Chamber President Loyiso Dotwana has called on all relevant stakeholders in Nelson Mandela Bay to work together for the common purpose of rebuilding the metro in order to unlock its true potential.
Dotwana made the call during his speech at the Chamber’s Annual Banquet which was held at the Sun Boardwalk Hotel and Convention Centre, on 30 November 2023, where over 800 guests were in attendance. The banquet is the Chamber’s largest event which provides an opportunity for its members to reflect on both the challenges and achievements of the year.
His speech underscored the deteriorating state of service delivery due to political instability, which directly impacts upon business confidence and the ongoing sustainability of their operations in the Bay. He said that political parties at the local and provincial levels should put the best interests of the local economy and jobs first, to enable the Bay to move in a positive trajectory. “The Chamber has taken this to heart and continues to adopt a strong activist and action orientated approach – all directed at achieving our vision of retaining investment and jobs in the Bay.”
Dotwana further highlighted that 2023 has been a challenging year for business. “It is our view that our economy has been pushed to a tipping point – especially due to the severe energy and logistics crisis facing our country.”
The Chamber’s surveys undertaken among its members this year, highlighted that during periods of extreme loadshedding, around R900 million to R1 billion a month is lost to the local economy. The logistics crisis, in turn, is reportedly costing the country R1 billion a day in economic output, which is the equivalent to 4,9% of annual GDP or R353 billion. This has also impacted local exporters and importers, particularly in terms of the inefficient port operations and the dysfunctional North to South rail corridor. “The dire state of the ports and rail network have in turn placed severe pressure on the road network, as increasing numbers of trucks are having to haul goods.”
Dotwana also highlighted that the Chamber has been able to rally and mobilise the business community to roll up their sleeves and take action. “We are not standing back and waiting for someone else to do it. Rather, we are contributing in whatever way we can – skills, resources and time, and are willing to collaborate with other like-minded stakeholders. On a national level, it has also been good to see corporate South Africa commit to working with government to get the country working again and signing a pledge in this regard.”
A key area where the Chamber is turning its focus to is the reinvention of the local economy due to the factors such as technological advancements, climate change, and the radically different geopolitical environment. To this effect, it has established a Local Economy Reinvention Think Tank, which is anchored by seven workstreams. Various business leaders and technical experts are working together to develop a new economic roadmap for the Bay.
Echoing Dotwana’s sentiments in her speech, Chamber CEO Denise van Huyssteen acknowledged the collective role that Chamber member companies and business volunteers have played in actively finding solutions to problems and proactively influencing change and action.
Some highlights include the following:
The approval by Council earlier this year of a Master Adopt A MOU which enables the Chamber us to collaborate with the Municipality in solving enabling environment issues which impact upon businesses.
The 24 hour stage 5+ voluntary loadshedding schedule to enable better predictability and continuity for the operations of 40 large manufacturers.
The Municipality supported the Chamber, resulting in the implementation of cost reflective wheeling tariffs.
The Chamber’s renewable energy cluster solution, which is part of a multi-billion rand national project, continues to move forward to bring 180 MW of power to the metro.
The cluster approach has grown beyond initial expectations – which has resulted in the geographic clusters growing to 8, with the Beachfront and Baakens Valley clusters being the latest to come on stream.
The adoption of 20 Sub-Stations, geared at protecting this critical infrastructure from vandalism.
Work continues at the 76 schools where leaks are being fixed and water conservation solutions are being implemented as part of Adopt A School.
The Sanitation System Strategy team, which comprises a collaborative partnership between the Municipality and the Chamber, has made steady progress in working towards the implementation of an optimal plan to address various issues.
The Entrepreneurship Desk has grown to 237 registered members.
The Chamber’s Nelson Mandela Bay Climate Change Coalition was successful in getting the Presidential Climate Commission to initiate the development of a Climate Resilient Development Plan for Nelson Mandela Bay. This process will run over an 18 month period.
The signing of a MOU with Naamsa Automotive Business Council, enabling the Chamber to work more closely with the automotive industry, which forms the backbone of our local economy.
The initiation of a Local Economy Reinvention Think Tank to assess opportunities to reimagine and diversify the Bay’s manufacturing economy.
On a national level, the Chamber is engaged in discussions with various stakeholders to lobby support for its interventions and to identify areas for collaboration.
“These achievements are a testament to our proactive and engaged members who have stepped up to the plate. As the Chamber, we remain committed to working with our members to effect positive actions to retain investment and jobs in the Metro,” concluded Van Huyssteen.
