Business Leaders Grow Cautious as Risk Aversion Rises and Proactive Thinking Declines
Pictured from left to right are Kelvin Naidoo (Chamber President and Manufacturing & Technical Executive at Auto-X), Siya Mthembu (Chamber Treasurer and MD at BDO SA), Richard Walker (Head of Risk Advisory Services – BDO SA) and Denise van Huyssteen (Chamber Chief Executive Officer Richard Walker, Head of Risk Advisory Services at BDO South Africa, […]
‘Crony capture’ of government skills development programmes undermining fragile efforts to promote broad-based economic growth
‘Crony capture’ of government skills development programmes is undermining fragile efforts to promote broad-based economic growth. Mismanagement of this crucial resource has already caused a skills deficit as damaging to the economy as load shedding. Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), responsible for crucial vocational training, are a vital component of the country’s growth strategy. […]
Greater urgency is required to mitigate the negative impacts of US trade tariffs
Greater urgency is required to mitigate the negative impacts of US trade tariffs, and to identify possible opportunities arising from them. That’s the message from Western Cape Premier Alan Winde who spoke this week at a Cape Chamber business function in Cape Town. His address coincided with news of a 100% tariff on films made […]
Premier delivers optimistic and balanced view of the Western Cape’s current challenges
Premier Alan Winde delivered an optimistic and balanced view of the Western Cape’s current challenges, which include persistent high levels of crime and climate change impacts. In our view the Premier’s opening address correctly emphasised the need for greater collaboration between the provinces and national government in delivering public services. In particular we welcome the […]
Multi-stakeholder approach to rescuing the South African economy and creating jobs
In his opening of parliament address Presidential Cyril Ramaphosa rightly highlighted the need for a multi-stakeholder approach to rescuing the South African economy and creating jobs. What he now needs is to back up his vision of results-driven public-private partnerships with the required urgency to get the job done. The Cape Chamber shares many of […]
SA’s current business visa requirements are driving away potential investors
South Africa’s current business visa requirements are driving away potential investors at a time when government claims it is doing the opposite – attracting foreign direct investment. There is nothing attractive about the current requirement that business visa applicants receive a positive recommendation from the Department of Trade and Industry. On the contrary, immigration experts […]
South Africa’s Visa Crisis: Implementation of the Immigration Advisory Board
Why is the Minister of Home Affairs refusing to appoint the Immigration Advisory Board (IAB)?Despite an ongoing visa administrative crisis injuring an already crippled economy, the man tasked with resolving the mess apparently sees no need to implement the law and set up the Immigration Advisory Board – a body that would immediately help resolve […]
Cape Chamber welcomes Western Cape inter-governmental dispute amidst investor uncertainty
The private sector is facing a new epidemic of uncertainty prompted by Government fiscal mismanagement. Unprecedented in-year budget cuts announced by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana look set to further erode local government service delivery in a country already buffeted by the impacts of load shedding and logistics challenges. For the business community, as much as […]
Chambers of Commerce achieve international accreditation
Two South African Chambers of Commerce, namely the Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry, have been granted Certificate of Origin issuing accreditation through the International Chamber of Commerce World Chamber Federation Certificate of Origin Chain. The Johannesburg and Cape Town Chambers of Commerce are founding […]
GEAP is moving 150 SA entrepreneurs forward to global markets
The Global Export Accelerator Partnership (GEAP) is proud to host an upcoming networking event on the 14th of June in Cape Town, showcasing 150+ successful, export-oriented South African Black-owned businesses to an international audience. In 2022, four dynamic South African Chambers of Commerce (Cape Town, Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela Bay, and Pietermaritzburg) and the South African […]