Category: 10 07 Newsletter

As the time for the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement has come, the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry wishes to take this opportunity to urge the Minister of Finance to issue a Policy statement that will restore confidence to the business environment and the market. In particular, it is essential that the Minister deal decisively and openly with the following issues which are causing uncertainty:

 

• The government’s plans in the area of fiscal discipline, given the constraints caused by the imbalance in the declining revenue base vis a vi the expenditure in the areas of social development and capital investment.
• The government’s plans on the funding gap and how it intends to manage the deficit.
• The matter of the rating agencies down-grades and what is being done to restore faith in South Africa as an attractive investment destination.
• The progress made with the capital investment programmes in infrastructure and mainly what is being done with cost and budget overruns.
• The capital injections and bail-outs required for some of the SOE’s. How and from what source will the funding come?
• The progress with implementing the National Development plan with specific projects, timelines, and economic impact.

 

That is the question attracting more focus every day. What will be our next big thing for Middelburg?

The future of the mines and the future of agriculture, what initiatives are there for our mines to rehabilitate our land?

Small business and the sustainability, how can we make the economy better and sustainable;  we need to globalize our thinking.

How can we attract people and businesses to Middelburg, let them spend money here?

We need to identify opportunities for the current population growth; we need to adapt.

Opportunities:

• Hospital
• Hotel and conference venues
• Education
• Housing
• Environment

Middelburg Chamber’s doors are open to all contact us at 013 243 2253.

The Middelburg Chamber’s business lobby group was initiated by the Middelburg Chamber’s executive committee members in May 2017.  We would like to report back to our members on the recent activities.

The objective of the team is to get corporate companies & local mines to make use of local businesses and to address the challenges that small businesses face when looking for opportunities in the corporate environment.  We would also like to assist companies in sourcing reliable local suppliers.

The lobby group introduced itself to the members of the Chamber in June 2017, and they have been working very hard to ensure that the promises they made to fellow members materialize. The members met with the mining companies, power stations managers and other corporate companies in early August to present their proposals and to get them to use the local procurement database.

Our latest meeting was with Arnot Power Station, and its big five contractors on the 19^th October and businesses are encouraged to register on the procurement database as well as the central supplier database. Vendor application forms for Enza construction which will be building the provincial hospital are also available at the Chamber.

The procurement database has over 1200 local businesses with more than 900 being black-owned suppliers. The database serves as a marketing platform for small businesses that are not yet known in their respective industries.

Businesses can register for free on the Middelburg Chamber of Commerce’s website www.middelburginfo.com or email procurement1@middelburginfo.com to make a manual application.

 

The Middelburg Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) is preparing to publish the 5^th edition of the mining database.  MCCI updates the mine map, contact details with GPS coordinates, annually to facilitate smooth business interaction between the estimated 276 mines in the area and the general business sectors.

The mining industry has been a critical driving force behind the Middelburg economy and remains at the heart of economic growth and the creation of unskilled job opportunities in our area.  With the sharp rise in the world’s demand for minerals, driven mainly by India and China, the rate of expansion in mining activities over the past 10 to 15 years has been phenomenal.

The abundant coal reserves in the Highveld Region of Mpumalanga attracted many investors to the area.  Together with South Africa’s major coal-fired power stations – three of which are the biggest in the southern hemisphere in the region.  Compiling lists of up to date contacts and other reliable information can become time-consuming for businesses eager to access the opportunities.

Current data available indicate that there are two hundred and seventy-six mines and mining sites in a two hundred kilometer radios.  Roughly twenty mines have closed down since our last update in 2016.  MCCI is verifying the information in preparation for the Mine Maps that we will print at the end of November 2017.  Members interested in the information should contact Anthony Liebowitz at 0132432253 or marketing@middelburginfo.com

A visitor experience and accommodation audit is a simple, cost-effective and surprisingly wide-ranging start for emerging and growing tourism destinations.  Accessible accommodation and attraction information create cohesion in the tourism industry.

The Middelburg Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) has started with our second audit of the accommodation facilities and attractions in the municipal area.  As part of our Information Centre Service, that we offer together with the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality (STLM), we are conducting an audit of all the tourism accommodation facilities in STLM.  The audit focus on number of beds and the various attractions and amenities available.

MCCI sees it as an essential strategic step to strengthen the Tourism Industry.  In our experience, a lack of reliable and detailed information prevents visitors from making informed decisions about the suitability of facilities in an area. We aim to identify potential barriers encountered on route to the chosen destination.  This might include information about arterial road connections and the conditions of the road infrastructure.

In the end, we would like to offer information to visitors on what they can expect during their stay in our area.  Please welcome Lizzie van Aarde when she is visiting your facility.  If you need more information, contact the office at 013 243 2253 or email us at info@middelburginfo.com.

 

On Friday the 27^th October 2017, Steve Tshwete Local Municipality (STLM) invited the community of Steve Tshwete to a Creative and Entertainment Industry Dialogue session. This event intended to engage with the town of Middelburg and find out what can be done to improve the Tourism, creative and Entertainment Industry. About 50 community members attended the session.

The attendees were invited to present their ideas propose changes in the area and how it should be implemented.  It was unanimously agreed that the halls and community centers were not utilized fully for arts and culture programs and sporting events.  We have tones of space and areas that can be used for activities, areas such as HEDC Centre, Mascot, Little Elephant, Parks Extension 7, Eric Jiyane Hall and old Police Station.

Mike Nkosi from STLM said that they would compile a report to form the basis for future decisions.   He also said that an interim committee (task team) was then elected to help with product audit and help identify areas of opportunities.

A lodge in Limpopo contacted the Middelburg Info Centre to ask for our assistance in supplying them with twenty-one Traditional Zulu Women Hats, to use as decorations. The quantity, quality and delivery time was significant for the business, and we met their requirements.

The Curio Shop offers curios, souvenirs, and gifts that promote Middelburg and the Surrounding areas. There is a story behind each product and the person who crafted it, and this story is just as remarkable as the standard of our products.

 

We stock a variety of products such as toys, beadwork, woodwork and more. These make the perfect gift for friends and family or the ideal souvenir to remember your time in Middelburg. The Middelburg Information Centre’s curio shop is located at 292 Walter Sisulu Street.

Nedbank Limited hosted the monthly networking event on 19 October 2017 at the Middelburg Chamber Auditorium.  Nedbank Limited’s  Isaac Matshego spoke about the economic growth in South Africa and gave the Middelburg businesses an insight into the local economy as well.  The breakfast event had over 70 members from various companies that used the opportunity to network.

The next networking event will be held at the Middelburg Chamber on 23 November 2017 and it will be a Speed Networking event.  For more information or to host a Buzz send an email to: Marketing@middelburginfo.com.

Featured in the photo: From Left – Economist: Isaac Matshego, Second from Right: Gert Adams Branch Manager and Adil Nathoo Business Manager