a 

key component of our future, 

the most strategic tool in our 

arsenal is the appetite for 

innovation that the Chamber 

has. The cost of testing 

new concepts has dropped 

dramatically with the Internet 

and I hope we set the bar for 

business when it comes to 

embracing changing needs. 

Sometimes you win and 

sometimes you learn. But to 

stand still is not an option. ■ 

www.capechamber.co.za 


WECBOF fosters 

entrepreneurship 

in the Western Cape 

The Western Cape Business Opportunities Forum (WECBOF) celebrates its 24th year as one of the 

Western Cape’s longest-standing business associations. During its lifespan WECBOF has supported many 

entrepreneurs in moving from their start-up phase to becoming very successful organisations with many 

of these still operating, and contributing meaningfully to the economy. 

WECBOF has 

had to adapt and 

keep pace with 

an ever-changing 

economic, commercial, 

technological, 

political 

and socio-economic 

environment. 

The organisation 

today 

has as its central 

Arifa Parkar, CEO 

focus the sustainable 

growth and 

development of a 

community of young, successful entrepreneurs 

who will be able to lead businesses which will 

contribute in a positive way to growing and prospering 

our economy and creating much-needed 

jobs in our communities. Support to young entrepreneurs, 

through its 10x Growth Programme, 

comes in the form of: 

• Access to financial and other business 

support services 

• The identification of, and assistance with entry 

into, lucrative markets for entrepreneurs’ products 

and services. 

Contact us today if you wish to sign up as a member. 

Our member packages are affordable, and 

are tiered from the more established corporate 

business to the new start-up. 

CONTACT INFO 

Physical address: 

3 Irene Street, Bellville 7530 

Postal address: 

PO Box 707, Kasselsvlei 7533 

Tel: +27 21 946 2519 

Email addresses 

General enquiries: office@wecbof.co.za 

CEO: arifa@wecbof.co.za 

Website: https://wecbof.co.za/ 

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/wecbof/ 

Twitter: @wecbof 


30

WECBOF 

makes it happen! 

The Western Cape Business 

Opportunities Forum (WECBOF) 

provides a platform for businesses 

to establish and maintain contact with 

fellow entrepreneurs; to have access to 

opportunities, information and training; 

and to have representation on a number 

of relevant forums of government and 

other associations focussed on growing 

and enhancing the commercial sector, 

with a specific focus on small, medium, 

and micro enterprises (SMMEs). 

WECBOF is widely recognised and 

respected as a powerful voice for 

business in the Western Cape; we are a 

provincial service organisation with our 

focus and attention firmly on the national 

and international business pulse. 

CALL US TODAY. 

+27 21 946 2519 

office@wecbof.co.za www.wecbof.co.za 

A powerful voice for business. 


www.facebook.com/wecbof/ 

Where entrepreneurs excel. 

@wecbof

DISCOVER BELLVILLE 

Bellville has played an instrumental role in the City of Cape Town’s 

success story ever since it was established in 1860. Today, it is a vibrant, 

busy urban centre where people live, work and play every day. 

It’s a proven commercial engine that services businesses from multinational 

corporates to small- and medium-sized enterprises. It’s a centre 

of academic excellence and a medical hub. It’s home to Cape Town’s 

busiest public transport interchange. It’s culturally and socially diverse. 

It has a well-established existing infrastructure, including multiple fast 

fibre broadband networks. It’s also the place where some of South 

Africa’s leading musicians, artists and creative personalities launched 

their careers. 

This is Bellville. A place of potential, a place 

of opportunity. And it’s ripe for development. 


32

Over 4000 

small- and medium enterprises 

400 000 daily commuter trips 

through Cape Town’s busiest 

transport interchange 

Multiple existing, 

fast fibre broadband networks 

6 of the largest 

corporate headquarters 

9 major 

educational institutions 

1 GREAT Opportunity 

3 major 

shopping 

centres 

100 000 students 

More 

hospital beds 

than any other centre 

Arts, crafts 

+ music 

250+ Medical Practitioners 

The Greater Tygerberg Partnership is working to create a new reality for the 

city that plays such an important role in Cape Town’s broader success. 

We invite you to come and discover Bellville. Find out about the development 

opportunities. Explore what already exists here and its potential to be so 

much more. 

Find out more. Get involved. Discover Bellville. 

Email info@gtp.org.za. Visit gtp.org.za. Call +27 (0)21 823 6713 

Bell Park Building Unit 3A Corner of De Lange Street & Durban Rd 

Bellville, 7535, South Africa 



Water solutions are available 

The De Rust WaterWise Ways project is showing the way. 

A 

pilot project in the small rural town of De Rust has shown 

that a constructed wetland system and wastewater reuse 

can improve the health of a catchment system and convert 

wastewater into a useful resource. 

The WaterWise Ways Project of the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere 

Reserve (GCBR) has several components, but the De Rust Wetlands 

project (pictured) is the most ambitious. The project has proved that 

a constructed wetland can “scrub” municipal sewage water, reduce 

polluted run-off in a catchment area and convert wastewater into 

a useful resource. The wetland and its adjoining tree nursery are 

maintained through the project, with the Oudtshoorn Municipality 

assisting with water testing. 

The GCBR is a voluntary citizens’ initiative dedicated to conservation 

and socio-economic development. The Gouritz Cluster Biosphere 

Reserve is officially designated by UNESCO and is South Africa’s largest 

biosphere reserve. Other parts of the WaterWise Ways project include a 

“Township war on leaks” and a system of community monitors working 

in the nearby town of Dysselsdorp. 

The small river that feeds the De Rust wetland runs off the 

Swartberg Mountains and feeds into the Olifants River. 

The Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agency (BGCMA) 

is one of nine regional bodies which protects, develops, conserves, 

manages and controls water resources across South Africa. It is 

responsible for the catchment 

area of the Gouritz River and its 

major tributaries (the Gamka, 

Groot and Olifants) as well as 

the catchments of the smaller 

coastal rivers, the Breede River, 

which discharges into the Indian 

Ocean, and the catchments of 

the smaller coastal rivers such as 

the Palmiet and Bot rivers. The 

Breede River’s main tributary is 

the Riviersonderend River. 

The BGCMA oversees the 

certification of water usage 

through Water Use Validation and 

Verification certificates. The body 

has recently had to play a role in 

drought mitigation measures, 

particularly in the dry interior. 

In 2030 South African 

demand for water will be 

17% greater than supply. 

That is the verdict of the 2030 


34


Water Resources Group. The 

Water Resources Group, an 

international consortium of 

private companies, agencies 

and development banks, has 

established a South African 

chapter, the Strategic Water 

Partners Network. 

The Berg River-Voëlvlei 

Augmentation Scheme, finally 

approved at national level in 

November 2019, will pump 

water out of the Berg River in 

winter, having first allowed for 

enough water to cover the 

ecological water requirements of 

the river and the estuary. 

A Water Stewardship 

programme has been 

introduced in the Breede River 

catchment area. WWF-South 

Africa, Woolworths and Marks & 

Spencer are collaborating on a 

scheme encouraging stone fruit 

farmers to put in place systems 

that reduce risk to water supply 

and quality. 

WWF-SA’s also has a Water 

Balance Programme which 

works to increase the amount 

of clean water coming into 

the environment. Woolworths’ 

contribution to this plan involves 

getting rid of alien vegetation 

on the farm where it sources its 

wines (Paul Cluver Wines) and in 

the Leeu River catchment area. 

The introduction by the 

National Department of 

Water and Sanitation (DWS) 

and the Water Institute of 

South Africa (WISA) of the Blue 

and Green Drop Awards has 

been successful. The nation’s 

municipalities receive scores 

reflecting how well they are 

doing in terms of providing 

clean water. 

In order to win a Drop Award (Blue for water quality, Green for 

waste treatment), water systems have to score 95% or higher. The 

DWS has allocated R4.3-billion to helping municipalities deliver 

water. The Interim Water Supply Programme concentrates on 23 

district municipalities. 

Although the Western Cape’s municipalities are among the 

country’s best in terms of providing and maintaining infrastructure, 

Overstrand Local Municipality has outsourced the management of its 

water and wastewater infrastructure. In 2019 the municipality, which 

is headquarted in the coastal town of Hermanus, signed a 15-year 

contract with Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies South Africa to 

look after its six wastewater treatment plants and nine water facilities. 

Other infrastructure includes 44 reservoirs, 123km of pipelines and 55 

water and wastewater pump stations. 

Climate adaptation 

The Western Cape Provincial Government has introduced a Smart Agri 

plan to coordinate efforts to tackle the effects of climate change on 

agriculture. Developed by two provincial departments (Agriculture and 

Environmental Affairs and Development Planning), the African Climate 

and Development Initiative of the University of Cape Town and several 

private sector participants, SmartAgri has six priorities: 

• Conservation agriculture: minimal soil disturbance, crop diversity 

and permanent soil cover. Wheat yields have increased because of 

the programme. 

• Restoring degraded landscapes. 

• Improved catchment area management, including removing 

alien plants. 

• Energy efficiency. 

• Giving priority to climate-resistant crops and livestock. 

• Sharing knowledge. 

The wall of the Clanwilliam Dam is to be raised, doubling the 

capacity of the dam and bringing an additional 5 000ha of land under 

irrigation. After a lengthy delay, the project is now expected to be 

completed in 2023. The 13-metre addition will cost R2.5-billion and 

could support high-value crops for export such as citrus and table 

grapes. The land could also form part of the land reform programme. 

The Western Cape Provincial Government has given the national 

government notice with respect to another wall-raising project that 

has stalled. If the feeder canal of the Brandvlei Dam were to be raised 

by just 30cm, it would significantly increase the dam’s storage capacity 

and improve the prospects of farmers in the area. 

When the long-term drought was at its worst, tourists to Cape 

Town were encouraged to “Save like a Local”. Together with a range of 

technical and legislative measures, the campaign to get Capetonians 

and their guests to use less water worked remarkably well. 

Where the residents and businesses of the city were using 



Community members at work on the WaterWise Ways project. Image: Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve. 

1.2-billion litres-per-day in 2015, by the middle of 2018 the figure 

was 516-million litres. While the taps were not literally turned off 

(the dreaded “Day Zero” was averted), pressure in the pipes was 

drastically reduced. The International Water Association’s Water Loss 

Conference in Cape Town in May 2018 reported that two of the 

world’s largest advanced pressure control systems are operating in 

Cape Town. 

Restrictions on water use were introduced (car washing was 

outlawed completely, for example) and shopping centres introduced 

waterless sanitation. Cape Town’s hinterland thankfully experienced 

good winter rains but the town of Beaufort West in the Karoo continues 

to face a real crisis. 

In 2017 Cape Town hosted Water Desalination Symposium Africa, 

further evidence that relying on rain to ensure reliable supply in the 

future is not being contemplated. 

Old Mutual’s large campus in Cape Town is off the water grid. Since 

2018, a waste-water filtration plant has been harvesting 650 cubic 

litres of drinkable water for staff members on the Pinelands site. It is 

estimated that the City of Cape Town will be able to save up to 15 000kl 

of water in the course of a month by not having to provide water for 

the 9 000 people who populate the campus. 

The Western Cape Department of Economic Development and 

Tourism (DEDAT) announced that investment into the Green Economy 

reached R1.2-billion in 2017/18. DEDAT also works on long-term water 

resilience with various stakeholders through an “Economic Water 

Security Workstream”. 

Other steps to secure future water supply include the 

expenditure of R5.9-billion 

over five years by the City of 

Cape Town on desalination 

projects, aquifer extraction 

and water reuse. The National 

Department of Water and 

Sanitation is supposed to be 

responsible for bulk water 

supply, but the local authority 

has had to step in. 

To find the money to deal 

with the drought and the longerterm 

effects of climate change, 

the City of Cape Town issued a 

green bond for the first time in 

2017. It was over-subscribed and 

allowed the city to get started 

on implementing its Climate 

Change Strategy. 

Some of the long-term 

projects falling under the 

strategy include new electric 

buses, energy efficiency 

measures in city buildings, 

improved sewerage plants and 

the rehabilitation and protection 

of coastal structures. ■ 


36

Breede-Gouritz Catchment 

Management Agency 

Rethinking water usage and stormwater management. 

South Africa has always been a water-scarce country, but 

recent events have focused the minds of all citizens to the 

pressing need to preserve water resources and to use water 

more intelligently. 

One response at national level was to create nine Catchment 

Management Agencies. The Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management 

Agency (BGCMA) is the southernmost of the catchment agencies 

and falls mostly in the Western Cape. BGCMA offices are located in 

Worcester and George which enable the agency to assist local 

authorities, other water authorities and local communities. 

Change is needed 

Among the steps that South Africa needs to take are changing 

the pattern of water usage, conserving water where groundwater 

recharges are feasible and focusing on capturing and storing 

stormwater in urban areas. This is according to the BGCMA’s Acting 

Water Use Manager and Geohydrologist, John Sibanyoni. John also 

suggests that municipal budgets “have at least a hydrogeologist and 

an engineer for water supply”. 

John, who has an MSc Geohydrology from the University of the 

Free State and is a Certified Professional Natural Scientist with the 

South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP), 

Contact Details 

Address: 101 York Street, Dormehis Drift, George 6530 

Enquiries: John Sibanyoni 

Tel: +27 23 346 8000 • Fax: +27 23 347 2012 

Email: jsibanyoni@bgcma.co.za 

Website: www.breedegouritzcma.co.za 

believes that the country and its 

citizens really need to focus or 

engage in interventions such as 

those outlined above. 

The drought afflicting the 

Karoo region is the result of a 

combination of factors, not limited 

to climate change and the lack of 

specialist skills in municipalities. 

The reliance on surface water as 

the sole supply of water is a key 

reason for the current situation, 

according to John. 

Dams in the Breede water 

management area have done 

relatively better than the Gouritz 

area, under which the Karoo falls. 

Catchment agencies are not 

responsible for the disbursement 

of funds but the BGCMA has been 

involved in various drought relief 

initiatives. BGCMA is participating 

in technical planning for new 

wellfields for water supply in 

local municipalities such as 

Beaufort West. 

Other activities that the 

BGCMA provides as assistance to 

local authorities include: 

• Water scarcity and usage 

awareness campaigns 

• Fast-track the finalisation of 

licence applications 

• Media tour participation. 

Another important function of 

the BGCMA is to issue licences 

for water use, ranging from 

existing use permits to high-level 

commercial usage licences. ■ 


ADVERTORIAL 

see money differently 

NEDBANK’SINNOVATION 

JOURNEYTAKESCLIENTS 

INTOTHE21STCENTURY 

DrFayzelOmar 

Provincial General Manager 

Nedbank Business Banking, Western Cape 

Taking into consideration the everevolving 

nature of the banking 

industry, Nedbank Provincial General 

Manager of the Western Cape, Dr Fayzel 

Omar, is confident his PhD in Business 

Administration will empower him with the 

knowledge he requires to keep abreast of 

the latest developments in the banking 

sector. 

Omar is passionate about his vision for 

Western Cape business owners and 

entrepreneurs seeking a unique banking 

experience and explains how Nedbank will 

support and grow businesses and retail 

clients in the Western Cape. To support the 

vast geography of the Western Cape his 

distribution cuts across eight regions, each 

led by skilled regional managers and 

supported by functional teams and product 

specialists across the integrated business 

channels of Business Banking, Small 

Business,RetailandPersonalBanking. 

Nedbank’s decentralised Business Banking 

Cluster has 70 business managers located 

across the province. They specialise in 

commercial industries and the agricultural 

sector to support all sectors of the 

Western Cape economy. 

‘ 

Working with communities 

is entrenched in our 

values through community 

development, skills 

development, education 

and job creation … 

’ 

‘At Nedbank Business Banking we believe 

that you need a financial partner who not 

only understands your circumstances and 

aspirations, but also provides you with 

relevant solutions and a banking experience 

that is hassle-free. This allows you to 

concentrate on what’s most important to 

you – running your business,’ says Omar. 

As your bank, we understand business 

banking, and remain committed to drawing 

on our expertise to support clients by 

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business is about partnerships, and that is 

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‘ 

… we understand business banking, and 

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Through our bigger-picture banking 

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view of how each of our products connects 

to create a framework that yields 

maximum impact across every facet of 

your business and beyond. When you add to 

this the insights and expertise available to 

you across Nedbank’s extensive network of 

multidisciplinary specialists, you know that 

you have a banking partner who is walking 

with you throughout your business journey. 

'Working with communities is entrenched in 

our values through community 

development, skills development, education 

and job creation, as well as environmental 

conservation. These play a vital role in 

building a sustainable economy and vibrant 

society. We believe our fast-growing 

presence in communities goes a long way in 

enabling greater financial inclusion while 

contributing towards economic growth,' 

says Omar. 

And the innovation journey continues, 

ensuring greater value for clients. The 

NedbankMoneyappallowsclientsto 

manageaccounts,makepaymentsand 

changetheircreditordebitcardsettings 

’ 

fromtheirsmartphone. The Money app also 

allows clients to make instant payments to 

anyone on their smartphone’s contact list, 

regardless of whether the recipient is a 

Nedbank client. 

Nedbank’s payments app,Karri,simplifies 

schoolpaymentstohelpteachers,parents 

andchildren.TheKarriappmakespayments 

to schools for events such as civvies days, 

school trips and other fundraising activities 

easy and secure, using a built-for-purpose 

mobile payment application. 

Nedbank’sinteractiveATM–afirstforAfrica 

–givesclientsaccesstolivetellerservices 

overvideo,atanytime,rightfromthe 

machine. ‘This ATM also responds to the 

growing trend and need for business and 

individual clients to make large deposits 

and withdrawals at unconventional 

business hours.’ 

All of which are ways in which Nedbank 

continues to simplify and make banking for 

businesses and communities work for 

their good. 

Should you be interested in taking your 

business to its next level and improving 

staff engagement, and if you want more 

information about Nedbank’sspecialised 

serviceoffering, please call the Business 

Bankingteam on +27(0)214123000 or visit 

www.nedbank.co.za.

ADVERTORIAL 


SEEMONEYDIFFERENTLY 

WITHBIGGER-PICTURE 

BUSINESSBANKING 

Gerrit Henning, Nedbank Regional Manager of Retail and 

Business Banking: Northern Suburbs, explains how Nedbank 

works with communities to deliver banking solutions. 

Nedbank continues to build on its 

client-centred strategy aimed at 

delivering distinctive experiences 

and channels of choice for businesses in 

the region. 

This has seen the bank simplify and 

enhance its product offering in line with its 

value banking philosophy based on 

simplicity, transparency and affordability. 

Innovationandtechnologicaladvancements, 

aswellastraininganddevelopmentofstaff, 

havebeenkeypillarsinachievingthebank’s 

objectives. At the core of Nedbank’s 

offering in the Western Cape is a 

relationship-based model, with a business 

manager dedicated to your business as the 

key entry point into the bank. 

Henning has five years’ experience in the 

auditing and accounting profession and 

eight years’ experience with international 

companies. He has fulfilled various 

leadership roles in Nedbank, with 14 years 

as regional head of Business Banking. 

Henning is supported by an area office 

with 12 skilled business managers ready to 

take your business to the next level. 

‘We encourage youtoseemoneydifferently 

withthebigger-pictureapproachthat 

‘ 

… see money differently with the 

bigger-picture approach that 

Business Banking offers … 

’ 

BusinessBankingoffers,’saysHenning.What 

doesthismeanforyou? It is an additional 

benefit of banking with Nedbank Business 

Banking and means that your business and 

your personal financial needs are managed 

in one place. ‘Because business owners and 

their businesses are very often financially 

dependent on each other, our client service 

teams now also offer individual banking 

solutions to you and your staff, because we 

already know and understand your needs,’ 

says Henning. 

With this in mind, Nedbank has seamless 

offerings for you, your employees and your 

household. Nedbank provides several 

communities, including individual and 

business clients, with access to products 

and services through its Workplace 

Banking offering. 

To take your business to the next level 

please call the BusinessBanking team on 

+27(0)219282000 or visit 

www.nedbank.co.za.

ADVERTORIAL 


USINGOURMONEY 

EXPERTISETOHELP 

CLIENTS 

Randall Bailey, Nedbank Regional Manager of Retail and Business 

Banking: Weskus and Swartland, explains how new brand values 

built on the bank’s expertise can benefit Nedbank clients. 

Bailey’s team operates from regional 

offices in Breda Street in Paarl, as 

well as from representative offices in 

Vredendal, Vredenburg and Malmesbury. 

He says the team is ready to assist clients 

with professional advice, industry-specific 

solutions and a comprehensive range of 

financial products and services. His team 

is also supported by skilled agricultural 

specialists,whoprovidespecialisedadvisory 

services to clients. 

With more than 20 years' banking 

experience, Bailey has been with Nedbank 

for just over five years and has worked in a 

number of areas, including credit. 

He also manages 14 retail branches across 

his region, providing clients with unique 

financial solutions. ‘It forms part of our 

purpose at Nedbank to use our financial 

expertise to do good for individuals, 

families, businesses and society,’ says 

Bailey. 

Nedbank’sgoaltohaveallserviceofferings 

and business and consumer products 

managed under one regional structure 

makes it easier to deliver on its new brand 

proposition to see money differently. 

‘ 

… the team is ready to 

assist clients with 

professional advice, 

industry-specific 

solutions and a 

comprehensive range 

of financial products 

and service … 

’ 

To take your business to the next level or to 

obtain more information about Nedbank’s 

specialisedserviceoffering call 

RandallBailey on +27(0)214123051, send 

an email to RandallB@nedbank.co.zaor 

visit www.nedbank.co.za.

ADVERTORIAL 


ONE-STOPBANKING 

SERVICESFROMNEDBANK 

CAPECENTRAL 

Karen Seboa, Nedbank Regional Manager of Retail and 

Business Banking: Cape Central, shares how partnerships 

can benefit Nedbank clients. 

Seboa’s team operates from its 

regional office at The Clock Tower in 

the V&A Waterfront and is ready to 

assist clients with professional advice, 

industry-specific solutions – including for 

the medical profession – and a 

comprehensive range of financial products 

and services for businesses and individuals 

in the Western Cape. 

Seboa has been with Nedbank for more 

than 20 years and has worked in a number 

of roles, including as area manager for the 

retail branch network and in Retail 

Relationship Banking. She prides herself on 

building relationships and understanding 

the needs of clients, saying that 

partnership- and relationship-based 

banking are key drivers of how Nedbank 

conducts business to ensure clients benefit 

from its money expertise. 

‘It forms part of our purpose at Nedbank 

to use our financial expertise to do good 

for individuals, families, businesses and 

society,’ says Seboa. 

‘We look forward to continuing our 

relationships with our valued existing 

clients, and to offering our value 

‘ 

At the core of our offering 

in Business Banking is a 

relationship-based model, 

with a business manager 

dedicated to your business 

as your key entry point to 

the bank. 

’ 

proposition to new clients as well. At the 

core of our offering in Business Banking is a 

relationship-based model, with a business 

manager dedicated to your business as 

your key entry point to the bank.’ 

To take your business to the next level or to 

obtain more information about Nedbank’s 

specialisedserviceoffering call 

+27(0)214123000, send an email to 

KarenSeb@nedbank.co.za or visit 

www.nedbank.co.za.

ADVERTORIAL 


RELATIONSHIPSAND 

UNDERSTANDINGCLIENT 

NEEDSAREKEY,SAYSEXPERT 

Naziem Esack, Regional Manager of Retail and Business 

Banking: Winelands, explains how new brand values built on 

the bank’s expertise can benefit Nedbank clients. 

Esack’s team operates from its offices 

in Stellenbosch and is ready to assist 

clients with professional advice, 

industry-specific solutions and a 

comprehensive range of financial products 

and services. In addition, his team is 

supportedbyskilledagriculturalspecialists, 

who provide specialised advisory services. 

Esack, as a skilled banker, has been with 

Nedbank for eight years and has worked in 

a number of roles in his 38-year career in 

the banking industry. He was the area 

manager of Nedbank Business Banking in 

Helderberg and Stellenbosch before he 

started in his current role. 

He heads a team of retail and business 

banking experts with the aim of providing 

clients with unique business and financial 

solutions. 

‘At Nedbank Retail and Business Banking 

we believe you need a financial partner 

who has a deeper understanding of your 

business – someone who offers innovative, 

relevant solutions and who gives you a 

banking experience that is hassle-free. 

As money experts, we are committed to 

doing good, so you can concentrate on 

‘ 

As money experts, we are 

committed to doing good, 

so you can concentrate on 

what’s most important to 

you – running your 

business. 

’ 

what’s most important to you – running 

your business,’ says Esack. 

‘Weencourageyoutoseemoneydifferently 

with the bigger-picture approach offered 

by Nedbank Business Banking, and to take 

advantage of our one-stop banking 

service at Winelands region,’ says Esack. 

To take your business to the next level or 

to obtain more information about 

Nedbank’sspecialisedserviceoffering 

call +27(0)218086700, send an email to 

NaziemE@nedbank.co.za or visit 

www.nedbank.co.za. 

Nedbank Ltd Reg No 1951/000009/06. Authorised financial 

services and registered credit provider (NCRCP16). 

SPO5940


44

KEY SECTORS 

Overviews of the main economic 

sectors of the Western Cape 

Agriculture 46 

Wine and grapes 48 

Fishing 50 

Mining 51 

Oil and gas 52 

Energy 54 

Manufacturing 58 

Maritime 60 

Construction and property 61 

Tourism and events 68 

Banking and financial services 70 

Development finance and SMME support 71 

Education and training 76 

Business process outsourcing 84 


OVERVIEW 

Agriculture 

Blueberries are good for job creation. 

While the Western Cape has a lower unemployment rate 

than most regions, the problem is still acute. Blueberries 

may provide part of the answer. 

In discussions about what crops to promote, Wandile 

Sihlobo of Agbiz believes that South Africa should focus on horticulture, 

partly because it is labour-intensive. He gives an example of blueberries, 

which need 2.64 workers for every hectare planted. There are signs that 

his advice is being followed: gross value rose from R15.8-million in 2008 

to R1.25-billion in 2018 with the total area planted expanding four times. 

Berries of all sorts thrive between George and Swellendam and 

sales of chippers in this area have grown because blueberries have to 

be vigorously pruned. This process produces lots of green waste which 

many farmers are choosing to process themselves. More than 70% of 

the blueberry crop is exported and two-thirds of production occurs in 

the Western Cape. 

Swellendam, which lies beneath the Langeberg mountains, 

produces 90% of the world’s commercially grown youngberries, a 

crop of about 600 tons per annum. Youngberries are sensitive and 

labour-intensive. 

The Agri-Processing Support Programme run by the Western Cape 

Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT) helps 

small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) improve their business 

Sector Insight 

An ostrich merger has 

won Competition Tribunal 

approval. 

processes and get better access 

to markets. This is part of the 

broader Project Khulisa growth 

strategy that sees SMMEs as 

key for expanding economic 

growth. 

New Western Cape Premier 

Alan Winde announced in 

his first State of the Province 

address in 2019 that the 

province intends making 

agriculture a bigger part of the 

educational offering available 

to pupils. He announced that 

to the traditional focus on 

STEM (science, technology, 


46

OVERVIEW 

engineering and mathematics), 

two As (the Arts and Agriculture) 

would be added to create the 

concept of STEAMAC. 

Nearly 30% of exports come 

from agriculture, with food 

and beverages contributing 

a further 24%. Key sectors in 

many of the province’s nonmetro 

towns (such as retail and 

manufacturing) have a strong 

dependence on agriculture and 

agri-processing. 

The Western Cape Provincial 

Government reached its target 

of 100 000 new jobs in agriprocessing 

in 2016 but the 

sector has since been buffeted 

by bouts of avian flu and a 

once-in-a-generation drought. 

The drought in 2015 and 

2016 had severe consequences 

in Southern Africa. StatsSA noted 

the following price increases in 

that period: vegetables (12.7%), 

bread and cereals (16%), while 

nearly 400 000ha less was 

planted in the country in 2017 

than it was in 2014. 

The agricultural sector 

has had to make the biggest 

adjustments to climate change. 

The Provincial Government 

introduced a Smart Agri plan to 

coordinate efforts to tackle the 

effects of climate change on 

agriculture. 

The sector supports almost 

10 000 farms and employs 

214 000 people. Farming 

carried out on the Western 

Cape’s 13-million hectares of 

agricultural land comprises 

approximately 21% of South 

African commercial agriculture. 

Seven of the 10 biggest 

export earners are either 

agricultural products or agriprocessed 

goods. These are citrus, wine, apples and pears, grapes, fruit 

juice and tobacco. 

The province’s climatic regions vary from Mediterranean around 

Cape Town and on the coast (where annual rainfall can be 2 000mm at 

places) to the drier regions of the inland Karoo districts where annual 

rainfall figures can be below 150mm. Just over three-million hectares 

of the province is cultivated and 270 000ha are under irrigation. 

The Breede River Valley is an especially fertile area for fruit. The 

Western Cape specialises in apples, plums, pears and cherries. Peaches 

and nectarines can be found in most parts of the province. Raisins are 

a speciality of the Vredendal area on the West Coast. 

The Sandveld region on the West Coast is known as South Africa’s 

Potato Pantry. Citrusdal unsurprisingly does a strong line in citrus and, 

with nearby Clanwilliam, is also famous for rooibos and buchu. 

Wheat is another of the province’s strong sectors: the Western 

Cape’s 310 000ha planted to wheat represents 64% of South Africa’s 

crop. Japan is a major destination of the province’s maize production. 

In canola, the Western Cape is even more dominant, with 99% of the 

nation’s hectares (StatsSA). 

Companies 

The ostrich processing industry has two major players which merged 

in the course of 2019, subject to an agreement not to retrench 

any workers for a three-year period, a condition imposed by the 

Competition Tribunal. Between them, Klein Karoo International and 

Mosstrich have four abattoirs in three provinces and tannery facilities 

in Oudtshoorn and Mossel Bay. There are more than 400 registered 

ostrich farms in South Africa, the majority of which are in the Western 

Cape and the Eastern Cape. 

Zeder Investments is the agricultural arm of investment holding 

company PSG Group. Zeder controls Capespan, which has a turnover 

of R7.6-billion across three divisions: farms, logistics and fruit. Zeder is 

also a 39.6% shareholder in Kaap Agri Ltd. Kaap Agri has more than 200 

operating points. 

Zeder also owns 27.2% of Pioneer Foods which makes and 

distributes many big food and drink brands across Southern Africa, 

including Weet-Bix, Liqui Fruit, Ceres, Sasko and White Star. 

Caledon-based Overberg Agri is an unlisted company with a wide 

range of investments in several sectors, including mining, pet food and 

industrial fasteners. SSK (Sentraal Suid Ko-operasie) has outlets in the 

Overberg and in the Southern Cape as far east as George. ■ 

Online Resources 

National Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: 

www.daff.gov.za 

National Ostrich Processors of South Africa: www.nopsa.com 

Western Cape Department of Agriculture: www.elsenburg.com 


OVERVIEW 

Wine and grapes 

Wine exports to China are up 109%. 

There was less wine in 2019, but what wine there was was 

of a better quality and attracted better prices. A prolonged 

drought and variable weather conditions led to two seasons 

of reduced wine grape harvests, but Vinpro reports that exports 

earned just over R9-billion in 2018, an 11% increase in value 

despite a 6% decrease in volume. 

This fits in with a trend whereby South African winemakers are 

aiming for better quality instead of greater volumes. Which is not to 

say that volume is being ignored. Wine exports to Angola and China 

have doubled. In the four years to 2017, wine exports to China reached 

18.2-million litres, an increase of 109%. Wesgro and WOSA (Wines of 

South Africa) are cooperating on the Chinese market. In May 2018, they 

hosted a wine tasting and pairing event in Shenzhen. 

South Africa is the eighth-biggest wine producer globally and 

produces about 4% of the world’s wine. The wine industry contributes 

R36-billion to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and employs 

nearly 290 000 people. 

Vinpro is the wine industry organisation which represents 2 500 

South African wine grape producers, wineries and wine-related 

businesses. There are over 3 500 wine producers in South Africa, with 

the large majority located in the Western Cape. 

Wine is produced by estates, independent cellars and producer 

cellars or co-operatives. The Distell group runs five distilleries and 

seven wineries in the Western Cape and produces about a third of the 

country’s natural and sparkling wine. 

Wine tourism in the Western Cape grew 16% in the year to 2017, 

according to a study done by Wesgro and Explore Sideways. The 

study, which surveyed 40 tour operators responsible for 19 000 trips, 

also found that 99% of Cape Town-based itineraries include a trip to 

the Winelands. 

A Vinpro report shows that wine tourism contributes R15-billion to 

the local economy. Local wine sales bring in R13.2-billion. Excise and 

other taxes paid by the wine industry amounted to R6.7-billion in 2017, 

up by 8% from the previous year, according to Koos Nel of Old Mutual 

Personal Finance. 

South African Table Grape Industry Partnership (SATGI) is a partnership 


Cape Winemakers Guild: www.capewinemakersguild.com 

SA Wine Industry Information & Systems: www.sawis.co.za 

South African Table Grape Industry: www.satgi.co.za 

Vinpro: www.vinpro.co.za 


The table grape sector 

employs 46 000 people. 

whose board membership 

represents every growing region. 

The industry’s contribution to the 

national GDP is estimated at more 

than R3-billion. 

The table grape industry in 

the Western Cape provided over 

46 000 direct jobs during the 

2015/2016 harvest. The province 

is responsible for 65% of total 

production in table grapes. 

There is also a significant 

contribution to downstream 

production income – R3.2-billion 

to other product input providers, 

R720-million to packaging 

material suppliers and R250- 

million to logistics suppliers. ■ 


48

Wine tourism boosts 

Western Cape economy 

Further research on economic impact is planned. 

FOCUS 

Research will be conducted in 

the course of 2020 into the value 

of wine tourism, along with a 

skills audit to identify training 

opportunities. 

Wine tourism plan 

South Africa’s wine tourism sector is experiencing rapid 

growth and gaining international recognition, making this 

a lucrative sector for investment. 

A Food and Wine Tourism Market Report released by 

Wesgro and Explore Sideways at the end of 2019 indicated that 63% 

of tour operators believed the market grew in 2018, the total spend 

per trip increasing to above R60 000. 

“People are moving away from generic itineraries in search of 

something more unique. South Africa’s huge cultural and natural 

diversity, along with the world-class food and wine offering positions 

us perfectly to significantly grow the tourism market,” Vinpro wine 

tourism manager Marisah Nieuwoudt says. 

The International Wine Review and United Nations Tourism 

Organisation singled South Africa out as one of the best developed 

wine tourism destinations globally in 2012 and 2016. Lonely Planet 

identified the Cape Winelands as one of the global Top Ten Best 

Value Destinations, while Vergelegen Estate, Delaire Graff Estate and 

Creation Wines were listed as Top 50 Wine Destinations in the World. 

South Africa also has the longest wine route in the world, spanning 

six wine regions. 

Job creation 

Wine tourism helps to establish a personal connection with consumers, 

enhances brand loyalty, adds value to existing activities and boosts 

sales. It can also grow the job market as it has a low barrier to entry. 

The wine and brandy industry 

has been serious about wine 

tourism since 2015, identifying 

it as a growth driver in the 

industry’s strategic framework, 

WISE (Wine Industry Strategic 

Exercise). A wine tourism plan 

was released, along with a 

digital visitor-facing platform 

Visitwinelands.co.za. Vinpro 

established a wine tourism desk 

to coordinate efforts of relevant 

parties including Wesgro, the 

SA Wine Route Forum, Wines 

of South Africa (WoSA) and 

the Cape Winelands District 

Municipality (CWDM). 

In 2019 Vinpro, with 

the support of the CWDM, 

launched a free online Wine 

Tourism Toolkit and hosted 

a successful series of wine 

tourism workshops to help 

related businesses establish or 

expand their footprint. ■ 


Marisah Nieuwoudt 

Tel: + 27 21 276 0429 

Email: marisah@vinpro.co.za 

Web: www.toolkit.vinpro.co.za 


OVERVIEW 

Fishing 

Ownership patterns in the fishing industry are changing. 


Sea Harvest celebrated 

50 years with the launch 

of a new trawler. 

Tiger Brands has unbundled its 42% stake in Oceana Group. 

Oceana holds the popular pilchards brand Lucky Star, which 

enjoys 80% of market share in South Africa, and has a market 

value of R11-billion. The Oceana Group recently purchased 

Foodcorp’s fishing rights and a US fishmeal and oil company, Daybrook. 

There have been several changes in ownership in the fishing industry, 

most likely linked to the upcoming determination of new fishing 

rights in which black shareholding will be a factor. The acquisition by 

black-controlled Sea Harvest Group of Viking Fishing is part of a larger 

trend in which empowered companies are taking controlling shares in 

fishing companies. 

Sea Harvest paid R885-million for Viking Fishing and celebrated 

its 50th anniversary with the addition to its fleet of a R130-million 

stern-fishing trawler, Harvest Atlantic Peace, which can catch and process 

up to 7 000 tons per year and can freeze up to 40 tons per day. 

Sea Harvest’s return to the main board of the JSE brought to three 

the number of major fishing companies represented on Africa’s biggest 

stock exchange. Premier Fishing also made its shares available to the 

public for the first time while the Oceana Group has been on the JSE 

for 70 years. 

The Western Cape is responsible for about 75% of the nation’s 

fishing, which ranges from the highly capitalised deep-sea trawling industry 

to much smaller lobster and abalone operations. Demersal fish 

such as hake and kingklip account for 46% of the national catch, with 


Fish SA: www.fishsa.org.za 

National Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: www.daff.gov.za 

SA Deep Sea Trawling Industry Association: www.sadstia.co.za 

South African Maritime Safety Authority: www.samsa.org.za 

pelagic fish (anchovy, pilchards 

and sardines) making up 23%. 

Lobster makes up 11% and linefish 

13%. 

The Department of Agriculture, 

Forestry and Fisheries wants 

to restructure the horse mackerel 

industry to promote local fishers 

and processors. 

Most of South Africa’s large 

food companies have fishing divisions. 

Pioneer Fishing, which has 

no connection to the multi-product 

group Pioneer Foods, controls 

a canning, fishmeal and fish 

oil factory in St Helena Bay and a 

processing and freezing factory 

in the Port Elizabeth harbour. The 

African Pioneer Group holds a 

40% stake in the company, which 

was formed as a joint venture 

with Suiderland to control the 

latter’s fishing rights. 

Premier Fishing and Brands 

Limited, a subsidiary of Sekunjalo 

Investments, runs 16 vessels and 

operates at seven locations, including 

a 1 760-ton cold-storage 

facility at the V&A Waterfront. The 

company has lobster plants at 

Port Nolloth and Hout Bay, and 

a fish meal plant at Saldanha. 

Dromedaris Visserye specialises 

in Cape lobster, and supplies 

sardines and anchovies to China 

and Japan. ■ 


50

Mining 

A huge project to increase volumes at the Port of Saldanha is planned. 

OVERVIEW 


Mineral sands operations are 

expanding on the West Coast. 

The road out of Cape Town north to Malmesbury and beyond 

has been rebranded the N7 Cape to Namibia Highway. But it’s 

probably not tourism that is driving the major roadworks that 

are happening on both sides of the Swartland’s biggest town. 

It is more likely that the volume of mining product coming from 

the West Coast has led to the upgrades. The Australian company 

running the Tormin mineral sands mine near Lutzville and Koekenaap 

has applied to greatly expand its operations, but this has run into 

objections from environmental groups. Mineral Commodities (MRC) 

spent R5-billion in 2019 in search of zircon, rutile, ilmenite and garnet 

to send to China. 

Namakwa Sands is a mineral sands operation on the West Coast, 

owned by Tronox. The company has a mine and concentration plant 

at Brand-se-Baai and a mineral separation plant at Koekenaap about 

350km from Cape Town. Ilemnite, rutile and zircon are extracted at this 

site and then taken to the company’s smelter at Saldanha Bay. 

The Elandsfontein phosphate mine is also encountering resistance 

to its right to a water licence from the West Coast Environmental 

Protection Association which claims that the Elandsfontein aquifer and 

the Langebaan Lagoon are at risk. The developer of the mine Kropz is 

partly owned by African Rainbow Capital Investments. 

A project to increase export volumes of iron ore (shown being 

delivered above) at the Port of Saldanha is planned for 2020. The project 

is expected to cost in the region of R3-billion. 


Council for Geoscience: www.geoscience.org.za 

Geological Society of South Africa: www.gssa.org.za 

Minerals Council South Africa: www.mineralscouncil.org.za 

National Department of Mineral Resources: www.dmr.gov.za 

Sixteen rare earth minerals 

have been identified north 

of Vanrhynsdorp, with the 

most prevalent being cerium, 

an important component of 

catalytic converters. 

Afrimat has five sand 

mines, two lime plants and 

nine aggregate operations in 

the Western Cape. The Afrimat 

Kliprug Quarry in Durbanville 

is near the AfriSam Peninsula 

Quarry at Killarney north-east 

of Milnerton which mines 

greywacke stone which is 

then processed at the nearby 

plant into concrete aggregates. 

Pretoria Portland Cement (PPC) 

has operations near Riebeeck- 

West and Piketberg (De Hoek). 

Slasto and building stone are 

quarried near Clanwilliam. 

Consol quarries glass sand near 

Philippi. The Cape Bentonite 

Mine near Heidelberg is run by 

Ecca Holdings with another site 

east of Knysna at Roodefontein. 

Dimension stone occurs around 

Vanrhynsdorp and mediumgrain 

granite is found at Paarl. 

Limestone for cement, 

agricultural lime and feed lime 

is extracted at several sites in the 

province’s western regions while 

kaolin is found in Noordhoek and 

Somerset West. Ball clay is mined 

in the Albertina area by G&W 

Base and Industrial Minerals. ■ 


OVERVIEW 

Oil and gas 

The Western Cape is turning to gas. 

The drive to turn to gas as a source of power for the province 

is set to intensify. The Western Cape’s new premier, Alan 

Winde, argued strongly for a liquid natural gas (LNG) power 

station to be allocated to Saldanha Bay as part of the 

national government’s Independent Power Producer Procurement 

Programme (IPPPP) when he was MEC for Economic Opportunities. 

He has since called for Eskom’s open-cycle gas turbine unit 

(which uses diesel) to be turned over to a private producer to 

convert it to gas and for another LNG power station to be built 

at Mossel Bay, where South Africa’s only gas-to-liquid plant faces 

closure because of a lack of feedstock. 

The announcement in early 2019 by Total that it had found a vast 

gas field in the southern Outeniqua basin may prove transformative 

but getting to the gas will be a lengthy and expensive operation. 

Other companies that hold shares in the basin include Eni and 

Exxon Mobil. 

Natural gas also lies offshore to the west of South Africa in the 


The Western Cape spends 

R76-billion annually on 

crude oil imports. 

Atlantic Ocean (Ibhubesi). 

Block 2A of the Ibhubesi gas 

field north-west of Saldanha is 

estimated to have reserves of 

850-billion cubic feet of gas. 

Industrial gas manufacturing 

in the Western Cape is a 

particular focus for Air 

Products, a part of the Metkor 

Group controlled by Remgro. 

The company is one of the 


52

OVERVIEW 

largest suppliers in the pipeline and on-site markets. The Western 

Cape’s status as an oil and gas hub was enhanced in 2017 with the 

opening of a new open-access liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) import 

and storage terminal at Saldanha Bay. A public-private partnership 

is behind the R1-billion terminal, the largest of its kind in Africa. 

Investors include Sunrise Energy, the Industrial Development 

Corporation (IDC), the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) and Royal 

Bafokeng Holdings. 

Oil 

Cape Town’s oil refinery changed hands in 2018 when Off The Shelf 

Investments (OTS) completed a $973-million purchase of Chevron’s 

downstream assets in South Africa. Chevron has been rebranded as 

Astron, but the Caltex service-station brand has been retained. OTS 

is the Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) partner of mining giant 

Glencore, who financed the deal. 

The refinery in Milnerton produces petrol, diesel, jet fuel and 

liquefied gas for the Western Cape and for export to other African 

countries. The Western Cape spends R76-billion annually on 

crude oil imports and exports refined petroleum to the value of 

R13.2-billion. 

Large quantities of oil are transported around the Cape of 

Good Hope every year: 32.2% of West Africa’s oil and 23.7% of oil 

emanating from the Middle East. Reduced global prices for oil and 

troubles in the container ship market has caused some stress in the 

local sector but the long-term prospects for shipping and oil and gas 

are still strong enough for national government to pursue Operation 

Phakisa (which includes a strong maritime economy push) and for 

Transnet National Ports Authority to spend heavily on upgrading the 

nation’s ports. 

The Western Cape Provincial Government reported that in 2016 

the oil and gas sector contributed R1.03-billion to the province’s 

gross value add. More than 7 000 direct jobs were created in the 

ship and rig repair sector of the oil and gas business in 2015. 

The Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone (SBIDZ) is central 

to the plan to grow the sector. Large industrial operations already 

exist at Saldanha and the Port of Saldanha Bay is the portal for the 

export of South Africa’s iron ore. 

Staff from the SBIDZ actively sought investors for the zone at 


National Department of Energy: www.energy.gov.za 

National Energy Regulator of South Africa: www.nersa.org.za 

Petroleum Agency South Africa: www.petroleumagencysa.com 

PetroSA: www.petrosa.co.za 

South African Oil and Gas Alliance: www.saoga.org.za 

the Africa Oil Week, which was 

held in Cape Town in 2019. 

Nine investors, ranging from 

gas maintenance and repair 

companies to domestic and 

foreign oil companies, have 

already committed to the SBIDZ. 

The Western Cape 

Provincial Government and the 

National Department of Trade, 

Industry and Competition have 

so far invested R500-million 

in the development of core 

infrastructure at the Saldanha 

Bay IDZ. The Saldanha Bay IDZ 

has signed a lease agreement 

with the Transnet National 

Ports Authority. 

The newly constructed 

Bergun terminal, comprising 

12 tanks located on the Eastern 

Mole of the Port of Cape 

Town, has added to the port’s 

fuel storage capacity and is 

connected by pipeline to the 

Astron refinery. 

The Council for Geoscience 

(CGS) is doing an intensive 

study of South Africa’s potential 

shale gas resources. The major 

economic sectors using gas 

are the metals sector and the 

chemical, pulp and paper sector. 

Brick and glass manufacturers 

are also big consumers. 

The regulator and promoter 

of oil and gas exploration 

in South Africa is Petroleum 

Agency South Africa. In addition 

to adjudicating on coastal 

fields such as those along the 

western and eastern coasts 

of the Western Cape, the 

agency has awarded coalbedmethane-gas 

exploration rights 

in KwaZulu-Natal and natural 

gas exploration permits in the 

Free State. ■ 


OVERVIEW 

Energy 

Green business is blooming in the Western Cape. 

The Western Cape is positioning itself as a green business hub 

and is working to find energy alternatives for households 

and businesses. 

GreenCape claims that nearly R700-million in green technology 

investments have already been attracted to the Atlantis Special 

Economic Zone, creating 300 jobs. A further R3.7-billion is anticipated 

by 2030, which will add more than 3 000 new jobs. Spanish wind tower 

manufacturer Gestamp Renewable Industries and tower internals supplier 

Resolux (from Denmark) are early investors in the zone. 

GreenCape is an agency that does research and runs projects in 

areas such as energy efficiency, waste, water and sustainable agriculture. 

It is a joint initiative of the City of Cape Town, Wesgro and 

the Provincial Government of the Western Cape. The Western Cape 

Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP), which encouraged manufacturers 

to use the waste product of other businesses, won international 

recognition in 2018 at the Circular Awards at Davos. 

Of the projects committed to under the national Renewable 

Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme 


Solar PV usage has increased 

to 112MW. 

(REIPPPP), 14 are located in the 

Western Cape (eight wind, five 

solar, one biomass). Cape Town 

is home to 70% of South Africa’s 

manufacturers of renewable 

components. 

Among the many changes 

that followed President Zuma 

standing down as president in 

2018, the REIPPPP was rebooted. 

In April 2018, newly appointed 

Energy Minister Jeff Rabebe 

restarted the programme 

when he signed off on projects 


54

OVERVIEW 

totalling R56-billion that will add 2 300MW to the national grid. Most 

of South Africa’s electricity comes from coal and national utility 

Eskom is building two huge coal-fired power stations. 

Radebe also announced that small-scale renewable energy 

projects (up to 10MW) could receive licences from the National 

Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa). This will mostly apply 

to manufacturers that produce biomass (such as forestry and 

sugar producers) and mining companies but also plays into the 

stated policy of the Western Cape provincial administration to 

promote independent producers (IPs). A court case is pending 

in which the provincial government is trying to win the right for its 

municipalities to buy directly from IPs instead of having to buy all 

power from Eskom. 

Unreliable and expensive power is a massive constraint on 

business and provincial and city governments in the Western 

Cape are champing at the bit to be allowed more freedom to 

participate in the sector. 

The idea of home-owners being able to sell surplus electricity 

from rooftop solar systems was previously restricted to the Cape 

metropolitan area. The application of the provincial government’s 

Energy Security Game Changer has expanded this provision (via 

bylaws) to the whole province. There are 19 municipalities where 

rooftop solar PVs are connected to the electricity grid, 13 of which 

have nationally approved tariffs in place. Users in the 13 areas can 

be paid for the power they suppy. The uptake of solar has risen from 

20MW in 2015 to more than 112MW in 2019. 

The City of Cape Town has signed an agreement with the United 

States Agency for International Development and the Southern 

Africa Energy Programme to look for ways to make solar PV more 

accessible. High costs of installation often preclude residents from 

taking the solar PV option for their homes. 

In September 2018 the City of Cape Town launched a resilience 

assessment, the first step in a larger process. The Rockefeller 

Foundation chose the city in 2016 as one of 100 around the world 

in which programmes would be tested to improve the ability of the 

city to withstand shocks such as severe droughts. The city wants to 

expand the lessons it learnt in the period of water shortage into other 

areas such as energy generation and energy efficiency. Former MP 

Gareth Morgan is Cape Town’s Director of Resilience. 


Atlantis Special Economic Zone: www.investcapetown.com 

GreenCape: www.greencape.co.za 

South African Renewable Energy Business Incubator: www.sarebi.co.za 

South African Renewable Energy Council: www.sarec.org.za 

South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre: 

www.saretec.org.za 

South African Wind Energy Association: www.sawea.org.za 

The Western Cape 

Provincial Government is also 

investing in resilience. A market 

intelligence report covering 

energy, renewable energy, 

water and waste was created by 

GreenCape to map the assets 

and challenges in these areas. 

The Cape Peninsula University 

of Technology’s Energy 

Institute is a leader in research 

in the field of electricity, and is 

also responsible for a regional 

publication relating to domestic 

use, DUE. 

The South African Renewable 

Technology Centre (SARE- 

TEC) on the Bellville campus 

of CPUT offers courses such 

as Wind Turbine Service Technician 

and Solar Photovoltaic 

Service Technician and various 

short courses such as Bolting 

Joint Technology. 

The Centre for Renewable 

and Sustainable Energy 

Studies is at the University 

of Stellenbosch and the 

University of Cape Town has 

the Energy Research Centre. 

The University of the Western 

Cape is doing research on the 

possibilities of hydrogen as an 

energy source. 

The South African Energy 

Business Incubator (Sarebi), 

based in Atlantis, has assisted 

190 entrepreneurs in the energy 

and resource efficiency fields. 

A wave-energy project 

is underway at Hermanus. 

Funding for the project is 

coming from the aquaculture 

company that will receive 

power from the 1MW plant, 

Abagold, the Industrial 

Development Corporation and 

EEP Africa, a specialist in clean 

energy funding. ■ 


PROFILE 

Africa Biomass Company 

Your caring family trading as world leaders in the wood chipping industry. 

Our mission 

To provide a worldwide service and infrastructure 

that is sustainable and above par, taking into account 

the unique requirements of each client, without 

deviating from our policy of innovative service and 

Company 

high ethical standards. 

Slogan 

Our values 

Human dignity; Integrity; Quality; Pro-trademark 

resolution; Innovation; Transparency; Individualism 

Since 2004, Africa Biomass Company has 

been at the forefront of the development 

of biomass processing such as wood chips, 

biofuels and more in Southern Africa. 

Under the mentorship of Johan du 

Preez, the co-owner of Môreson Grondverskuivers, 

known for service excellence in the agricultural 

industry since 1924, we established ourselves as 

market leaders of recycling agricultural wood 

waste over the past 10 years. 

Africa Biomass Company offers a viable, costeffective 

solution for our customers to recycle this 

unwanted woody biomass into usable forms. 

Towards the end of 2008, the need and demand 

for the chipping of orchards increased to such an 

extent that the strategy of hand-fed chippers was 

switched to that of horizontal grinders, fed by a 

mechanical loader. 

In collaboration with Môreson Grondverskuivers, 

we now offer a full range of services. 

Our vision 

Africa Biomass Company is your caring family, 

founded in faith, trading as world leaders in the 

recycling industry. 

Africa Biomass Company services and 

products 

Contracting 

• Orchard 

• Windbreak recycling 

• River rehabilitation 

• Recycling of waste wood 

• Tree (orchard) replanting (Eastern Cape) 

• Mulch spreading 

• Land clearing and land preparation (Môreson) 

• Woodchip mulch and biomass sales 

• Bandit agency (Southern Africa) 

• Dezzi equipment (Western Cape) 

• Workshop and field services 

• Part sales 

• Manufacturing 

• Accredited Operator Training Facility 

Orchard and windbreak recycling 

With the use of excavators with specialised 

attachments and three-wheel loggers, old orchards 

can be removed from root to top and fed into a 

horizontal grinder. 

Processing of waste wood into a viable 

product, that if applied correctly, could have a 


56

30% increase in water conservation as well as 

many other advantages. 

Land clearing services 

Africa Biomass Company is an expert at land clearing. 

We have an extensive range of highly specialised 

wood recycling machinery that will do the job 

quickly and efficiently. 

• Tree shears which cut and stack trees of up to 

550mm in diameter 

• Loggers to handle the timber rapidly and 

effectively. 

• Well-trained teams of chainsaw operators. 

Mulch and biofuel sales 

Woodchip according to specification, collected 

in mass trailers or in bags and transported to end 

user, where it can be used as woochip mulch 

or biofuel. 

Massive water savings 

In 2017 Africa Biomass Company was involved in 

many projects such as the removal of invasive 

eucalyptus trees in the Breede River and Berg 

River systems. 

The removal and recycling of these alien trees, 

old or unwanted orchards, vineyards or windbreaks 

can be used as mulch which are spread in new and 

old orchards and vineyards. This has led to a massive 

water saving equal to the water usage of 50 000 

households for one year. 

CONTACT INFO 

Physical address: 2 – 4 Joubert Street, Worcester 

6850, Western Cape, South Africa 

Postal address: PO Box 1322, Worcester 6849 

Tel: +27 23 342 1212 • Fax: 086 515 5777 

Website: www.abc.co.za 

Willem van der Merwe, CEO: 

willem@abc.co.za 

Workshop and field services 

With an intimate understanding of the operational 

challenges of wood recycling in South Africa, we 

established state-of-the-art facilities to service, repair 

and rebuild wood chipping equipment of any make 

and size. 

An equally remarkable team of field service 

technicians delivers repairs, maintenance and spares 

to your site to optimise uptime and efficiency. 

Parts 

We have been widely commended as the company 

in South Africa stocking the largest range of industryrelated 

spare parts. 

Optimal production and uptime require quality 

components when needed. Understanding the 

industry through experience sets us apart from 

other suppliers. 

Delivering quality components on time is essential 

for running a successful operation. Our more than 

2 500 line items is made up of quality components 

sourced worldwide to meet requirements of our 

customers and our own fleet. 

Manufacturing 

Our legacy of innovation has been built on more 

than 80 000 hours of operational experience. This 

enabled us to develop and adapt machines for waste 

wood recycling in South Africa which truly adds 

value to the customer’s operation. 

A wide range of wood chipping, grinding 

and spreading equipment is manufactured 

locally to specification, as required for South 

African conditions. 

Calie Rabie, Western Cape Production: 

072 602 4543 

Fanie Fourie, Eastern Cape Production: 

073 402 0655 

Riaan Carstens, Bandit Agency: 

079 874 8624 

Quintis Wiid, Parts and Workshop: 

066 475 7039 


OVERVIEW 

Manufacturing 

Boatbuilding exports have soared since 2014. 

The International Superyacht Society has awarded a yacht built 

by Cape Town company Southern Wind, Seatius, the accolade 

of best sailing yacht in her category (Sail 24m-40m). The Boat 

International Design and Innovation Awards also awarded the 

yacht Best Interior Design in Sailing Yachts. 

The hull lines, appendages and sail plan of Seatius are by Farr 

Yacht Design with the deck design created by Nauta, illustrating how 

much collaboration goes into an intricate yacht project. The Seatius 

(pictured) has a lifting keel and twin rudders. Southern Wind’s huge 

manufacturing site is a landmark in Athlone Industria. 

Atlantis is home to Phoenix Marine, a specialist catamaran 

manufacturer. Celtic Yachts, which makes catamarans and cruising 

yachts, is in Killarney Gardens. Ullman Sails makes sails in Maitland 

while Two Oceans Marine Manufacturing constructs its catamarans 

on the Foreshore. In 2019 Two Oceans Marine launched South Africa’s 

biggest composite and leisure catamaran. Le Cerf is owned by Mason’s 

Travel, a Seychelles company. 

Robertson & Caine’s facility in Woodstock produces three boats a 

week for the international market. With a staff complement of 1 350, 

a record of having launched more than 1 300 vessels and a subsidiary 

company in Tampa, Florida, the company is a world leader in power 

catamarans and sailing catamarans. In 2017 the company’s Leopard 

45 won the Cruising World Boat of the Year Award for best Charter 

Boat. A 20-year relationship with Tui Marine (which includes the two 


The Atlantis Special 

Economic Zone is 

specialising in green tech. 

largest yacht charter companies 

in the world), Robertson & Caine 

has supplied more than 1 194 

catamarans. 

Nautic Africa makes larger 

vessels, including patrol, 

defence, oil and gas platform 

and commercial vessels. Damen 

Shipyards Cape Town delivers 

vessels to public entities such as 

the Robben Island Museum and 

the South African Navy and private 

companies such as Smit Amandla 

Marine and De Beers Marine. 

Invest Cape Town reports 

that the city’s boatbuilding 

industry is the second-largest 

producer of recreational 


58

OVERVIEW 

catamarans in the world, after 

France. The city’s companies 

export 80% of the products 

that they produce and attract 

a positive trade balance of 

approximately $73-million 

annually. Boatbuilding exports 

have grown by 20.5% annually 

year-on-year since 2014 in Cape 

Town (Quantec, 2019). 

The Whisper Boat Building 

Academy is located at the False 

Bay TVET College. 

Green growth 

A diverse manufacturing sector 

contributes 15% to the Western 

Cape’s GDP. The agri-processing 

sector (including food and 

beverages and tobacco) is the 

largest employer (24%) followed 

by metals, metal products, 

machinery and equipment at 

19%. A proposed Cape Health 

Technology Park will further 

boost the manufacture of 

medical devices. 

The Atlantis Special 

Economic Zone, which is 

specialising in green tech, 

has already attracted nearly 

R700-million in privatesector 

investment. Goals for 

the green sector include the 

creation of 1 200 direct jobs in 

a 20-year period. 

A Moody’s report on the 

green economy in Africa states 

that South Africa has the fastestgrowing 

green sector in Africa, 

and one of the fastest-growing 

in the world. About 70% of 

South Africa’s manufacturing in 

renewables is happening in the 

Western Cape. 

The decision by Britain to 

leave the European Union has 

led to increased interest in bilateral trading relations with individual 

European countries. France has established a tech hub in Cape Town 

and Business France has been facilitating a number of conferences and 

visits. More than 300 French firms currently operate in South Africa. 

Food and beverages 

The combination of excellent and plentiful agricultural produce, good 

manufacturing capacity and a skilled workforce give the Western 

Cape a competitive advantage in the food and beverages sector. 

A sophisticated transport infrastructure system allows it to service 

international markets. 

Famous Brands has bought a famous Western Cape brand in its 

drive for greater backward integration. Lamberts Bay Foods supplied 

Famous Brands restaurants with chips for two decades. With its 

purchase from Oceana, Famous Brands now has greater control 

over a menu item at all of its 26 restaurant brands, including Wimpy, 

Fishaways and Mugg & Bean. Lamberts Bay Foods sources potatoes 

from all over South Africa, but its proximity to the potato-growing 

Sandveld region is helpful. 

The wheat-growing areas of the Swartland host several mills such 

as Sasko’s facility in Malmesbury. Bokomo has several manufacturing 

facilities in Atlantis, Epping, Ndabeni near Pinelands, Worcester and 

Bonnievale. Safari Vinegar is based in the Strand and there are two 

Heinz manufacturing plants at Wellington and Atlantis. 

Two of the biggest chicken processing facilities are located on 

the N7 highway (Tydstroom) and on the N1 (Rainbow Chickens). The 

Western Cape has about 16 000 commercial pork sows and produces 

a quarter of South Africa’s milk. 

Willards has a factory in Goodwood, in nearby Parow there is a 

Simba factory and local chip and snack manufacturer Messaris, which 

has been in operation since 1898, has a facility in Elsies River. Nestlé 

produces condensed milk and milk powder in Mossel Bay and canned 

pet food in Cape Town. Tiger Brands makes mayonnaise in Bellville and 

has also invested heavily in its prepared meals plant in Cape Town. 

SABMiller’s Newlands brewery is one of the busiest in the 

country as it is responsible for providing product for a very large 

geographical area. 

Coca-Cola bottler and distributor Peninsula Beverage has three 

plants – at Parow, Athlone and Vredendal on the West Coast, and 

employs 1 300 people. ■ 


Cape Chamber of Commerce: www.capetownchamber.com 

Invest Cape Town: www.investcapetown.com 

Wesgro: www.wesgro.co.za 

Whisper Boat Building Academy: www.falsebaycollege.co.za 


OVERVIEW 

Maritime 

The Oceans Economy is creating new opportunities. 


Three vessels are under 

construction for the 

SA Navy. 

South Africa has 3 000km of coastline and the extent of the 

country’s territorial waters is greater than its land size. The 

Oceans Economy is no longer just a concept talked about at 

conferences, it is a reality that is starting to have an impact on 

South Africa, and the Western Cape is well placed to benefit in terms of 

servicing the oil and gas industry, ship repair and manufacturing boats. 

Damen Shipyards Cape Town is building three inshore patrol 

vessels for the South African Navy, the first of which will be delivered 

in 2021. The vessels will be used to secure South Africa’s waters against 

threats such as illegal fishing, smuggling and piracy. 

EBH SA, which has extensive facilities in the Port of Cape Town, has 

been in the business of marine engineering and repairing ships since it 

began as Elgin Brown and Hamer in 1878. The company’s 183m-long 

repair quay has a draft of 12.5m and 5 000m² of quayside area. 

Large industrial operations already exist at Saldanha north of Cape 

Town and the Port of Saldanha Bay is the portal for the export of South 

Africa’s iron ore. The Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone (SBIDZ) 

is set to become a hub for a range of maritime repair activities and oil 

rig maintenance and repair. 

The National Department of Trade, Industry and Competition 

(dtic) and the Western Cape Department of Economic Development 

and Tourism (DEDAT) have collectively invested R500-million in core 

infrastructure at the SBIDZ and a lease agreement has been signed 

with Transnet National Ports Authority. 


Oceans Economy/Operation Phakisa: www.environment.gov.za 

Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone: www.sbidz.co.za 

South African International Maritime Institute: www.saimi.co.za 

Transnet National Ports Authority: www.transnet.net 

The SBIDZ fits neatly into two 

over-arching visions: Operation 

Phakisa and Project Khulisa, 

the targeted growth strategy 

of the Western Cape Provincial 

Government which includes 

servicing and repairing of oil rigs 

as a priority. 

Priority sectors at Saldanha 

are upstream oil and gas and 

marine engineering and services. 

The IDZ is run by the SBIDZ- 

Licencing Company which 

works together with the Transnet 

National Ports Authority (TNPA) 

on several joint projects. 

These are being undertaken 

to create good conditions for investors. 

Quayside infrastructure 

has been upgraded, including 

a wastewater treatment plant 

and a new road and bridge over 

the MR559. DEDAT reports that 

in 2016 the oil, gas and marine 

sector supported 8 320 jobs and 

contributed R1-billion to the 

province’s gross value add. 

The marine transport 

committee of the South African 

Oil and Gas Alliance (SAOGA) is 

preparing South Africa to reap 

the potential of the sector. It has 

developed 18 initiatives across 

three categories: infrastructure 

and operations, skills and 

market growth. ■ 


60

Construction and property 

Student accommodation is on trend. 

OVERVIEW 

One of the fastest-growing segments of the property 

market is student accommodation. Ambitions to keep 

making tertiary education more accessible to a broader 

range of students, already hugely successful since South 

Africa became a democracy in 1994, will create a need for even more 

accommodation. As it is, the Department of Higher Education and 

Training estimates that there is a need across South Africa for 250 000 

beds for university students. 

Several companies are responding to this need. A famous landmark 

in Rondebosch lives on in the name given to a new block of flats for 

students next to the old fountain in Main Road, Fountain Rez. The 

building (pictured) is developed by FPG Property Group, a company 

that grew out of supermarket and wholesale company that initially 

focussed on the retail property sector. 

Respublica has just one student building in Cape Town, on Main 

Road near Cavendish Square in Claremont, but it has nine properties in 

Gauteng: Roscommon House is a short walk from a UCT bus-stop. 

Another popular suburb for student accommodation is 

Observatory. UCT has developed several buildings in the area 


Commercial space in 

the V&A Waterfront has 

risen to 25%. 

but recent blocks of flats built 

by private developers include 

Obs Court and several projects 

by Rawson Developers, 

Madison Place, The Winchester 

and The Paragon. The 64- 

flat The Westwood will be 

complete in 2020. 

STAG African has student 

projects in the Western Cape 

(at Stellenbosch University) 

and in the Eastern Cape. STAG 

has also spotted opportunity 


OVERVIEW 

elsewhere in Africa, with 

34 000 beds being developed 

at universities in Kenya, Malawi, 

Zambia and Lesotho. 

The brief of A-MSquared 

is to “own, manage and 

operate premium student 

accommodation near UCT and 

Stellenbosch universities”. These 

are student houses (what used 

to be called “digs”) rather than 

residences but they are centrally 

administered. 

Outside of student-land, 

research shows that the demand 

for housing is as strong as ever. 

Cape Town has adopted a 

long-term Transport Oriented 

Development (TOD) plan 

which looks at housing density 

in conjunction with transport 

patterns. It is estimated that 

greater Cape Town will need 

500 000 new homes by 2023, in 

addition to 3.5-million square 

metres of office space, onemillion 

square metres of retail 

space and 4.5-million square 

metres of industrial development. 

Cape Town has established 

the Transport and Urban 

Development Authority (TDA). 

The TDA is charged with 

getting the right mix of urban 

development and travel patterns. 

With responsibility for transport, 

urban planning, public housing 

and environmental sustainability 

in one place, there is a better 

chance of “joined-up” thinking. 

Part of this strategy can be 

seen in plans for mixed housing 

on 13 sites in Salt River and 

Woodstock that the City of 

Cape Town has made available 

at 10% of market value. Social 

housing non-profit company 

Communicare has been working 

with the city on the project which envisages 30% of the housing stock 

being available for low-income households, 14% for the gap market 

and the rest of the houses being available on the open market 

The province’s “Better Living Model” aims to deliver 3 602 residential 

units in an affordable, mixed-use and residential-led development on 

the site of the old Conradie Hospital on the edge of Pinelands. With the 

state (provincial or city government) putting in the bulk infrastructure, 

costs for developers would be significantly reduced – the quid pro quo 

is that the developer must then set aside a certain number of housing 

units (49%) to grant-funded housing. 

Commercial 

The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront has been one of the most successful 

property developments and it continues to generate good returns for 

its tenants, according to a report issued by the management of the 

V&A Waterfront in 2019. 

New districts added to the footprint of the Waterfront such as 

the Canal and Silo areas have expanded the economic impact to the 

point where the Waterfront contributes R31.5-billion to provincial GDP 

(almost 2%). Commercial office space has grown as a percentage of 

gross lettable space and now stands at 25%. Several regional head 

offices have relocated recently, including British American Tobacco. 

A new suite of offices has been developed by the Amdec Group. 

The Yacht Club (pictured on the next page) is near the berth for luxury 

cruise ships and in front of the Cape Town International Convention 

Centre, has 170 flats, 6 000m 2 of office space spanning on levels, and 

Africa’s first AC Hotel by Marriott. 

Amdec is also developing the huge Harbour Arch precinct on the 

western edge of the Foreshore. This will comprise six towers on a 5.8ha 

site that will house two hotels and residential and office space. The City 

of Cape Town has given its approval for the development to go ahead. 

Among the winners in the 2019 SAPOA Property Development 

Awards for Innovative Excellence was Sable Park, a part of Century 

City, which won in the Commercial Office Developments category. 

Developed by Rabie Property Group, the building has a five-star rating 

from Green Star SA and houses the offices of Discovery and MTN, 

among others. 

A Cape Town CBD landmark is being redeveloped into a 

mixed-use building to be known as Foreshore Place. What was 

built as the Trust Bank building and became the Absa building 

on the corner of Adderley Street, Riebeek Street and St George’s 

Mall, now has 15 floors of commercial space with the ground 

floor occupied by retail shops. The residential component takes 

up 11 floors comprising 63 studio apartments, 99 one-bedroom 

apartments and nine two-bedroom apartments. The developer of 

the project is HBW Group, it was designed by KMH Architects and 

marketed by Dogon Group Properties. 


62

OVERVIEW 

Growth areas 

Voortrekker Road is the subject of several interventions to encourage 

bulking up (businesses and residential). The Greater Tygerberg 

Partnership is working to provide a catalyst for new developments 

that will build on the area’s existing strengths: transport links, medical 

facilities, retail, motor dealerships and residential. 

Possible construction projects could respond to the need for 

student accommodation: 100 000 students are in the area. The Greater 

Tygerberg Partnership has done a study on students’ accommodation 

needs and is encouraging building owners to cater to this need. 

The Voortrekker Road Corridor already has services and an 

established built environment, but it also has some dilapidated 

structures and it also has lots of open spaces. In other words, it has lots 

of potential. 

An area that continues to grow in terms of residential property 

is the West Coast. With mountains to the east, it is logical that 

areas north of Cape Town will grow: the only constraint is access 

to water. Blouberg, Parklands and Sunningdale continue to grow 

and attract good houses for residential property. The MiCiti bus 

route now serving the West Coast makes commuting to town 

much easier. 

George on the Southern Cape coast has seen some substantial 

new developments, including a private hospital built for Mediclinic, 

some new malls and a number of estates. Fancourt in George was 


Cape Town Transport and Urban Development Authority: 

www.tda.gov.za 

Construction Industry Development Board: www.cidb.org.za 

SA Estate Agency Affairs Board: www.eaab.org.za 

SA Institute of Architects: www.saia.org.za 

SA Institute of Valuers: www.saiv.org.za 

one of the first golf estates in 

South Africa. In 2017 a set of 

new plots were offered for sale 

on what was described as its 

“prized northern slopes”. 

A large gas discovery off the 

coast of Mossel Bay has caused 

some speculation that it might 

have a (long-term) effect on 

property prices in the area. The 

Knysna-Plett Herald quoted a 

Seeff Property spokesperson 

saying that Mossel Bay had 

seen sales grow year-on-year 

by 20%, with January 2019 the 

best sales month in four years. 

Seeff is developing two gated 

communities of more than 

300 units in the R900 000 to 

R1.4-million price range. 

Although prices in George 

are higher, Seeff reports that 

older sectional-title property 

can be found from R650 00 

and houses from R900 000. 

Family and golf estate homes 

mostly range from R2-million to 

R6-million but can go up to 

R8-million for a seaview. The 

George rental market is strong 

with luxury homes achieving up 

to R30 000 per month. ■ 


PROFILE 

Maritz Electrical 

Large area and sports lighting specialists. 

From commercial electrical applications to 

high-end floodlights and sports stadiums 

and spotlights using state-of-the-art products, 

Maritz Electrical delivers end-to-end 

electrical solutions tailored to clients’ needs. 

Delivering service excellence and exceptional 

quality are key differentiators for Maritz Electrical 

and what clients have come to expect. 

Maritz Electrical is an empowerment company 

established by Kurt Maritz in January 2000. Maritz 

Electrical is BBBEE compliant (Level 1 contributor). 

It is ISO 9001 certified and fully compliant with 

the Occupational Health and Safety Act with a 

full-time, trained safety representative. 

Maritz Electrical occupies a newly renovated 

3 000-square-metre factory and office facility in 

Athlone. The company employs full-time, licensed 

installation and master electricians. Artisans working 

at Maritz have completed the ORHVS. 

Maritz Electrical places great emphasis on its relationship 

with clients, private or commercial, and 

prides itself on the ability to respond to any contracting 

requirements in an efficient and cost-effective 

way. Maritz Electrical works closely with its 

customers, ensuring that projects are completed 

on time and on budget, using the highest-quality 

products available. 

Maritz Electrical aims to contribute positively 

to the South African economy, provide excellent 

workmanship and be a leader in quality service 

provision. 

Flagship projects 

In 2017, St George’s Park became the world’s first 

International Cricket Council-compliant, LED-lit 

stadium and the first such stadium to be fitted 

with theatrics. Maritz Electrical was part of the 

R40-million revamp of Coetzenburg Athletics 

Stadium in Stellenbosch and installed new LED 

lighting at the hockey field of Western Province 

Cricket Club in 2019. The lights comply with the 

latest FIH standard. 

Other projects include the electrification of 

large housing projects for municipalities, rural 

security lighting, lighting for passenger areas and 

runway lighting at airports, Cape Town’s Grand 

Parade and security lighting for waste-water treatment 

plants. 

Key areas of expertise 

• Public lighting, high masts and sports lighting 

• Commercial installations and maintenance 

• Industrial installations and maintenance 

• Domestic installations and maintenance 

• Reticulation 

• Substations 

Professional memberships 

BBBEE Level 1. ISO 9001 certified. Electrical Contractors 

Association. Master Builder Association Member. 

Member of South African Institute of Lighting (SAIL). ■ 

CONTACT INFO 

Physical address: 11 Noll Avenue, Athlone, 

Cape Town, 7764 

Tel: +27 21 703 0867 

Email: tenders@maritzelectrical.co.za 

Website: www.maritzelectrical.co.za 


64

Leading the field in energyefficient 

lighting 

PROFILE FOCUS 

World first for Maritz Electrical. 

LED lighting is a game-changer and Maritz 

Electrical is leading the way in its introduction 

at South African sporting venues. 

LED refers to “Light-Emitting Diode”, a device 

that is both brighter and more energy efficient 

when electrical current is passed through it than a 

conventional light bulb. 

In a short space of time, Maritz Electrical has 

achieved three significant landmarks in the LED sports 

field lighting landscape: 

• the world’s first International Cricket Councilcompliant 

LED-lit stadium with theatrics, 

St George’s Park, Port Elizabeth, 2017 

• installation of new LED lights at internationally 

recognised athletics stadium, Coetzenburg, 

Stellenbosch, 2018 

• first South African club hockey field to install 

LED lighting to the standard of the FIH (the inter 

national hockey body), Western Province Cricket 

Club, 2019. 

The installation at the WPCC hockey field is 

a Musco lighting system, similar to the system 

used at international stadiums such as Twickenham 

Rugby Stadium, Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium and at 

baseball and football fields in the US, where Musco 

is based. 

The R27-million St George’s Park project was completed 

on time and on budget, despite installing lights 

on top of the Duckpond Pavilion at night in high 

winds. The Musco solution is good at controlling spill 

and glare and typically comes with a 10-year warranty. 

The response has been enthusiastic, helping 

Maritz Electrical on its goal to becoming the “goto” 

company for stadium lighting installations. For 

company MD Kurt Maritz, the television experts provided 

the really important feedback. “We cared about 

SuperSport the most and they have been raving. If 

there are light and dark spots on the field the cameraman 

must remember to change the aperture. They 

said that the lighting was excellent.” 

Large-area lighting 

Stadium lighting falls within the broader category 

of large-area lighting. The global move to LED lighting 

has been a positive thing for Maritz Electrical. In 

South Africa, however, Kurt notes that there is difference 

between the indoor and outdoor scenarios. 

For indoors, “everybody is going that route” but that 

return on investment (ROI) is somewhat different in 

the outdoor setting. 

Maritz Electrical is active in large areas such as 

Cape Town’s Grand Parade, rural mast lighting in 

Buffalo City, airport runway lighting and security lighting 

for city municipal facilities. The company operates 

in the commercial, industrial and public sectors and 

offers a wide range of services. ■ 


FOCUS 

Growing a national footprint 

Maritz Electrical is expanding. 

Having established a loyal customer base in the private and 

public sectors in the Western Cape, Maritz Electrical has 

expanded its horizons, showing that it is ready to tackle 

projects anywhere in South Africa. 

Recent projects that indicate the versatility that the company brings 

to lighting projects, in particular in LED lighting and in large-area lighting, 

include: a world-first LED stadium lighting project in Port Elizabeth, another 

stadium in the Free State, East London airport building lighting and 

mast lighting for informal settlements for the Buffalo City Municipality. 

With an expanding workload, Maritz Electrical made a move in 2018 

to new premises in Athlone. Founder and Managing Director Kurt Maritz 

explains, “We have moved 150 staff from three branches into one customised 

3 000-square-metre facility. It is designed in such a way that we 

have enough space for 50% expansion. Half of the massive space we 

dry-walled so that we have a suite of offices.” 

There are no specific targets, but Kurt is clearly looking forward with 

anticipation. “We don’t have any ceiling we want to hit. Our engine is our 

sales department. As much work as they bring in, that’s how we will grow.” 

Free State 

Kaizer Sebothelo Stadium 

was built as a multi-use venue 

but mainly used to host 

football matches in the township 

of Botshabelo east of 

Bloemfontein. The 20 000-seater 

stadium is the home ground 

for Botshabelo Football Club 

and Tower United FC. 

Maritz Electrical replaced the 

existing, outdated lighting, as 

their output intensity was too 

low to cater for high-definition 

camera equipment. Mangaung 

Municipality’s tender stipulated 

that the lighting needed an up- 


66

FOCUS 

grade to HD quality using a local 

lighting brand. The Maritz solution 

not only saved close to R3-million, 

but provided a 10-year warranty, 

resulting in further savings for 

the client. 

Musco 1500w metal halide 

luminaries were installed for field 

lighting and LED luminaries for 

emergency lighting. The stadium’s 

generator was upgraded to 

110KVa. Using any other system 

would have required the upgrade 

of the power supply, but this was 

not necessary as the Musco system 

uses approximately 25% less power 

than conventional systems 

Eastern Cape 

In 2017, St George’s Park became the world’s first International Cricket 

Council-compliant, LED-lit stadium and the first such stadium to be fitted 

with theatrics. Over four days in December 2017, the famous ground 

celebrated the landmark of being the first South African venue to host 

a day-night Test match, against Zimbabwe. The R27-million contract 

was completed on time and on budget by a team from Maritz Electrical 

led by Warren Williams. Two project managers from Musco Lighting 

supported the installation. The lights on top of the Duckpond Pavilion 

were hoisted at night, the process being illuminated by floodlight. 

Project Manager Diketso Kumalo reports that the six-month contract 

to install LED energy-saving lights at East London Airport was completed 

on time and on budget. Says Kumalo, “One of our goals for all projects 

that we do is to satisfy the client and leave them with a happy face.” 

LED lighting can significantly reduce power consumption. Maritz 

Lighting’s pre-installation and post-installation testing confirmed that 

East London Airport will be saving on electricity costs. 

The Maritz contract with the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality 

entails providing mast lighting to informal settlements across the municipality. 

“We are providing them with 20m-high masts with LED 

luminaires,” says Kumalo. “LED consumes much less power compared 

to high-pressure sodium or metal halide although the LED the lux level 

is better.” Costs will be reduced and the power of illumination will be 

better for residents. 

Kumalo says that there is a possibility that Maritz Electrical might 

open an Eastern Cape office. “Our presence is growing,” he notes. 

“Depending on the amount of work we receive from the province, we 

might be looking at opening another office in the Eastern Cape.” Kumalo 

points out that Maritz Electrical’s expertise extends beyond lighting. 

“We do a variety of electrical works. We also offer project management, 

consulting, compliance and hazardous area classification and MV and 

LV maintenance.” 

Western Cape 

The municipal authorities of Overstrand and Stellenbosch have contracted 

Maritz Electrical to work on low-cost housing projects. This is a big 

market and Maritz Electrical is building its skills set in this area. Aspects 

of this market include reticulation, electrification, street lights, road-side 

furniture and mini-substations. ■ 


OVERVIEW 

Tourism and events 

Arts and culture are front and centre in the Western Cape. 

Arabella Hotel & Spa on the banks of the Bot River Lagoon has joined the portfolio of Autograph Collection 

Hotels, a division of Marriott International. 

A 

new cultural-historical concept was launched in 2019, the 

Cradle of Human Culture. In partnership with the Cradle of 

Humankind World Heritage Site in Gauteng and two provincial 

departments, Wesgro’s Destination Marketing Unit will promote 

three archaeological sites in the Western Cape which preserve some of 

the world’s earliest evidence of evolution of modern human behaviour. 

They will be nominated for World Heritage Site status. 

Provincial government is keen to promote education in the arts. 

Based on figures published by the South African Cultural Observatory 

in 2017, which found that 6% of employment in South Africa is in the 

cultural sector, the Western Cape will expand the traditional STEM 

emphasis to include two additional As: Arts and Agriculture. There are 

60 000 people employed in the culture sector in the Western Cape. 

The opening of the R500-million Zeitz Museum of Contemporary 

Art in the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town has made a 

big impact. With a footfall of 24-million visitors going through the 

Waterfront every year, the Zeitz is well located to attract good crowds. 

The conversion of the old grain silos which created 6 000m² of gallery 

space was paid for by the owners of the Waterfront, Growthpoint 

Properties and the Public Investment Corporation. 

Cape Town Air Access is a partnership between Wesgro, the City of 

Cape Town, the Western Cape Government, Airports Company South 

Africa, Cape Town Tourism and South African Tourism, and is the focal 

point for international air route development in the Western Cape. 

Two new trans-Atlantic flights were announced as part of the 

Air Access programme in 2019, although one flight doesn’t quite 


Tourism guide Lonely 

Planet selected the Cape 

Winelands as a “Top 10 Best 

Value Destinations for 2020”. 

go all the way over the Atlantic 

Ocean. St Helena is now 

accessible directly from Cape 

Town, but the big news is that 

United Airlines started flying 

directly from Newark Liberty (a 

New York airport) in December 

2019. 

An additional 24 000 

inbound passengers are 

expected annually, an annual 

growth projection of 20%, with 

about 900 jobs being created 

in the first year. The flight will 

contribute to a R425-million 

boost in tourism spend by 2021, 

according to a study conducted 

by Grant Thornton. 

International arrivals at 

Cape Town International 


68

OVERVIEW 

Airport grew to 2.6-million 

international passengers in 2018. 

The growth came from longhaul 

carriers from outside the 

Southern African region. Overall, 

84 000 more passengers passed 

through the airport, bringing 

the total number in 2018 to 

10.6-million. 

Airlink - Live the Dream 

Getting to prime tourist 

destinations directly from 

Cape Town is made easier 

by Airlink, which connects 

to Nelspruit Kruger 

Mpumalanga International 

Airport (KMIA) or Skukuza 

Airport for a bushveld 

experience in the Kruger 

National Park and Livingstone, 

Zambia, for a close encounter 

with Victoria Falls. From KMIA 

there are flights to Vilanculos 

in Mozambique, gateway to 

the Bazaruto and Benguerra 

islands. Another exciting 

option out of Cape Town is 

to fly to Maun in Botswana, 

which gives access to the 

Okavango Delta and the 

wonders of the Chobe 

National Park. (www.flyairlink.com) 

Hotel occupancy in Cape 

Town was 65% in 2018, a figure 

that was down on the previous 

year’s 69.5% but remarkably 

good considering that the period 

included the worst drought in 

living memory. This is according 

to a study done by STR Global. 

Not only did South Africa win 

the Rugby World Cup in Tokyo in 

2019, Cape Town also won the 

right to host the 2022 Rugby 

World Cup Sevens. Cape Town is 

Highlights 

• International arrivals at Cape Town International Airport 

grew 9.6% in 2018 to 2.6-million international passengers. 

• Cape Town will host the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens 

and the Netball World Cup in 2023. 

• Fancourt Hotel & Country Club won South Africa’s Best 

Golf Hotel in the 2019 World Golf Awards. 

• Plettenberg Bay has six Blue Flag beaches out of 30 with 

that status in the Western Cape. 

a popular destination on the circuit of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens 

Series. The Netball World Cup will be in Cape Town in 2023 and the city 

is making a habit of winning the African award for hosting the most 

international association meetings. The ranking is awarded by the 

International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). 

The Cape Town and the Western Cape Convention Bureau, a Wesgro 

unit, promotes the Cape as a venue and assists with bids, planning 

support and on-site services. Events, conferences and exhibitions help 

to create a year-round industry which in turn boosts employment. The 

R900-million expansion of the Cape Town International Convention 

Centre (CTICC2) has given the city’s biggest venue additional volume 

and flexibility. 

Wesgro is targeting Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, 

Philippines, Singapore and Thailand as potential new markets for the 

Western Cape’s tourism offerings. Halal tourism, a global market that 

is expected to reach $300-billion by 2026, is another major focus. 

The Western Cape has upwards of 200 mosques and a cosmopolitan 

lifestyle that has seen various faiths coexist for many years. 

New cycling routes have been launched as part of the Cross 

Cape Cycle Route which links Plettenberg Bay with Stellenbosch via 

a number of charming small towns. Many towns and districts host 

annual festivals, such as the Prince Albert Olive Festival. 

Several hotel brands have extended their offering in Cape Town. 

These include the AC Hotel by Marriott at the Yacht Club, Radisson Red 

and Tsogo Sun. The Gorgeous George in downtown Cape Town has 

joined the Design Hotels stable. ■ 


Cape Nature: www.capenature.co.za 

Cape Town Tourism: www.capetown.travel 

National Department of Tourism: www.tourism.gov.za 

South African Tourism: www.southafrica.net 

Wesgro: www.wesgro.co.za 


OVERVIEW 

Banking 

Cape Town is a fintech hub. 

Inclusion, innovation and revolution, that’s the future of fintech 

in Africa if the title of a conference segment held in 2019 is to 

be believed. 

The fact that an IT conference and exhibition included a fintech 

component is significant. That it was held in Cape Town is also relevant. 

Fintech is increasingly important to financial institutions. Barclays’ app 

development organisation, Rise, has seven outlets around the world, 

including one in Woodstock in Cape Town. A French-funded fintech 

operation has been launched at Century City. 

The African Institute of Financial Markets and Risk Management 

(AIFMRM) aims is to meet the demands for skills by developing local 

talent. It is supported by the Western Cape Provincial Government, the 

University of Cape Town, Barclays Africa Group, FirstRand and Liberty. 

The finance and insurance sector contributes 10.9% to provincial 

GDP and is an area of the economy that shows consistent growth. 

The sector outperforms most other sectors according to the 

FNB Chart Book, and further growth is anticipated. New financial 

services companies are starting or relocating to the Cape. These 

range from asset managers to hedge funds, venture capitalists and 

insurers. The financial services sector employs more than 50 000 

people and the Western Cape hosts 17 companies which are listed 

on the stock exchange. 

The decision by the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) to open 

a JSE Exchange Hub in Cape Town confirms the city’s importance in 

the financial world. There are eight Cape Town-based companies in the 

Top 40 Index of the JSE: Capitec Bank, Mediclinic, Naspers, Woolworths, 

British American Tobacco, Remgro, Shoprite Holdings and Sanlam. 

The head offices of financial firms are dotted all over Cape Town. 

These include Old Mutual and Foord (Pinelands), Coronation (Newlands), 

Prudential (Claremont), Sygnia (Green Point), Sanlam (Bellville) and Allan 

Gray (Waterfront). PSG has its headquarters in Stellenbosch and is well 

represented in rural towns. Insurers such as Santam and Metropolitan 

Life are based in Bellville. 

According to Wesgro, 75% of the venture capital deals that happen 

in South Africa originate in the Western Cape. Most financial firms 


Banking Association South Africa: www.banking.org.za 

Financial Sector Conduct Authority: www.fsca.co.za 

Insurance Institute of South Africa: www.iisa.co.za 

South African Institute of Chartered Accountants: www.saica.co.za 


Japanese financial services 

company Nomura has 

started operations. 

based in Cape Town have a 

long history, some going back 

as far as 1845 when Old Mutual 

started. 

The green bond issued by 

the City of Cape Town is a sign 

of the “climate change” times. 

South Africa’s third-ever green 

bond attracted bids over R4- 

billion on an initial offering on 

projects worth R1-billion. The 

lead arranger for the bond was 

Rand Merchant Bank. 

A newcomer to the Cape 

financial services sector is 

Nomura, a Japanese financial 

holding company. The company 

intends expanding its services 

into Southern Africa. ■ 


70

Development finance 

and SMME support 

Sauce company finds the right funding recipe. 

OVERVIEW 

For small businesses to get bigger, they often need a little help. 

When Cape Town-based SMME Pesto Princess wanted to 

expand, it turned to the CDI Growth Fund. 

A grant made it possible to expand and create 10 new jobs 

making sauces, pastes and soups and the company (pictured) intends 

to carry on growing, aiming for a factory four times bigger than its 

current facility and upwards of 250 new jobs as they expand. 

The R12.8-million CDI Growth Fund is managed by CDI Capital, 

which was incorporated as a subsidiary of the Craft and Design 

Institute (CDI) in 2016 to arrange funding for SMMEs. The funding has 

been enabled through contributions by the National Treasury’s Jobs 

Fund, the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), and the Western Cape 

Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT). 

Two of the Western Cape’s universities, Stellenbosch and Cape 

Town, are the first collaborators with the University Technology Fund 

which aims to commercialise innovations and inventions coming 

out of tertiary institutions. Some universities already have their own 

commercialisation units, but the UTF will have considerable financial 

clout, as it is a part of the South African SME Fund, an offshoot of the 

CEO Initiative which brought together 50 major corporations, the 

Public Investment Corporation, the Unemployment Insurance Fund 

and the Compensation Commission. 


V&A Waterfront SMMEs 

achieved revenue of 

R329-million in 2018. 

Among the businesses 

receiving support from the SA 

SME Fund are Masisizane, which 

helps black entrepreneurs buy 

petrol stations, and Hyrax, a 

company which emerged from 

research done at the University 

of the Western Cape into which 

HIV-positive people were 

resistant to certain drugs. 

Another Cape institution 

supporting SMMEs is the V&A 

Waterfront where a study has 

shown that revenue earned by 

small enterprises in 2018 was 


R329-million, up from R78-million in 2007. Workshop 17 offers free WiFi 

and co-working space to tech startups and the venue has attracted 

110 firms. Another venue, the Watershed, showcases design and craft. 

More than 90% of stock sold out of the Watershed is made locally and 

some design companies, such as leather product makers Wolf and 

Maiden, have moved out and up into the more exclusive retail space 

elsewhere in the Waterfront. 

The Long Street Kiosks is an attempt by the Provincial Government 

of the Western Cape to support SMMEs in the centre of the city. 

Subsidised space alongside the government’s building in one of Cape 

Town’s busiest tourist routes was allocated for traders. Mpho Mopai, 

of Tees and Gees, took advantage of the site and the support to such 

good effect in selling his T-shirts that he was one of the winners at the 

Western Cape Entrepreneurship Awards. 

Silulo Ulutho Technologies, which runs IT stores and training 

centres in townships and rural communities, started out as a small 

internet café in Khayelitsha in 2004. The provincial government’s 

Enterprise Development Fund helped it grow to the point where it 

has created more than 200 jobs and trained thousands of people. The 

founder, Luvuyo Rani, was part of Team South Africa at Davos at the 

World Economic Forum. 

Using the supply chain is a good way to create new businesses 

and retailers like Pick n Pay, Woolworths and Shoprite invest heavily 

in such programmes. 

The Philippi Village Container Walk houses key-cutters, building 

material suppliers, hairdressers and clothes shops. With the backing of 

the IDC, the two-storey creations house retail shops on the bottom 

floor and offices on the top floor. Philippi Village is a joint venture 

between Business Activator and the Bertha Foundation, a global 

philanthropic foundation. 

Cape Gateway, the website of the Western Cape government, lists 

50 SMME support organisations in the province. These range from the 

provincial trade and investment promotion agency, Wesgro, to smaller 

community institutions and business initiatives. 

The National Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) has 

several programmes to assist SMMEs and co-operatives. These include: 

• The Black Business Supplier Development Programme, 

a cost-sharing grant to promote competitiveness 

• The Co-operative Incentive Scheme, a 100% grant. 


CDI Growth Fund: www.thecdi.org.za 

PERA: www.wcpremiersawards.co.za 

SA SME Fund: sasmefund.co.za 

Small Business Institute: www.smallbusinessinstitute.co.za 

Small Enterprise Development Agency: www.seda.co.za 

Small Enterprise Finance Agency: www.sefa.org.za 

The Small Enterprise 

Development Agency (Seda) 

is an agency of the DSBD and 

gives non-financial support 

to entrepreneurs through 

training, assistance with filling 

in forms, marketing and creating 

business plans. It helps small 

businesses draft applications for 

loan finance. 

Seda has established a Rapid 

Incubator in partnership with 

the Centre for Entrepreneurship 

(CFE) at False Bay TVET College, 

Westlake Campus. 

Intended to encourage TVET 

graduates to start their own businesses, 

the focus is on metal fabrication 

and furniture making. The 

Rapid Incubation Programme encourages 

innovative thinking and 

allows students, entrepreneurs 

and potential clients to interact. 

Learning how to commercialise 

products and services is a key 

element of the course. 

The National Gazelles is 

a national SMME accelerator 

jointly funded by Seda and the 

DSBD. The aim is to identify 

and support small businesses 

with growth potential across 

priority sectors aligned with 

the National Development 

Plan and Seda’s SMME strategy. 

Businesses can receive up to 

R1-million for training, 

productivity advice, business 

skills development and the 

purchase of equipment. 

The National Small Business 

Chamber (NSBC) has a base of 

over 125 000 SMEs and 50 big 

brands as partners. A memberbased 

organisation that offers 

benefits, the NSBC runs surveys 

and hosts expos, networking 

events and awards functions. ■ 


72

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74 

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23595/E BLACK RIVER F.C.

OVERVIEW 

Education and training 

Creating a skilled workforce is a national priority. 

UCT researchers’ work on epileptic seizures includes examining a mouse hippocampal brain slice prior to a 

patch-clamp electrophysiological recording. Image: Dr Joseph Raimondo/UCT. 

Skills training is a national priority and several institutions are 

supporting this goal in the Western Cape, including three 

academic universities, one comprehensive university, one 

university of technology and six Technical and Vocational 

Education and Training (TVET) colleges. Unisa, the country's biggest 

distance learning institution, has a campus in Cape Town and a service 

centre in George. 

The National Skills Authority (NSA) works with Sector Education 

and Training Authorities (SETAs) in carrying out the National Skills 

Development Strategy (NSDS). The Human Resource Development 

Council of South Africa (HRDCSA) is an over-arching body that gives 

guidance to the many institutions working on skills development and 

training. It is managed by the National Department of Higher Education 

and Training (DHET). The strategic goal of the DHET is to create “a capable 

and skilled workforce for inclusive growth”. 

TVET colleges have been asked to concentrate on 13 trade areas, 

including bricklayers, millwrights, boilermakers and riggers. R16.5-billion 

has been allocated by national government to skills development and 

infrastructure over the medium term. The Western Cape has further 

honed the priority sectors down to five and is keeping track of the young 

people who join its programmes. 

The Western Cape Provincial Government’s Apprenticeship Game 

Changer aimed to introduce 32 500 qualified apprentices into the labour 

market by 2019. R1-billion was allocated over a three-year time frame. 

A Centres of Specialisation Programme has been introduced by 


A R1-billion Biomedical 

Research Institute is under 

construction. 

the DHET to tackle priority 

skills. False Bay TVET College is 

a Centre of Specialisation with 

a focus on training riggers and 

mechanical fitters. With the 

oil and gas sector expected to 

grow rapidly in the near future, 

trained artisans can expect 

to find employment quickly. 

The College of Cape TVET is 

concentrating on plumbing and 

automotive motor mechanics. 

False Bay TVET College 

has campuses in Fish Hoek, 

Muizenberg, Mitchells Plain, 

Khayelitsha and Westlake. The 

College of Cape Town (CCT) has 

seven campuses from the city 

centre to Guguletu and Wynberg. 


76

OVERVIEW 

A new welding academy in 

Thornton was opened with 

support from the merSETA 

(Manufacturing, Engineering and 

Related Services SETA). Northlink 

College is in the northern suburbs 

of Cape Town. 

Outside of the Cape 

metropole, Boland College looks 

after Stellenbosch, Worcester, 

Paarl and Caledon, while the 

Southern Cape College covers 

a wide area, from George to 

Beaufort West. The West Coast 

College also has a big catchment 

area. Boland College participates 

in an Expanded Public Works 

Programme (EPWP) run by the 

South African Chefs’ Association. 

Airports Company SA (ACSA), 

the City of Cape Town and False 

Bay TVET College in Westlake 

have combined to offer residents 

of Blikkiesdorp a chance to learn 

skills in brick-laying, housebuilding, 

scaffolding and health 

and education. ACSA is investing 

R5-million in the 12-month 

certification project and the 

Construction Education and 

Training Authority (CETA) will 

channel funds to False Bay TVET 

College for training. 

SARETEC offers industry-specific 

training in a new 

economic sector. The South 

African Renewable Energy 

Technology Centre is managed 

by the Cape Peninsula University 

of Technology (Bellville 

campus) but it collaborates 

with several other institutions 

and private companies. 

Online learning is one of the 

world’s fastest-growing sectors 

and the investment of $3-million 

by Construct in a new Cape 

Town office is evidence that 

the trend has come to the Western Cape. The Construct Learning Lab 

supports universities in Boston, Doha and Oxford as well as companies 

and government bodies. The company expects to increase its staff 

complement by 150 over three years. 

Universities 

Two Western Cape research institutions have made large investments 

in research infrastructure. A new Biomedical Research Institute is 

being built by Stellenbosch University at a cost of R1-billion and the 

University of Cape Town plans to move its Neuroscience Institute, 

which it runs in partnership with Groote Schuur Hospital, into a new 

building. An innovation laboratory, clinical and training spaces and 

an innovation space where researchers can interact are part of the 

plans for the new facility. 

The 2018 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, 

ranked the University of Cape Town in the top 200 universities in the 

world and the top-ranked institution in Africa. The rankings are based on 

six indicators: academic peer review, faculty/student ratio, citations per 

faculty, employer reputation and international student ratio . 

These three institutions, plus the Cape Peninsula University of 

Technology, produce approximately 12 000 science, technology, 

engineering and mathematics graduates every year and host 11 000 

students from other African countries. 

The University of Cape Town has more than 21 500 students, 720 

permanent staff and 39 A-rated researchers (40% of South Africa’s total). 

Stellenbosch University is linked to Stellenbosch’s growing reputation as 

a technology hub. The University of the Western Cape is home to several 

national research bodies. 

University education is available in George through the Nelson 

Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU): Saasveld is home to the 

School of Natural Resource Management and the York Street Campus 

delivers courses in business and social science, accounting and 

business management. 

In his first State of the Province address, Premier Alan Winde gave 

notice that the Western Cape intends expanding the traditional focus 

on STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) to 

include other important fields where jobs can be created. Pilot projects 

are in place to expand STEM to STEAMAC, with the additional two As 

signifying the Arts and Agriculture and the C representing Coding and 

Cloud Computing. ■ 


Apprenticeship Game Changer: www.westerncape.gov.za 

Centres of Specialisation: www.dhet.gov.za 

SA Renewable Energy Technology Centre: www.saretec.org.za 

TVET colleges: www.tvetcolleges.co.za 


FOCUS 

False Bay TVET College 

A gateway to employment, entrepreneurship and higher education. 

About the college 

With 688 000 students enrolled in 2017, Technical and Vocational 

Education and Training (TVET) colleges are an important avenue to 

post-school education and vocational training and are crucial to job 

creation, economic growth and the future prosperity of the country. 

False Bay TVET College has five well-resourced campuses in 

the Cape Peninsula that collectively have an annual enrolment of 

around 11 000 students. While not the largest college, False Bay has 

consistently been recognised as one of the best TVET colleges in 

South Africa for over 15 years. 

Along with its services to our youth, communities and diverse 

industries, False Bay TVET College has strong ties and strategic 

partnerships with employers, government departments, the SETAs, 

representative industry bodies and both local and international 

educational institutions. These partnerships enable us to leverage 

resources and opportunities that give our students not only 

affordable access to quality training and jobs but to life skills, 

work experience and cultural enrichment. 

funding fee-free education for 

the majority of TVET students; 

the SETAs spending over 

R500-million on bursaries and 

placements at TVET colleges, 

universities and universities of 

technology; the Department 

of Higher Education and 

Training (DHET) funding 12 new 

campuses and colleges; and the 

DHET supporting 14 universities 

to develop programmes for 

improving TVET lecturers’ 

qualifications. 

Ten reasons for our success 

1. Ideal location: Five campuses located in the 

communities of Muizenberg, Mitchells Plain, 

Khayelitsha, Westlake and Fish Hoek are easily 

accessible, allowing students to commute from 

anywhere in the Peninsula. In response to 

demand, the College is set to double 

its enrolment and add two more 

specialised campuses: a 6.5-hectare 

mega-campus in Mitchells Plain 

that will serve as many as 10 000 

students and the Swartklip campus 

located at the former Denel munitions 

testing grounds, which will offer stateof-the-art 

artisan-related programmes to 

3 000 students a year. 

2. Benefits of investment: The TVET sector has recently 

attracted heavy government investment, which is 

rapidly improving the access to and quality of TVET 

qualifications. These investments include the NSFAS 


78

3. Efficient administration: The 

College’s growth is underpinned 

by strong leadership and an 

award-winning administration 

system that has been 

recognised by the Auditor- 

General of South Africa and the 

DHET. The College has twice 

received clean audit awards and 

has received a clean audit for 

the past five years. 

4. Relevant curriculum: The 

College offers vocational, 

occupational and skills training 

programmes with a special 

focus on artisan skills in the 

Electrical, Motor Mechanics, 

Welding and Fabrication, Fitting 

and Turning, Automotive Body 

Repair, Spray Painting, Masonry, 

Plumbing, Carpentry and 

Joinery trades. Courses are also 

offered in Business, Information 

and Communication 

Technology, Hospitality, 

Engineering, Tourism, Yacht and 

Boat Building, Safety in Society, 

2D Animation and Education 

Studies. All College programmes 

are examined and certified 

nationally and designed in 

collaboration with commerce 

and industry. 

5. Strong partnerships: 

Private and public employer 

organisations recognise that 

the only way to assist young 

people to gain work experience 

and increase their employability 

is through engaging with them 

and opening up workplace opportunities. False Bay TVET College 

understands and promotes the important role of employers in 

providing workplace experience, internship and employment 

opportunities to College students and graduates. All our partnerships 

are informed by this common understanding. 

6. Placement track record: The College excels at supporting its 

graduates during their transition to the world of work. Its Work- 

Integrated Learning (WIL) Department achieved a 92% placement 

rate in 2018, a feat few colleges could match in the current state 

False Bay TVET College is the Western Cape Center of Specialsation for 

Mechanical Fitting and Rigging. 

of the economy. The College employs five dedicated WIL officers 

who provide graduates with work placement support. This service 

helps to connect students to job opportunities and prepares them 

for the world of work via the work-readiness programme. The WIL 

programme not only benefits students, but participating companies 

are able to improve their company B-BBEE scorecards, access SETA 

benefits, release full-time staff for training and upskilling, and improve 

staff retention. The WIL programme was recognised by the ETDP SETA 

at the 2018 National Skills Conference and Development Awards 

with the prestigious Gold Award in the Most Outstanding Skills 

Development Stakeholder category. 


7. Forward thinking: False Bay TVET College is increasingly 

investing in new technology to take advantage of the digital 

age. As access to information improves with every advance in 

internet technology, our students benefit from new teaching 

methodologies, opportunities for distance learning and 

participation in international joint programmes. 

False Bay TVET College took the prestigious Gold award in the Most 

Outstanding Skills Development Stakeholder . 

The government has initiated the Centres of Specialisation 

Programme through the DHET to address the demand 

for qualifications in the priority trades needed for the 

implementation of the government’s growth strategy. False Bay 

TVET College was selected as the Centre of Specialisation and 

premier training institution for riggers as well as mechanical 

fitters in the Western Cape. 

In keeping with the global 

trend, the College recognises 

that many graduates are 

more likely to start their 

own businesses in future 

than remain as employees 

in established businesses. To 

facilitate the entrepreneurial 

development of students and 

graduates, the College hosts the 

Centre for Entrepreneurship/ 

Rapid Incubator (CFE/RI), a 

partnership with the DHET 

and the Department of Small 

Business Development. The 

CFE/RI provides a supportive 

environment, top-class 

machinery and physical space 

to student entrepreneurs to 

enable product development. 

Learning is supported by 

structured individual mentoring 

and the facilitation of linkages 

to new resources. 

8. Student support: 

The College offers comprehensive 

student support 

and development services 

at all its campuses, which 

Centre for Entrepreneurship / Rapid Incubator Programme Graduates. 


80

include career guidance, financial aid, 

personal counselling, academic support 

and job placement. 

9. Inclusive education: False Bay TVET 

College has an Inclusive Education 

Office which ensures that students 

with disabilities are able to access our 

learning facilities and support services 

at all our campuses. For students who 

experience difficulty accessing the 

College due to work commitments 

or distance, the College provides 

alternative modes of teaching and 

training, including part-time classes and 

distance learning options. 

10. Student life: Our relationships 

with the students begin even before 

they enrol. The first contact for many 

happens on our popular Open Days, 

where prospective students and parents 

receive all the course information and 

career guidance they need to make 

an informed choice. False Bay TVET 

College students are offered a rich 

campus life focused on healthy activity 

that encourages the development 

of beneficial co-curricular learning, 

including participation in inter-college sports and 

various clubs and societies. Students are served by 

an active Student Representative Council and there 

is regular engagement between management, the 

faculty and students across all courses and campuses. 

Our structured communication environment enables 

the College to identify and service students’ needs 

effectively, which often leads to innovations, such as 

the recently introduced mobile health and wellness 

campus clinic, the first such facility in South Africa. 

How to contact False Bay TVET College 

Please see our website at www.falsebaycollege.co.za 

for contact details of our campuses, course details and 

assistance with the application process. 

Linkages & Partnerships 

Tel: +27 21 787 0800 

Email: Jacqueline.Layman@falsebay.org.za 

Centre of Entrepreneurship & Rapid Incubator 

Tel: +27 21 201 1215 

Email: info@falsebayincubate.co.za 

Work-Integrated Learning Department 

Tel: +27 21 700 6400 

Email: jobplacement@falsebay.org.za 

www.falsebaycollege.co.za 


FOCUS 

College of Cape Town 

A Welding Academy has been launched in Thornton. 

The College of Cape Town for TVET has eight 

campuses that serve students mostly from 

the central metropolitan area of the City of 

Cape Town. 

All campuses, including the Central Office, are 

based in the Central Metropole region of Cape 

Town and are located within an approximately 

20km radius. 

The College has 13 802 enrolled students with 

just over 8 000 doing NATED Report 191 with the 

other largest enrolments being National Certificate 

Vocational (2 834) and Occupational Qualifications 

(2 301). More than 1 000 students are doing short 

skills programmes. 

Programmes vary in duration from three 

months to three years. Courses are delivered as 

Learnerships, Internships, Short Skills Courses 

and Apprenticeships. 

The mandate 

The College of Cape Town is a public Technical and 

Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College 

which falls under the auspices of the Department of 

Higher Education and Training. The College mandate 

is to provide inclusive quality Vocational Education 

and Training responsive to the labour market. The 

College of Cape Town endeavours to achieve the 

following national strategic priorities: 

• Growth and expansion of relevant and 

priority programme opportunities for the youth 

• Growth and expansion of artisan development 

opportunities 

• Improvement of academic quality and 

success, ie improving certification, throughput 

and retention rates of its ministerial and 

occupational programmes 

• Establishing relevant and viable partnerships 

and linkages with industry, Sector Education 

and Training Authorities (SETAs) and/or other 

professional bodies and/or institutions of 

higher education 

• Improving support system efficiency 

• Sound institutional governance, management 

and leadership 

• Inculcating a culture of monitoring and 

evaluation of College performance 

• Improving information management and data 

reporting systems and processes. 

Diverse programmes 

Offerings include ministerial programmes, 

occupational programmes and short courses. 

City Campus: Art and Design, Business Studies, 

Hospitality, and Travel and Tourism 

Wynberg Campus: Beauty Therapy and Haircare 

Thornton Campus: Building and Civil Engineering, 

Mechanical Engineering and Occupational 

Gugulethu Campus: 

Business Studies and Electrical Engineering 

Crawford Campus: Education and Training, and 

Information and Communication Technology 


82

FOCUS 

Pinelands Campus: Electrical Engineering 

Athlone Campus: Mechanical Engineering 

Centres of Specialisation: Motor Mechanics 

and Plumbing 

Niche areas: 

• Early Childhood Development 

• Information and Communication Technologies 

• Electrical Engineering. 

Goals 

The College’s key strategic goals for 2020 are to 

maintain ministerial programme enrolment and 

to grow the occupational programme and short 

skills programmes. The College is committed 

to broadening entrepreneurship awareness 

and capabilities. Growth areas will be in Early 

Childhood Development, Electrical Engineering 

and Information and Communication Technology. 

More SETA Learnerships and Skills Programmes 

are planned, as well as QCTO programmes and 

Apprencticeship programmes. 

The College’s six strategic goals are: 

• Grow academic excellence 

• Expand student support 

• Develop leadership, governance and 

organisational performance 

• Develop an enabling environment 

• Drive transformation and build partnerships. 

Entrepreneurship 

Entrepreneurial courses and incubator programmes 

are available. These are the steps students should 

take to become an entrepreneur: 

• Know the industry or niche 

• Research the market 

• Educate yourself to become an entrepreneur 

• Build the business slowly. 

Scarce skills 

The Sector Education and Training Authorities for 

each sector generate the Critical and Scarce Skills list 

nationally. In the Western Cape, note is also taken of 

local labour force realities in terms of demand and 

supply of skills. A TVET College must keep abreast 

of the labour market needs via partnerships and 

involvement with agencies and the Chambers 

of Commerce. Some of the top scarce skills and 

professions in South Africa include Software 

Development, Network and Information Security, 

Web Development, Management Skills, Financial 

Skills, Engineering, Education and Training 

Professionals and Artisans. The College of Cape 

Town for TVET is responding to most of them by 

offering relevant programmes. 

The Crawford Campus has a well-established 

Early Childhood Development Faculty offering the 

best training and courses. Thornton Campus has 

a newly built state-of-the-art Welding Academy, 

equipped with the latest equipement and 

technology, and is positioned to offer international 

welding qualifications. 

Partnerships 

The College has a special relationship with the the 

Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Service 

SETA (merSETA), which recently funded the Welding 

Training Centre. 

The College has many partnerships in place with 

the private sector, particularly for Workplace Based 

Learning or exposure. Most of these partnerships 

have been formualised through MoUs lodged with 

the Linkages and Programmes Unit (LPU) in support 

Occupational Programme development and 

delivery. A campaign has been launched to grow 

the partnership base in the following areas: student 

placements (internships and work-based exposure), 

apprenticeships, skills training, course design and 

workplace mentorship. 

The College has good relations with industry 

associations. Several projects have been run with 

youth development agencies such as the Youth 

Empowerment Service (YES). The College works 

closely with various government agencies both 

nationally and regionally. These include the City of 

Cape Town, the Premier’s Office and the Western 

Cape Department of Economic Development and 

Tourism, the Western Cape Education Department 

and the Department of Labour. ■ 


Address: 334 Albert Road, Salt River, 

Cape Town 7945 

Tel: +27 21 404 6700 • Fax: +27 21 404 6701 

Website: www.cct.edu.za 


OVERVIEW 

Business Process Outsourcing 

A war room is removing red tape in BPO. 


Education is a fast-growing 

sector within BPO. 

A 

war room to unblock red tape in important job-creating 

sectors such as business process outsourcing (BPO) has 

been set up by the Western Cape Provincial Government 

with financial support from Harvard University. 

The job statistics published by Business Process enabling South 

Africa (BPeSA) published for the second quarter 2019 show 5 391 new 

jobs created (mostly in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal) with 

younger people getting most of the jobs and 97% of the jobs going 

to people of colour and 66% to women. The strongest sectors were 

telecommunications, education, retail and insurance. 

BPO employs more than 50 000 people in the province, against 

about 228 000 in South Africa as a whole. This is according to the 

Key Indicator Report of BPeSA, the national organisation with 

representation in the nation’s three biggest cities. 

Sixty-three percent of the offshore market is in the Western Cape 

where the provincial government has identified BPO as one of the six 

key sectors that can create jobs quickly. The City of Cape Town, the 

provincial Department of Economic Development, Agriculture and 

Tourism (DEDAT) and IT service management company EOH jointly 

sponsor the training and 12-month learnerships of 175 unemployed 

work-seekers in BPO. The municipality also trains 20 potential team 

leaders to build management skills within the sector. 

BPO involves any internal businesses that a company chooses 

to outsource to a specialist in that field, for example accounting or 

customer service centres. UK shop Asda and online retailer Amazon 

have large customer service centres in Cape Town. Other big brands 


Business Process enabling South Africa (BPeSA): www.bpesa.org.za 

Contact Centre Management Group: www.ccmg.org.za 

National Department of Trade, Industry and Competition: 

www.dti.gov.za 

include British Gas, IBM, KLM, 

Lufthansa, Mastercard and 

Microsoft. 

The fact that greater 

Cape Town is home to three 

universities, a university of 

technology and two technical 

colleges is a major advantage 

in attracting companies with 

sophisticated operations. Other 

factors in favour of Cape Town 

are the relatively neutral accents, 

good infrastructure (financial 

and telecommunications) and 

the time zone being the same or 

close to Europe’s. 

The Department of Trade, 

Industry and Competition 

(dtic) offers incentives to BPO 

investors. A base incentive is 

calculated on projected offshore 

jobs to be created and is 

awarded on actual offshore jobs 

created. The incentive has a twotier 

structure for non-complex 

and complex jobs and is paid 

over a five-year period. 

A new Global Business 

Services (GBS) Incentive was 

launched in London in 2018 

to replace a scheme initiated 

in 2014. According to the dtic, 

the earlier scheme resulted in 

an additional 20 000 direct jobs 

in the sector with an average 

growth rate of 22% per annum 

in the period 2014-2018. ■ 


84

Department of Social Development 

MEC: Ms Sharna Fernandez 

Union House, 14 Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town 8001 

Tel: 

Western 

+27 21 483 5045 | Fax: +27 21 483 4783 

Web: www.westerncape.gov.za/dept/ 

social-development Provincial Government 

8th Floor, 9 Dorp Street, Cape Town 8000 

Office of the Premier 

Premier: Mr Alan Winde 

Provincial Legislature Building, 

1st Floor, 7 Wale Street, Cape Town 8000 

Tel: 0860 142 142 

Email: service@westerncape.gov.za 

A guide to the metropolitan, district and local municipalities Department of in Health the Western Cape. 

Department of Agriculture 

MEC: Dr Nomafrench Mbombo 

MEC: Dr Ivan Meyer 

21st Floor, 4 Dorp Street, Cape Town 8000 

CITY Admin OF Building, CAPE Muldersvlei TOWN Road, 

Witzenberg Tel: +27 21 483 Local 3245/5417 Municipality 

METROPOLITAN Elsenburg 7607 MUNICIPALITY 

Tel: +27 23 316 1854 | Fax: +27 23 316 1877 

Department of Human Settlements 

Address: Tel: +27 Civic 21 808 Centre, 5111 Podium Block, 6th Floor, 12 Hertzog Website: www.witzenberg.gov.za 

MEC: Mr Tertius Simmers 

Boulevard, Cape Town 8000 

Tel: Department +27 21 400 1111 of Community | +27 21 400 1313 Safety 

CENTRAL 27 Wale Street, KAROO Cape DISTRICT Town 8001 MUNICIPALITY 

Fax: MEC: 0860 Mr Albert 103 Fritz 090 

Address: 

Tel: +27 21 

63 

483 

Donkin 

6488 

Street, Beaufort West 6970 

Website: 35 Wale Street, www.capetown.gov.za 


Tel: 

Department 

+27 23 449 1000 

of Local 

| Fax: 

Government 

+27 23 415 1253 

Tel: +27 21 483 6949/8588 

Website: www.skdm.co.za 

CAPE WINELANDS DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY 

MEC: Mr Anton Bredell 

Address: Department 46 Alexander of Cultural Street, Affairs Stellenbosch and Sport 7599 Beaufort 8th Floor, Waldorf West Local Building, Municipality 

80 St George’s Mall, 


Tel: MEC: 086 Ms Anroux 126 5263 Marais | Fax: +27 21 888 5100 

Tel: +27 23 414 8149 | Fax: +27 23 414 8105 

Tel: +27 21 483 4049/4997 

Website: Protea House www.capewinelands.gov.za 

Building, 7th Floor, 

Website: www.beaufortwestmun.co.za 

Greenmarket Square, Cape Town 8000 

Department of Social Development 

Breede 

Tel: +27 21 

Valley 

483 9503 

Local Municipality 

Laingsburg Local Municipality 

MEC: Ms Sharna Fernandez 

Tel: +27 23 348 2600 | Fax: +27 21 883 8871 

Tel: +27 23 551 1019 | Fax: +27 23 551 1019 

Union House, 14 Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town 8001 

Website: Department www.bvm.gov.za 

of Economic Development Website: www.laingsburg.gov.za 

Tel: +27 21 483 5045 

and Tourism 

Drakenstein Local Municipality 

Prince 

MEC: MrDavid Maynier 

Department 

Albert 

of 

Local 

Transport 

Municipality 

and Public Works 

Tel: +27 21 807 4500 | Fax: +27 21 872 8054 

Tel: 

11th Floor, NBS Waldorf Building, 

MEC: +27 Mr Bonginkosi 23 541 1320 Madikazela | Fax: +27 23 541 1321 

Website: 

80 St George’s 

www.drakenstein.gov.za 

Mall, Cape Town 8001 

Website: www.pamun.com 


Tel: +27 21 483 5065 

Langeberg Local Municipality 

GARDEN 

Tel: +27 21 

ROUTE 

483 4813 

DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY 

Tel: 

Western 

+27 23 

Cape 

615 8000 

Education 

| Fax: +27 

Department 

23 615 1563 

Website: www.langeberg.gov.za 

MEC: Ms Debbie Schäfer 

Stellenbosch Grand Central Towers, Local Lower Municipality Parliament Street, 


Tel: +27 21 808 8111 | Fax: +27 21 808 8003 

Tel: +27 21 467 2000 

Website: www.stellenbosch.gov.za 

Tel: +27 21 483 4813 

Fax: +27 21 483 5068 

Web: www.westerncape.gov.za/dept/tpw 

Provincial Treasury 

MEC: Mr David Maynier 

Department of Environmental Affairs 

and Development Planning 

MEC: Mr Anton Bredell 


Tel: +27 21 483 4091 

Address: Provincial 54 York Treasury Street, George 6530 

Tel: MEC: +27 Mr David 44 803 Maynier 1300 

Fax: 3rd 086 Floor, 555 7 Wale 6303 Street, Cape Town 8000 

Website: Tel: +27 21 www.gardenroute.co.za 

483 4237 

LISTINGS 

3rd Floor, 7 Wale Street, Cape Town 8000 

Department An overview of of Transport the Western and Cape’s Public Works provincial government departments. 

Tel: +27 21 483 4237 | Fax: +27 21 483 3855 

MEC: www.westerncape.gov.za 

Mr Bonginkosi Madikazela 

Web: www.westerncape.gov.za/dept/treasury 

Western Cape Local Government 

115 

85 WESTERN 

WESTERN 

CAPE 

CAPE 

BUSINESS 

BUSINESS 

2020 

2019

INTERVIEW 

Cape Winelands 

District Municipality 

Executive Mayor Dr Helena von Schlicht wants 

to see economic development linked to the 

creation of healthy and resilient communities. 

Executive Mayor Alderman 

Dr Helena von Schlicht 

Biography 

Dr Helena von Schlicht honed 

her skills during a 24-year career 

in higher education. After earning 

her doctorate, she worked 

as Head of Department, Social 

Work, at the Huguenot College 

in Wellington. In this capacity, 

she was involved in the writing 

and implementation of policies. 

She transferred to the political 

arena in 2009 and became a 

member of the Mayoral Committee 

in 2011. She has been 

Executive Mayor since the election 

of September 2016. 

How is a District Municipality different to other municipalities? 

The CWDM is one of five district municipalities in the Western 

Cape. The focus is to identify and grow opportunities for social and 

economic development. 

We are a highly functional municipality, a fact proven by five 

consecutive clean audits received, the successes achieved by the 

Fire Services, Municipal Health Services and the recently signed 

partnership with Santam to address risk reduction in communities. 

The CWDM, together with our partners in tourism, recently 

celebrated being named one of the Top 10 Value-for-Money 

destinations in the world by Lonely Planet. 

Add to this the vast open spaces, hospitable people, fauna 

and flora, agricultural sector, wine industry, fine cuisine and 

opportunities for grand adventure. This all echoes what Cape 

Winelands tourism stakeholders believe: “A thousand things to do 

and then some wine...” 

How do you promote local economic and social development? 

The planning and funding of projects is determined by our 

Integrated Development Plan. We will not develop economically 

if we do not have an efficient, healthy and resilient community. 

Programmes supported include Early Childhood Development, 

sports development and seed funding for young entrepreneurs. 

Courses are offered for disabled persons in customer care. 

The Department of Municipal Health Services checks that our 

restaurants and other food production spaces are compliant which 

enables visitors and tourists to consume hygienically prepared 

meals, which helps to grow our economy. 

How do you understand “social health”? 

Economic development depends on the social health of our citizens, 

and we must address both issues at the same time. We want to 

empower people and enable them to enter the economy, create 

jobs, support their families and contribute to the overall prosperity 

of society. When someone has a strong and healthy sense of social 

cohesion, it’s easier for them to participate in the economy. 


86

INTERVIEW 

and property are protected 

from fires. Approximately 

1 500 field fires are extinguished 

per fire season, and 

by means of the Disaster Management 

Division, the municipality 

ensures that care is taken 

of people who are displaced by 

disasters. 

Tell us about the Annual Mayoral Tourism Awards. 

We recognise the value of a robust tourism industry and its role 

in economic and skills development. Finalists and winners in this 

year’s competition included Fynbos Farm outside Tulbagh, who 

entered in the Sustainable Development Category. They offer 

camping and self-catering chalets. The runner-up in this category 

was the off-the-grid African Game Lodge, 30km from Montagu. 

The winners in the Service Excellence Category were as follows: 

• The Light House Boutique Hotel (Luxury hotels) 

• Big Sky Cottages in Wolseley (Self-catering) 

• Avalon Springs in Montagu (Family Accommodation) 

• Montagu/Ashton Local Tourism Association (LTA). 

In the Entrepreneurship category, Flying Feet of Montagu 

(walking and bicycle tours) was runner-up and the winner was Tuk 

Tuk Franschhoek, who offer tours, pick-ups and drop-offs at wine 

cellars as well as special events. 

The two top Wine Destinations were Val du Charon (pictured) 

in Wellington for their wonderful ambience and wide choice of 

activities, followed by Bluvines in Montagu, who offer the visitor 

a New York experience with a local feel and staff who often, quite 

spontaneously, perform song and dance to the delight of all. 

Tell us about the new app. 

Visitors can download a complete guide to the Cape Winelands in 

the form of a free application for their Android or Apple mobile. The 

app was launched in September 2019 after an extensive research 

and development phase. 

How important are functions such as firefighting, environmental 

health and the roads agency? 

The Technical Services Division is responsible for the maintenance 

of approximately 3 700km of rural and gravel roads, while: Fire 

Services, in partnership with Cape Nature and the Fire Protection 

Association, ensures that fauna, flora, human and animal life 

What makes the CWDM 

so special? 

The Cape Winelands are not 

only known for the best noble 

wines in the country but also 

have the following strengths 

and benefits that enable 

growth and expansion of the 

district’s economy: 

• The district benefits from 

a developed road and rail 

network that provides local 

businesses with easy access. 

• Easy access to Cape Town 

International Airport and 

the Port of Cape Town. 

• A diverse choice of urban 

and rural sites. 

• Educational institutions 

and centres for research 

excellence such as the 

University of Stellenbosch 

and the Agricultural 

Research Council. 

• Nationally and 

internationally renowned 

special educational 

institutions. 

• The quality of life. The Cape 

Winelands is one of 

the most-visited regions 

for the domestic and 

international tourist. 

There is something for 

everyone here in the beautiful 

Cape Winelands. There are 

a thousand things to do... and 

then some wine! ■ 


Index 

Africa Biomass Company (ABC) 9, 56 

BCX IFC, 73 

Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agency (BGCMA) 37 

Cape Chamber of Commerce & Industry 6, 28 

Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM) 2, 86 

College of Cape Town 11, 82 

False Bay TVET College 78 - 81 

Greater Tygerberg Partnership 32 

Maritz Electrical 64 - 67 

Metropolitan 4, 74 

Nedbank 38 - 43 

Petroleum Agency South Africa 

SA Airlink 

OBC 

IBC 

Vinpro 49 

Wesgro 26 

Western Cape Business Opportunities Forum (WECBOF) 30 

Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism 20 - 25 


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