Tag: business

121st AGM and Executive Election 2024

121st AGM and Executive Election 2024

Save the date! MCCI’s 121st Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on 14 March 2023 at 17:00, at Rustique Boutique Hotel, Old Belfast Road (R104) Rondebosch, Riverside Estate, Middelburg.

Your presence is crucial in ensuring competent Executive Members are elected, representing the Middelburg business community.  MCCI Members are invited to nominate candidates for the 2024/25 period at the 121st AGM. Nomination forms are available at the office.

Members are urged to confirm their attendance by 13 March 2023 to ensure a successful AGM. If you are unable to come to the AGM, please fill out a proxy form and send it back to the office by March 12th, 2024.

We have emailed the notice, nomination, proxy forms and minutes to the membership. Please contact Zelda on 013 243 2253 or member.support@middelburgchamber.com for more information

We rolled away another year

We rolled away another year

The Middelburg Information Centre hosted its second Christmas Bowls Fun Day for members who wanted to spend a fun day in the sun to end of 2023.

Friends and colleagues competed against each other with their lawn bowling skills. Laughter and groans could be heard on the field when the ball rolled in the wrong direction or a friend’s ball was knocked out of the way. In the world of work, there are colleagues you say hello to but have nothing to do with work wise. The annual Bowls Day is about team building with your colleagues and not just your team members. Nashua Mpumalanga is the 2023 Christmas Bowls Day Champion.

We enjoyed the braai, the sunshine, and the great camaraderie with everyone who attended. Thank you to the members for supporting our new event. We will organise it again next year. Look out for the invitation in the press.

MCCI connected with Hong Kong

MCCI connected with Hong Kong

Moeketsi Mpotu, President of the Middelburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), met with the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong at the end of September.

There are trade delegations between different countries and direct trade from company to company in the world. But sometimes you need a helping hand, the right contact or confirmation from the company you are planning to trade with. How can you make sure that it is a reputable company and not a front for various criminal activities?

MCCI is part of the global chamber network and with one call and your MCCI credentials; many chamber doors are open to you. You can also check if a business is a genuine business by asking MCCI to contact their counter part in the part of the world where you want operate in. We can at least confirm if the Chamber knows about the business.

Moeketsi met with the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong, the second largest chamber in Hong Kong, which has nearly 6,000 members. They indicated their willingness to sign a memorandum of understanding with SACCI and MCCI. We have already made the first contact. Moeketsi also met with the Africa Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong. They know the African continent well and offered their help in accessing the Hong Kong market and thus also the Chinese mainland.

Your MCCI membership opens many doors for our members. Contact us if you are travelling overseas to make global contacts, the Chamber can connect you with our network. Members interested in contact details and other information on doing business with Hong Kong should contact A Ott at ceo@middelburginfo.com.

Municipal Energy Scenarios

Municipal Energy Scenarios

The National Treasury and various institutions have so far held three workshops to discuss a plausible energy future for South Africa.

The aim of these workshops is to develop energy scenarios for municipal energy decisions. South African metropolitan municipalities, the Presidential Climate Commission, the South African Local Government Association, the Public Affairs Research Institute, the National Treasury Cities Support Programme and other partners will support the process.

During the workshop, one of the key issues highlighted was whether government can generate growth through efficient spending. It is important that municipalities be able to improve the use of grants from government funds, or can municipalities change their electricity tariffs to address inefficiencies? Do municipalities rely on surcharges to generate revenue from municipal services?

Some measures required by municipalities and the government are to find solutions for future energy security by introducing cost-reflective tariff structures.  Treasury has to fund municipalities more efficiently and municipalities need to develop a better understanding of the costs of providing basic electricity services.

There seems to be some disconnect between non-governmental organisations and consultants on how income is generated and, in certain circumstances, how municipal revenue streams work. The continued installation of solar by companies, the decline in paying customers and the amount of electricity purchased is a cause for concern. And on the other hand, there have been calls to increase subsidies for low-income households.

The economy and business’ demands for affordable, reliable baseload to strengthen our manufacturing and industry are seen as hindering the implementation of green energy initiatives. It is important that the government strengthen the coherence between energy supply, industrial policy and job security. MCCI believes that we need to strengthen the local voice of business. Members interested in attending the next meeting with Anna-Marth Ott, please email ceo@middelburginfo.com.

Business Pledge new Jobs

Business Pledge new Jobs

Mr Moeketsi Mpotu, President of the Middelburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), and Steve Tshwete, Mayor of the Municipality, Cllr Masilela, met on Friday 22 September 2023 with a strong delegation from the mining, manufacturing, ICT, higher education, medical, and retail sectors strongly supporting the Steve Tshwete Municipality (STLM) delegation and delivering their message. This meeting was many years overdue and initiated the debate on the future of Steve Tshwete Municipality.

Mpotu introduced the debate by saying, “If we do nothing, we will end up remembering the golden days instead of embracing the future with focus and optimism.” He challenged business representatives to talk about what they need from STLM to create the thousand new jobs we need to boost our town’s economy.

Mr Chris Swartz of Twizza opened the debate, saying that if the town can bring the water quality back to what it used to be, they could create several hundred new jobs. He said that 60% of the country’s economic activity is within a 300 km radius and the city offers many opportunities for businesses and our economy to grow. The future water security not only for industry but also for our community is vital, and he urges STLM to secure the water from the mining sector.

Mr Sizwe Siyila of Samancor said that Middelburg Ferrochrome will be 60 years in Middelburg next year and plans to stay in the town for many more years. He assured the community of Samancor’ s support, but for our town to grow, we need a reliable electricity.

Mr Junior van Niekerk of Nashua said that the favourable environment in Middelburg has helped the company to expand to Ermelo and the Lowveld. He also said that they want to invest in a battery factory in town. An easy accessible investment support package will attract even more business to the area.

Mr Mike Tammadge of Middelburg Mall said that Middelburg Mall is one of the best malls in the company’s portfolio. However, he urged the municipality to work with other stakeholders to reduce crime in our town.

Mr Mondli Kl Kgalema, the chairperson of STLM LED, said the LED Forum is aware of community structures that threaten established businesses and the mining sector in particular. He urged all parties to use the STLM portal so that the community can access opportunities without the interference of vested interests.

Cllr Masilela, the Mayor of STLM, replied that he was encouraged by the commitment of the companies to create jobs. He summarized the SCADA system and said that the faster the system is up and running, the faster Middelburg will have less load shedding. The municipality acknowledged the comments on bureaucratic hurdles and delays in approving building plans. STLM will collaborate with MCCI and the business community to eliminate these obstacles.

Other members expressed their support for the town and the community they work and live in by contributing their input and pledging their support.  The conclusion of the debate was that a fully functional municipality is necessary for the business community to ensure timely delivery of services and maintenance of infrastructure.  Businesses will prosper and flourish with such a municipality. The breakfast was the first of many and members interested in attending the next event should contact Anna-Marth Ott at ceo@middelburginfo.com.

BRICS any value for Middelburg?

BRICS any value for Middelburg?

Several members, notably Anna-Marth Ott, attended various BRICS meetings. Ott attended an ABSA breakfast with the Confederation of Indian Industry delegation for the 2023 BRICS Summit.

Various members of the delegation already have businesses in South Africa and are interested in possible joint ventures and investments in the Steve Tshwete Municipality. The 2023 MCCI Business Guide circulated by Ott was well-received with great enthusiasm.

Some of the valuable information available at the Chamber is the DIRCO (Department of Industrial Relations and Cooperation) Quarterly Magazine UBUNTU, which ran a BRICS Special titled BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism, BRICS and the World Order: A Beginners Guide (Note this is until 2019), XV BRICS Summit Johannesburg II Declaration, South African Reserve Bank (SARB) BRICS Joint Ministers of Finance and Central Bank Governors Statement under the South African Presidency, The Journal of BRICS Studies is envisioned as an open-access, peer-reviewed non-disciplinary academic journal focused on the critical and inter-sectoral study of subjects related to the BRICS, the agency of emerging powers and South-South cooperation.

Members interested in some contacts Ott made or the information regarding all the documents that are available, please contact Anna-Marth Ott at ceo@middelburginfo.com.

Energy SEZ for Middelburg

Energy SEZ for Middelburg

An inaugural meeting was held to discuss and formulate a way forward to implement an Energy Special Economic Zone for Middelburg on Wednesday 23 August 2023.

Mr Mnisi from the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDET) led the discussions on why and how an SEZ will benefit our town.  Representatives from the ESKOM JET office, the Mpumalanga Growth Agency, Mr Mandla Mnguni and other officials from the Steve Tshwete Municipal (STLM), the Mpumalanga Stainless Initiative, the Middelburg Chamber of Commerce and various other government organisations discuss the proposal, and were met with confidence.

Mnisi said a special eMalahleni Renewable Energy Development Zone (REDZ) has been declared, comprising Victor Khanye, Ekandustria, Emalahleni, Steve Tshwete, and Emakhazeni municipalities. Benefits of being part of a special economic zone:

  1. 15% corporate tax
  2. Exemption from customs duties and VAT Free for companies in the SEZ
  3. Tax incentives for employment
  4. Accelerated depreciation for buildings

At the meeting on 23 August, a Technical Committee for the STLM SEZ was appointed to fast track the establishment of the zone. Any member interested in more information can contact Anna-Marth Ott for more details: ceo@middelburginfo.com.

Outdoor Map of Middelburg

Outdoor Map of Middelburg

The Middelburg Tourism Information Centre (MTIC) created the Outdoor Map of Middelburg prior to the 2010 FIFA World Cup and has updated the information regularly to ensure that it remains as accurate as possible.

The MTIC has been working diligently to update the Outdoor Town Map with the latest information from the Steve Tshwete’s Town Planning Department. First, we printed the map so that Middleburgers would have a map available when we do not have a mobile phone or data connection. This map is freely accessible in a well-lit and secure environment 24 hours a day and is visited several times a day.

MTIC would like to thank our sponsors: ACDC Express, Brimis Engineering, Columbus Stainless (Pty) Ltd, Mbita Electrical, MCD/Shockwave, Olifants River Lodge, Precision Aluminium, and Thos Begbie. Without your support, MTIC would not have been able to provide this service to the community.

MTIC encourages our community to look at our outdoor map. If you need a printed map, you can pick one up at the MTIC office for a small fee. For more information, you can contact Mmabatho Phathakge at info@middelburginfo.com.

Employee of the Month


Often you have a staff member you would like to mention in particular.

The Middelburg Chamber offers a new service to its members: mentioning the employee of the month. We publish the person’s photo, a brief description of their achievements and then also post it on our social media for the month.

Keep a lookout for the Employee of the Month in May. If you know someone who should be recognized, please reach out to AM Ott on 013 243 2253 or email ceo@middelburginfo.com.

Under Construction: Outdoor Information Board

Under Construction: Outdoor Information Board
The Outdoor Information Board (OIB) next to the entrance door of the Tourist Information Centre is currently being updated.

It is the only map that is reviewed and updated with information from the Town Planning Department. The purpose of the OIB is to have a secure, 24-hour, well-lit map for tourists, couriers, and the community to find their way to a specific address. The map has grid lines and block designations for easy reference.

We are changing the map and there is a great opportunity for your business to show your patronage by placing an ad on the OIB to support this community service through the Tourist Information Centre.

Interested parties can contact Muhammed at 013 243 2253 or at enquiries@middelburginfo.com.