Western Cape Business 2017 edition

FOCUS More than the

FOCUS More than the voice of business The Cape Chamber is “where opportunity meets”. Although we have never been as technologically connected as we are today, the harsh reality is that we have never been as disconnected socially as we are now, in spite of the prevalence and growth of social media. The Cape Chamber offers access to an established network where legitimate businesses can meet, engage and grow. It is a dynamic and safe space for lowering risk, being heard and finding opportunity. We have been challenged with a macro economy that is showing no sign of creating a buoyant platform for profitable business. However, no matter what the prevailing climate is for business, there will always be opportunity for those who seek it out and rise to the challenge. If we used the rest of the country as a comparison, the Western Cape’s economic performance is above the average. In addition, this is a great place to live, work and play with Cape Town being a clean, orderly and beautiful city that attracts innovative and dynamic individuals who in turn infuse creativity and growth into the region. There are many spin-offs to this, such as our substantially lower unemployment rate (when compared to the average for South Africa). We also attract considerable foreign direct investment, for example more than R200- million invested by Kimberly Clarke, R260-million by Hisense and nearly R1-billion by Amazon in BPO and tech projects. Although the Cape Chamber, which is the oldest membership-based organisation in Africa, will turn 213 years in 2017, it is not business as usual. We have, as an organisation, embraced innovation to the extent that it is in our very DNA. The result is a substantial member base who advocate strongly for what the Chamber does and stands for. We are considered the voice of business in the region. Our ability to lobby is underpinned by our status of being fiercely independent. We are not affiliated to any political party, and we are not beholden to any single organisation. We monitor proposed legislation that could impact business in the region, and where necessary, submit evidence to the relevant Parliamentary Standing Committee or other authorities in the interests of our members. We stand up and say what needs to be said – we are heard and people in authority often heed what we say. The Chamber is intimately connected with specialised sectors in the economy through our Portfolio Committees that focus on agribusiness, digital, economic development, HR, industrial focus, international trade Cape Chamber President Janine Myburgh Cape Chamber Executive Director Sid Peimer and tourism, small business development and transport. We have a Youth Chamber that focuses on the 13-to 25 year old scholars, students and entrepreneurs, so as to give them the leverage to become successful. In addition, we host the Port Liaison Forum, a committee comprising users of the Port of Cape Town, including shipping lines, freight and forwarding agents, cargo owners and port officials. This facilitates a port that WESTERN CAPE BUSINESS 2017 24

FOCUS is run smoothly and effectively. We also have various chapters across the peninsula, each with its own committee that focus on adding value to the members in their respective areas. We play a significant role in keeping our members informed of the latest issues affecting business and industry, both large and small. To that end we host a substantial number of seminars and workshops to facilitate information-sharing and training for our members. We have had many stimulating and informative speakers address members at the Chamber. These have included: Professor Jonathan Jansen who was, until recently, Vice Chancellor of the University of the Free State; Dr Annthea Jeffrey of the Institute of Race Relations; Anette Steyn, the Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; Dr Ivan Meyer, the Western Cape Minister of Finance; Ms Lumka Yengeni, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Labour Portfolio Committee; Richard Walker, Regional Manager Metrorail; Dr Mamphela Ramphela, activist and one-time MD of the World Bank; Mr Tshediso Matona, Secretary of Planning and Acting Director General of the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, and many more. The Chamber is well respected and we can attract high-profile speakers to debate issues and answer questions from our members. Recent events that have drawn much attention are our “Rumble in the Urban Jungle” series of debates. We had two in 2016 – the first featured the leader of the EFF Julius Malema versus the futurist Clem Sunter, and our second “rumble” pitted Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan against controversial journalist and author Justice Malala. These events received extensive coverage and were featured in all major media in addition to being livestreamed to an international audience. But more importantly, they provided information enabling listeners to make better decisions as business people and citizens. In addition to the numerous meetings and presentations, the Chamber hosts a number of landmark events. Our Small Business Expo attracts thousands and is growing at a phenomenal rate. We also introduced the Cape Business Summit in 2016, with Google as one of the keynote speakers. The Chamber also owns the Design for Living expo, which in its heyday attracted 100 000 attendees, but was halted a number of years ago. We are currently in the process of repositioning the expo as Design for Future Living, which will attract exhibitors and attendees who are interested in everything that affects our modern lifestyle. Our Exporter of the Year competition celebrated its 26th year in 2016. This competition brings together the Western Cape’s leading exporters and provides an insight into the work and achievements of many companies that are not necessarily well known to the public. The annual gala awards dinner has become one of the highlights of the year and an outstanding opportunity for networking. We also serve on the Board and run the SA Chapter of the International Women’s Entrepreneurial Challenge, a global competition that brings some of the foremost women in business together, publicises their considerable achievements and allows them to network with their peers at an international level. In addition to all these events, we host both formal and informal networking functions, allowing our members to leverage relationships that they have built up through the Chamber. We offer business advice covering a range of subjects from legislation to HR to tendering. There is also an International Trade Desk, which is the first point of contact for trade missions and visiting delegations who come to the Chamber to interact with our members. The Chamber is authorised to issue certificates of origin for exporters. The Cape Chamber of Commerce & Industry is a respected and admired brand that has managed to remain relevant in a rapidly changing world. It’s “where opportunity meets”. CONTACT INFO Physical address: 4th Floor, 33 Martin Hammerschlag Way, Foreshore, Cape Town 8001 Postal address: PO Box 204, Cape Town 8000 Tel: +27 21 402 4300 | Fax: +27 21 402 4302 Email: info@capechamber.co.za Website: capechamber.co.za 25 WESTERN CAPE BUSINESS 2017