November / December 2015
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s the countdown to the end of production and the working year starts - and retailers gear up for the traditional end-of year spending - it inevitably leaves us with time to reflect on what has been achieved in 2015. It has been a busy year at the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, where we offer an excellent value proposition to our membership base in excess of 700, who together employ over 60 000 people in this metro. Some of our value-added services to date in 2015 include hosting more than 70 networking events (reaching almost 2 500 people), issuing over 12 000 Certificates of Origin and linking a number of local businesses to international market opportunities through our International Relations Desk. As a region, Nelson Mandela Bay also celebrated a number of local investments this year. These include the completion of the R2-billion Baywest Mall; the Coega Development Corporation’s record investment year whereby 19 investors were signed; as well as Transnet’s continued investment of R26.7-billion in the manganese corridor.
There were also some significant investments in the automotive sector by the three big Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in the city. Looking now at the Business Chamber, it was a year of consolidation and greater focus. The Board decided that the Business Chamber must be the leading force in ensuring that an enabling environment is in place – one in which our members and business in general can operate successfully. Narrowing down the Business Chamber’s Focus Areas to that “which matter most to our members”, our new Strategy emphasizes four areas: Electricity, Water, Roads and Metro Capacity Building. One of the biggest achievements this year was the facilitative role the Business Chamber played in ensuring a competitive electricity tariff in Nelson Mandela Bay. A Business Chamber delegation was part of the team who convinced Nersa not to allow Eskom to hike electricity tariffs by an additional 9.6%. This was a big win in terms of creating more cost reflective electricity tariffs in the country, and in this city. If Eskom had got its
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Metal surface treatment plant
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way, Nelson Mandela Bay residents would have had to pay an average of over R2400 per annum extra in electricity tariffs per household. The Chamber also worked with high energy users to secure an agreement with the Municipality to reduce electricity charges to industry, thereby ensuring the continued sustainability of these and other businesses. Looking forward towards 2016, we will continue to drive the priority areas in our region with clarity, focus and action. The Business Chamber will continue to build a platform to retain and grow business in the Metro for the long-term by being flexible, responsive and proactive.
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fold since 2011. “The South African picture is not dissimilar as we built to the same levels as Europe and the United States,” says Linde + Wiemann General Manager Johan Steyn. “The metal’s growth is due to its characteristics in the automotive sector. Chiefly, the metal is lighter which is helping automotive manufacturers in driving down emissions,” explains Steyn. The metal is highly corrosion-resistant. Steyn also adds that there has a significant increase in aluminium content, for instance, components of MBSA’s 205 model comprises 50 per cent and upwards of aluminium. The establishment of the MST plant has also achieved a key goal for the Jobs Fund. It has created 442 manufacturing jobs (including 92 jobs within the MST facilitated have been created as a result of introduction of this technology in the region), and another 2,619 jobs during construction. The project has also been responsible for bringing scarce and valuable skills to the province as well as the latest technology in aluminium-treatment. “The success of this project is the culmination of highly collaborative efforts of important role players in the Eastern Cape automotive sector which include not only my Department but the East London IDZ, the Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC) which provided support, as well as the plant’s client, MBSA, which was largely responsible for the viability of the plant,” said Somyo. The Jobs Fund has supported four other automotive projects in province – the AIDC in Fort Jackson, AIDC’s engineering and supplier skills programme as well as the landmark partnership with Mercedes-Benz South Africa to create 500 internship opportunities and the permanent placement of 360 trained artisans. East London IDZ CEO Simphiwe Kondlo said that the project “is one further demonstration that the region can assemble the capability and determination to enter and capture international markets with products of an extremely high quality and premium techEnquiry no: 2 nology content”.
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