NMBBC

The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber has named Tanya Kisten, the founder of the multi-award winning locally based
Khanyisela College, its 2023 Entrepreneur of the Year.

Founded 16 years ago, Khanyisela College has over the years amassed various accreditations and is also registered with the Department of Education as a private FET college that provides skills development solutions to companies and individuals within Nelson Mandela Bay and nationally.

With numerous accolades under its name, one of whom is the pmr.africa award, which it has won six years in a row for Leaders and Achievers, the institution has been built on a strong foundation of dynamic leadership and excellence.

Before establishing Khanyisela College, Kisten worked as an educator for eight years in the Northern Areas, including 6 years as a marketing practitioner for Volkswagen South Africa. However, her passion for youth and young adults has always been at the centre of what she does. This propelled her to establish an institution that focuses on creating training interventions that are fun, practical and effective.

Today, the college offers accredited full qualifications as well as skills programmes.

“It was not easy as I was the new kid on the block. One of the key challenges was the fact that I did not have the resources to start my own business, but what I had was a dream. That motivated me to push even harder to realise my dream,” says Kisten.

“Today, Khanyisela College is a respected education and training providers amongst companies and individuals nationally. It has grown and adapted to many challenges, including COVID-19, and through resilience and hardwork, it has continued to thrive, and now online training has been added to the College’s offerings.”

The college currently employs 17 permanent employees, eight of whom have been retained over the years through internships and learnerships, as well as three interns who are currently serving a one-year internship.

Kisten says: “The unemployment rate is at its highest in the Eastern Cape at a staggering 47.4%, and over 50% for the youth. We believe in providing opportunities especially for these youth, Khanyisela College can contribute positively to providing hope, meaningful work, and dignity to the disenfranchised youth especially for whom there are not many opportunities.”

She says the college has established itself as a market leader in their field of accredited training, especially for supervisory development, education and training. With their throughput rate (pass rate) of 94%, the learners not only enjoy the practical nature of the training and the engaged facilitators but take comfort in the strong possibility of receiving a Certificate of Competence at the end.

“With our strong relationships with the SETA’s and QCTO (the quality assurance body), the college continually seeks to improve its systems, people and materials, resulting in unqualified audits for external verifications every time.”

Outside of her college work, Kisten also serves as a Trustee on the Northern Areas People Development Initiative (NAPDI) board where she contributes her experience and skills in education and strategic planning.

She has also established the Kisten Bursary fund to support learners of the Tomorrow’s Leaders project who are academically capable of successfully completing the programme but do not necessarily have the funds for tuition fees.

The Chamber also handed another award to EcoUnity, which participated in the Chamber’s Young Professionals Think Tank with focus on water and electricity, for their innovative solutions to address the city’s water and electricity challenges.

EcoUnity is a social enterprise founded in 2023 by a group of dedicated young professionals in Nelson Mandela Bay. The Enterprise was established in response to the urgent local issues of water and electricity supply in the Metro. The group intends to implement a sustainable solution that will alleviate the socio-economic implications of resource scarcity and contribute to a greener future in South Africa, focusing

They are aiming to develop a low-cost, low-tech, and environmentally sustainable model equipped with hybrid renewable energy systems, water recycling systems, and an AI-driven management system.

The renewable energy systems will generate power for each home, which will be stored in a centralised battery bank. This resource pooling approach will ensure a continuous power supply and also reduce individual dependency on the unstable municipal power grid. Recycled waste-water coupled with harvested rainwater will be used for non-consumptive amenities such as irrigation and bathrooms.

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.

The logistics crisis, which has resulted in severe congestion in Durban, is also having a concerning impact upon the sustainability of importers and exporters in Nelson Mandela Bay, says Denise van Huyssteen, chief executive of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber.

“This has resulted in Nelson Mandela Bay businesses having to implement emergency solutions such as transporting their cargo, at massive costs, via road through other country ports such as Windhoek and Maputo. Cargo coming from the Far East is being delayed up to six weeks, with vessels waiting to berth in Durban on both the import voyage as well as the coastal move,” says Van Huyssteen.

“This in turn is impacting upon production schedules, export order commitments as well as the meeting of local demand requirements.”

In addition to the Durban and Cape Town congestion challenges, last month Transnet rolled out a new booking system at the Port Elizabeth Port. As organised business, at the time, we asked them not to proceed until resolution was found to the system challenges already experienced in Durban and Cape Town.  This has further exacerbated the issues, and is creating a poly-logistics crisis for local businesses. Also, it is vital that as the focus turns to addressing the equipment and maintenance issues at the Durban and Cape Town ports, that the Port Elizabeth and Ngqura ports are also included in the national logistics intervention plans. 

Yesterday a workshop was held between Transnet and Nelson Mandela Bay businesses regarding the new booking system. “While it was a constructive meeting, our appeal is that the roll-out of the new booking system is suspended until the country-wide logistics crisis is resolved.”

“We continue to collaborate with Transnet in an attempt to find urgent solutions to improving the capacity to move cargo through the ports,” concludes Van Huyssteen.

The new booking system which was rolled out at the Port of Port Elizabeth in October has caused extensive logjams and backlogs in shipping products to and from market, says Denise van Huyssteen, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber. “The new system which was intended to improve port efficiencies has had the opposite effect, impacting upon the viability of exporters and importers who are unable to get their products transported timeously.”

“A number of businesses have indicated that their customers in key markets are considering cancelling their export orders if these delays continue,” she says. “As part of mitigation efforts to retain export business, some businesses in the Bay are even transporting their goods via road to Walvis Bay and Maputo ports. This is clearly not a sustainable situation and we need our two ports to be functioning optimally.

“The additional logistics costs incurred by transporting goods via road to other ports are making our exporters uncompetitive versus overseas manufacturers, who do not have to contend with these types of costs and delays.”

According to the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index, South Africa’s ports are rated amongst the poorest performing in the world with the Port of Port Elizabeth ranked at 291 out of 348 and Port of Ngqura at 338 out of 348.

The Chamber approached Transnet in early September, appealing to them to not proceed with the roll-out of the new booking system, until such time as the issues relating to its implementation at the Durban and Cape Town ports had been resolved. “At the time we emphasised the need for constructive engagement to take place on the practical implementation of the system at the ports.  We indicated that we were aligned with Transnet on the need for productivity levels to be improved at the ports and to unlock supply chain gains, but that this could not be achieved through the roll-out of a system that was problematic.”

“Since the roll-out of the system last month insufficient slots have been made available to meet the needs of customers. The system only allows bookings to be made once containers are available, resulting in customers not securing slots. This in turn has an immediate impact on the ability of businesses to get their goods in and out of the harbour.”

Van Huyssteen said that it is vital that Transnet urgently meets with business to discuss the practicalities of the system and what can be done to resolve the issues. “We are supportive of any measures to improve productivity but this cannot only be workable in theory but not achievable in reality.”

“Our recommendation is that Transnet pauses on the roll-out of the new booking system at Ngqura later this month, until such time as the issues relating to the Port Elizabeth Port system roll-out are resolved. It makes no sense to further exacerbate the problem without addressing the actual issues.”

The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber’s eighth geographic cluster, The Baakens Valley Cluster, was established yesterday when businesses in the area came together to align and organise themselves into a united entity. This underscores the power of collaboration and provides a platform for businesses represented within the new cluster to collectively identify challenges within their geographical area for resolution. 

During the last few years, the Baakens Valley has gone through a major developmental phase where some of the city’s recognisable brands in the entertainment and hospitality industries have injected much-needed energy into the area, making it one of the city’s preferred hotspots. 

The formalisation of the cluster paves the way for key priorities to be identified and action plans to be developed, and responded to in partnership with existing structures within the area, such as neighbourhood watches for safety and security, and other relevant stakeholders.

The establishment of the cluster resulted in the appointment of an executive structure, with Remo’s owner Dante Cicognini being nominated as Chairperson. Other appointments included Algoa FM’s Desire Pratt as vice chairperson, Ian Whittle from Grindestone as Treasurer and Engineering Hub’s Wesley Augustyn, as Committee member. 

The clustering approach is an initiative of the Chamber, which over the last year has facilitated the establishment of various sectoral and geographical clusters geared towards representing the needs and interests of business, with the primary focus of retaining much-needed investment and jobs in the Bay. 

Over the past year and a half, the Chamber has facilitated the establishment of the Deal Party, Beachfront, North End, Perseverance, Struandale, Neave/Korsten and Kariega clusters, which have successfully developed action-orientated strategies to effectively respond to challenges they are faced with such as safety and security, illegal dumping, cleanliness, vandalism, potholes and other issues.

The newly appointed chairperson Dante Cicognini said that he believed the business cluster in the valley needed to prioritise safety and security and cleanliness as their initial focus areas.  

“The valley is an intricate part of our city and we believe that it needs to be looked after. We believe it can create its own revenue income streams and we will try and tackle that as businesses in the area, by also aiming to revive our culture in the city. The area is home to around 7 landlords and 27 businesses,” said Cicognini. 

Chamber chief executive officer Denise van Huyssteen said the coming together of businesses within the Baakens Valley area was key in enabling the area to untap its true potential. Tremendous leisure, entertainment, sports and recreational and nature orientated opportunities can be unlocked if the cluster and key stakeholders in the Bay work together, with this common vision driving their actions.   

“As the Chamber, we have taken a proactive approach where we focus on what is within our spans of influence to constructively address some of the challenges facing the city, instead of pointing fingers and complaining from the outside. The clustering approach provides a basis through which all relevant stakeholders can come together and share resources and ideas to positively impact the trajectory of this city. As such, we are excited as the Chamber that businesses in the Baakens Valley recognise the importance of working as a collective to preserve what the area has to offer and to position it as an attractive destination for potential investment inflows and job creation,” said Van Huyssteen.

Earlier this year, the Chamber and the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality signed a broad memorandum of understanding, which has paved the way for businesses to partner with the metro to implement solutions in response to the multiple challenges in the operating environment. The geographical clusters, with their collective resources, are well positioned to drive action and to achieve positive impact, which has a knock-on benefit in their immediate surrounding areas.

Business and government need to work together to address some of the urgent challenges facing South Africa to spur the country towards a sustainable growth path, says Busisiwe Mavuso, the CEO of Business Leadership South Africa.

Mavuso delivered her keynote address at the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber’s Annual Ladies Breakfast event today where she highlighted that she was encouraged by the current partnership pledge between business and the government, which is driven by over 100 CEOs from some of the country’s top companies.

“We are now seeing business stepping up to play a more meaningful societal leadership role to build a more positive national narrative. This initiative, whose commitment, stature and ability to marshal resources, would increase the country’s probability of success. As such, we have set up multiple operational and governance layers to ensure that the implementation of this is done in a structured way,” she says.

“Government may not have the fiscal muscle to lean against the energy crisis, it however does have the policy tools to deal with it. The recent delays that came to light regarding the processing of the Electricity Regulation Act Amendment Bill, were rather disappointing. The bill is an urgent piece of legislation that is central to the joint efforts of business and government to solve the electricity crisis. It will allow for the creation of a Transmission System Operator to manage the national grid and procure electricity from a competitive market. For business to continue investing its resources and energy into partnering with government to resolve this crisis, government needs to focus on getting the policy environment right.

She further emphasised the need to improve the local operating environment for investors and business as it has deteriorated to its weakest level in years.

Delivering her welcome address, NMBBC Chamber chief executive Denise van Huyssteen also highlighted that over the past two years, local businesses have been actively embracing the opportunity to collaborate with government to get the city working again. Our primary focus has been on finding and implementing innovative solutions in order to save much needed investment and jobs in Nelson Mandela Bay.

These out of the box solutions have ranged from the adoption of sub-stations, schools and leaks to the roll-out of a 24 hour stage 5+ schedule to mitigate against the risks of loadshedding through to the establishment of seven geographic clusters around the Bay and the roll out of a renewable energy cluster.

“As we refine these solutions, we now need to move to the next phase which must be to ensure the sustainability of what we are all doing as a collective. I have particularly been encouraged by how many business volunteers have stepped up to offer their time and resources for the greater good of our local economy,” Van Huyssteen says.

“An important foundation for the collaboration between business and the Municipality has been Council’s approval of the Adopt A Sub-Station and Broader Master MOU, which has enabled vital action to take place.

“While we still have a long way to go – there is a way forward and I believe it is still possible to get our city working again, especially when you consider that Nelson Mandela Bay is more contained and therefore a more manageable city than most others in the country. As a business community and network of stakeholders, we are all connected to one another and must use this as leverage to drive positive action.”

She further encouraged all the women who attended this year’s event, and also the biggest one to date with 460 attendees, to utilise their strengths to lead the way forward by getting involved, wherever they can make a difference in the Metro.

“Every action helps, no matter how big or small.”

CLICK HERE to submit your NMB Business News..

More Info on Business and Government need to work together to change South Africa, says BLSA CEO here: Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bay_chamber
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NelsonMandelaBayBusinessChamber/
Address: 200 Norvic Drive, Greenacres, Gqeberha
Author: Sibongile Dimbaza from NelsoN Mandela Bay Business Chamber.
Images: For high res version/s of One image/s please contact Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber.