Category: 2021 Newsletter August

The Middelburg Amazing Race is back!

The Middelburg Amazing Race is back! 

How well do you and your friends and colleagues know the town you live in? It’s time to put on your thinking cap to solve the clues and complete a few physical and mental challenges on Saturday, 16 October 2021!

There are great prizes to be won! The winning team will walk away R10 000, and a number of local charities will also benefit! All you need to do is complete the entry form and pay the entry fee of R2300/group before the closing date of 30 September. Teams of four will travel between the different clues in their own vehicle.

The competition is open to both corporate and private groups. The number of participants is limited, so do not delay! Entry forms are available from the Middelburg Information Centre office, 292 Walter Sisulu Street or by emailing marketing@middelburginfo.com.

Businesses who would still like to sponsor or be part of the route can contact Elsabe on 0849832819 or email for more details.

 

Industrialisation in Middelburg?

Industrialisation in Middelburg?

Much has been said about the government’s “Just Transition” strategy.  It has been talked about and studied by endless consultants for years. But what does it mean for Middelburg?

Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter makes a case for using South Africa’s transition to green energy to break the country’s”vicious cycle of deindustrialisation and unemployment”.  It can kickstart a “positive cycle of local demand for local goods to create investment and jobs.” At the
2021 Dr Hendrik Johannes van der Bijl Memorial Lecture, De Ruyter rejected the notion that South Africa abandon manufacturing in favour of commodity exports and services.

JUST ENERGY TRANSITION
Eskom will be implementing a Just Energy Transition strategy (JET) to accelerate the repurposing and repowering of decommissioned power plants, starting with Komati in 2022, which included pursuing a share of the renewable energy allocation included in the Integrated Resource Plan for 2019. Eskom plans to repower the Komati plant by installing solar photovoltaic (PV) generators and a 244 MWh battery energy storage system. Komati is in a great position to become a flagship brand.

The Middelburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry has invited members to a meeting to discuss the JET opportunities for our local companies. If you have not yet received the link to the meeting, contact Anna-Marth Ott at ceo@middelburginfo.com for your link.

Business Opportunities in the Gulf Region

Business Opportunities in the Gulf Region


Since June this year, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has met with the Association of Chambers of Commerce (ASAC) representatives to organise a meeting between the various ambassadors in the Gulf Region and ASAC members.

The ASAC comprises of Chambers of Commerce that issue most of the certificates of origin, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, Pietermaritzburg and Middelburg. We are constantly looking for opportunities and building relationships with Trade Delegations, DIRCO and companies interested in export opportunities.

At the meeting, members were introduced to these countries’ various partnership and investment opportunities.  Such as building hospitals to various food security opportunities. There will be follow-up meetings with these ambassadors, and our members will be invited to attend.

 

Chaos in Middelburg

Chaos in Middelburg

The business community has watched the recent riots and unrest in Middelburg with distress.

The business community has taken some hard knocks in the last five years. The inflated cost of electricity, the COVID19 closures in 2020 and 21, our employees are getting sick due to COVID19, our businesses having to close for a few days, the cost of sanitation and other PPE’s, to top it all off, the cost of raw materials like copper. The disaster of the July riots disrupted our supply lines and exports. Also, the unpopularity of coal in the global arena even led to hundreds of people losing their jobs last week. All these factors affect our economy.

The one advantage we had over our competitors was that Middelburg had a well-functioning city government. We cannot afford any more disruptions to our businesses. We call on the municipality and all stakeholders to solve the problems that agitated the citizens. We want to rebuild our businesses, protect the jobs of the people we employ, and grow our economy.

Middelburg has a reputation for being able to discuss and solve complex problems in the past. We can do it again.

 

Women in Power

Women in Power

On Thursday, the 19th of August, a few local businesswomen got together to inspire each other.

Nicci Gates, the speaker at the event, filled the ladies cups with a motivational and positive nugget for life.

The event was arranged by the new Highveld Business Forum Bu-Hi,  in association with the Middelburg Chamber of Commerce and industry.  As Anna Marth, the CEO of the MCCI said, “There has been a division between the two towns of Witbank and Middelburg, and it is time that, that changes”.

Business Highveld will be a virtual business forum focusing on businesses in the Emalahleni and Steve Tshwete areas. The forum will be for all business, big or small said Monica Joao local spokesperson for the forum.

“There was a  burning in my heart to bring something the Witbank Business Market that can benefit all. I admired the Middelburg Chamber efficiency and knew that to make this work. Together we will build a unified Highveld business sector and create something amazing for Witbank.  The new Business Forum called Bu-Hi (Business Highveld) will bring change in Networking and Business opportunities in the local areas, said Joao.

Another exciting add on is an Information Hub for Witbank. The Witbank Information Hub will be situated at Bietjie Kaap Coffee Bar under the management of Talitha Taljaard.  To find out more about the information Hub, you can contact Talitha Taljaard on 082 9215476.

For all businesses that are interested in getting involved in the Bu-Hi Forum or other opportunities to get involved, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Monica Joao on 083 633 3459 or monica@modomo.co.za