opportunity Archives - Page 5 of 6

We want our town back.

We want our town back

The Executive Committee of the Middelburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry wants our Municipality to function at its best. All departments of the town administration, from accounting to traffic and security services.

Middelburg, through the Middelburg Forum, has found a way to weather the political turmoil of the 1980s and find a middle ground for all communities to thrive in the changing environment. Our town received so many awards, had clean audits, and was the cleanest town in Mpumalanga, with no potholes and with quick turnaround of municipal services. We want that municipality back.

Important issues that will create jobs and a great future for our children are now being ignored by the municipality because of the strike. We need an exemption so that our town does not lose jobs because of the Just Energy Transition. Instead of working together to find ways to protect our town and our jobs, the municipality is fighting with itself. As outsiders, we are stuck and exposed to what is happening. We have already lost a major employer with Blue Ribbon, we do not want to be the next Lichtenburg.

The MCCI has 18 annually elected executive members representing business sectors in our region. The leader of the committee is Que Naidoo the elected President. Under her leadership, we first met with the Steve Tshwete Mayoral Committee in August 21 and then wrote a letter to the Council on October 21 listing how services impact Middelburg businesses. We also met with the newly elected members of the mayoral committee in March 2022 and stressed the importance of a fully functioning municipality.

To clarify, MCCI is a non-profit organisation made up of employers. This means it is a business organisation that looks after the interests of businesses. Any business is welcome to become a member. Your company needs a business registration document and pay a nominal membership fee to become a member. We create a platform for businesses to network and lobby for business issues. We are not a government organisation, nor are we a charity that gives things away for free. We believe that something that is free has no value.

We urge the leadership of the municipality to find a solution to the strikes soon, otherwise we might lose other important employers as well. How do we want to live in Middelburg, as a prosperous community with educated children who have a future, or as a ghost town as many of the outside consultants predict.

I say no to a ghost town, with no jobs, no future.

We want our town back, to be the best again.

Contact Mmabatho or Njabulo at 013 243 2253 if you want to know more about becoming a member.

Lively Golf day with Naas Botha

Lively Golf day with Naas Botha

On May 13, the Middelburg Chamber held its annual corporate golf day at the Middelburg Country Club. The day was filled with laughter and excitement from 144 registered players who made for a very crowded field. 18 T-box sponsors and 6 greens sponsors ensured that we had a decorative, creative and energetic golf course. Each with its own music and games.

The programme director for the awards ceremony was Christo de Ridder from ThinkSolutions. The master of ceremonies, the famous Naas Botha, provided an evening full of jokes and fun and an interactive evening with the audience. Naas Botha was the cherry on top of our Chamber’s already successful event.

Anna-Marth Ott, CEO of MCCI, opened the event and welcomed all the sponsors and players. Corrie Barnard of FAW Highveld Commercial, the main sponsor, followed by Dawid Westermann from Nashua Mpumalanga, addressed the crowd, giving them a short overview of the main sponsors’ businesses.

All T’s and Green sponsors:

Phillips Global
Qembu Middelburg
Klinger Mzansi
Cross Labour
AeQuim
One Weigh Middelburg
Gibbs & De Jager Inc.
Nungu Property Group
Umsizi Mining
Brimis Engineering
First National Bank
Green Ticket Testing Solutions
Liebherr-Africa
CrossFit Artaxes/Midwell Dietitians
Mbungiswa Logistics
Schoonbee Landgoed
Earthcomp
Jonsson Workwear
Thos Begbie & Company
Carl Bechem SA
PriceWaterhouseCoopers SA
Columbus Stainless
Spec-cast Middelburg

Prize sponsors:

Columbus Stainless
Liebherr-Africa
Brimis Engineering
Schoonbee Landgoed
Middelburg Mall
Johnsson Workwear
One Weigh
FAW Highveld Commercial
MS Design
ThinkSolutions
Cross Labour
Carl Bechem SA
Hole in one prize sponsor – Middelburg Chamber

No takers for the R100 000.00 cash prize sponsor on hole 3 for the hole in one.

Picture – Nearest to the Pin (Johan Strydom – Columbus Stainless)
- Nearest to the Pin (Julian Coetzee – Schoonbee Landgoed)
Picture – Longest drive (Danny Pienaar – Schoonbee Landgoed)
Picture – Longest drive (Nick Pinheiro – Phillips Global)
Picture – Kianga Group was the winner with their two female players, Maxine Luck and Daleen du Preez
Picture – FNB with a second place winners, Johan de Bruto and Rohan Stander

5 T-box and Green Sponsors received prices for the best vibes

Brimis Engineering
Phillips Global
Gibbs and De Jager attorneys
Spec-cast
Carl Bechem SA

3 prizes for best dressed 4-balls

Johnson Wear
Umsizi Mining
Liebherr Africa

Thank you to all 4-balls and players – thank you for your participating and being part of the day. The Chamber executive members thank you for the support and the raffle sponsor prizes. Thank you to all our sponsors for the day. See you next year!!

MCCI met with Indonesian Representatives

MCCI met with Indonesian Representatives
The President of the Middelburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Que Naidoo, and several business people met with the Indonesian Charge d’Affaires and economic advisors on 26 April 2022 to discuss possible business opportunities between our town and Indonesia on 26 April 2022.

Indonesia is a developed country with high income and low unemployment rate. The low unemployment rate is due to the country’s entrepreneurship policy, which removes many bureaucratic requirements that can hinder the success of a start-up business. Some of the areas where they want to do business with us are beverages, batik exports and fashion.

South African tourist visas for Indonesia are free and relatively easy to obtain. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about Indonesian visas for South Africa. South African visa regulations, introduced many years ago, are still a problem and it can take up to two months for Indonesians to get a visa.

Members were excited about the joint investment opportunities and future trade relations.

Tourism Mentorship Workshop

Tourism Mentorship Workshop

The Middelburg Information Centre is looking at providing a tourism business Mentorship workshop for LTO members in the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality (STLM). The workshop will provide opportunities and resources for interested tourism services providers to learn and benefit from successful tourism services providers (experienced owners).

The purpose of this Mentorship is to provide the resources necessary to strengthen the tourism industry by developing skills and increasing business knowledge of tourism operators;

Provide opportunities for tourism business operators to learn and benefit from more experienced tourism operators;

Enhance the strength of the tourism industry over the long term by providing resources (Financial) and opportunities for tourism businesses.

Mentors will share their expertise and knowledge and provide support and encouragement to help tourism business owners to remain focused on what is important for the success of their business. Through the Tourism Business Mentorship workshop, tourism operators who are less experienced can gain valuable skills in business, leadership and networking to help maximize their potential and become successful and profitable independent tourism operators.

We are looking at inviting the National Department of Tourism, MTPA, Grading council, National Empowerment Fund.

More information will be available at the Middelburg Information Centre.

Welding is the second scarcest skill in SA

Welding is the second scarcest skill in SA

The South African Institute of Welding (SAIW) and the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDT) of the Mpumalanga provincial government met with companies from the Highveld region. The event aimed to discuss ways to address the shortage of welding skills.

The government has identified thirteen scarce trade skills for its approved infrastructure programmes, and welding is currently ranked as the second scarcest skill in South Africa. According to the American Welding Society (AWS), there will be a global shortage of 450 000 welders by 2023. Strategic programmes such as the War on Leaks and the new oceans economy programme, Phakisa, have also highlighted the need for skilled welders.

South Africa needs suitably qualified welders with the required skills to enable local businesses to benefit from this demand. DEDT and SAIW are planning to open an exciting new welding school, supported by a world-class welder programme, to be based at the Mpumalanga Stainless Initiative (MSI) in Middelburg.

The aim is to provide three years of training for highly skilled workers trained to industry standards. The artisans will be able to produce higher quality welds with lower rework costs and better productivity. By the time they qualify as welders, they will have internalised the company’s work processes and standards. Lower risk and cost in recruitment and better retention.

Many companies need welders, and large companies offer apprenticeships, but we need to find a way to train our local people in marketable skills that will drive our economy. MCCI members are committed to reaching out directly to SAIW to get the ball rolling. Businesses interested in participating in the SAIW welding school at MSI can contact Etienne Nel (etienne.nell@saiw.co.za) or Silindile N Ntshangase (SNtshangase@mpg.gov.za) for more information

Many business opportunities in Burundi

Many business opportunities in Burundi
A delegation from Burundi led by Ambassador KN Jolobe, HE Ms, met with Que Naidoo, President of MCCI and various members of the Middelburg Chamber Executive.

Burundi has 6% of the world’s rare earth deposits and exports Arabica coffee. They are also looking at possible investments or partnerships with local businesses in tourism, internet connectivity, mining opportunities and agriculture. Burundi has 17 provinces and a different mineral has been found in each province.

The aim of the meeting was to establish contacts with local businesses that can network with Burundian businesses. Today, they have cut the red tape by introducing the ambassador directly to the Chamber of Commerce.

The next step is to organise a networking event between The East African Investment, Trade, Promotion Agency, the Burundi delegation and members to plan and explore the proposed trade delegation to Burundi.

Members are invited to send me their details to secure their invitation to the next Burundi investment event. Contact Anna-Marth Ott at ceo@middelburginfo.com.