SACCI Chambers news update Roodepoort Chamber holds SMME Conference and Gala Awards Event

In 2008, the Roodepoort Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ROCCI) embarked on an SMME training programme with the support of its project partner, British American Tobacco South Africa (BATSA). On 28 April 2009 a very successful SMME Conference and Gala Dinner took place, where more than 40 candidates who had successfully completed Phase 1 of the programme received their certificates. The training offered during Phase 1 covered subjects crucial to the future sustainability of Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises and included drawing up a business plan, access to finance, human resource management, taxation, marketing, international trade and computer skills. The commitment from highly credible partners such as Business Partners, Confederation of Employers Organisations in South Africa (COFESA), Standard Bank; the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA); local government; Konitek Training and Development; First National Bank (FNB); and the ZA Group (Pty) Ltd, ensured the success of the initial phase of the programme. The second phase of the programme comprises a mentoring process, and the third phase will encompass an SMME Advice Centre. The programme has been offered by the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry for a number of years and that chamber has supported and assisted ROCCI. ROCCI also introduced its sister Chamber, Dobsonville Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to the programme and a number of Dobsonville’s members have successfully completed Phase 1. “ROCCI will enter discussions with neighbouring chambers to discuss how the programme can benefit chamber members and create sustainable SMMEs,” says ROCCI’s SMME project director, Sakkie Stoltz. The guest speakers at the Gala Dinner were Clem Sunter, who spoke on “The World and South Africa in 2010”, and Fay Kajee from BATSA, who spoke on the company’s commitment to SMME development in South Africa. Speakers at the conference who confirmed their support for SMME development were: Chris Koen (Business Partners), Theresa Muller (ZA Group), Sakkie Stoltz (ROCCI SMME director), Neren Rau, (SACCI CEO), Roelien Govensamy (Standard Bank), Adrian Jonck (Konitek Training and Development), Arnold Storkey (FNB), Wessie van der Westhuizen (SAIPA), Xolani Nxumalo (City of Johannesburg regional director) and Johan de Lange (COFESA). Presentations by the speakers are available on the Roodepoort Chamber’s website at www.rocci.org. A comprehensive SMME Toolkit is available on the website of Business Partners (www.businesspartners.co.za), or as a link on the SACCI website at www.sacci.org.za British American Tobacco team receiving an award from the Roodepoort Chamber for its commitment to SMME development Clem Sunter, guest speaker at the Roodepoort Chamber’s SMME Gala Event, with Roy Panday from the British American Tobacco company, who is also an Executive Council member of ROCCI Border-Kei Chamber offers SMME mentoring and LED support The first round of the Border-Kei Chambers’s SMME Mentorship Programme was completed by a motivational session presented by Ken Clark of Crickley Dairy/Twizza. All the participating SMMEs and mentors as well as representatives of the partners of the programme, BKCOB, DED and SEDA attended, in addition to chamber members who are experts in their fields and who had offered their services. The central theme of the presentation was: “The key to success is the need to have goals – a dream of where or what you want to be”. After one-on-one discussions between the mentors and SMMEs, some of the critical learning areas that emerged across all participants during the training period included: • the importance of having a thorough understanding of one’s own business; • appreciating one’s own capacity and doing work within these means; • understanding who one is competing against; • knowing the real costs of operating one’s business and the importance of the break-even point; • focusing on one’s core business and not operating within a ‘jack of all trades and master of none’ environment; and • the importance of diversifying risks in terms of customers. The second mentoring programme will take place in Queenstown, a branch of the Border-Kei Chamber. Local Economic Development Steering Committee The Border-Kei Chamber of Business (BKCOB) is actively involved in the Lukhanji Municipality Local Economic Development Department. Effective implementation of strategies is the key focus. A steering committee comprises elected members representing a diverse range of individuals and skills that ensures broad representation and comprehension of the developmental issues at hand. BKCOB is represented on the committee, the purpose of which is to: • secure competent LED leadership in Lukhanji; • set clear performance objectives to support the strategy implementation; • secure stakeholder commitments; • ensure availability of resources critical to achieve the LED’s objectives; • minimise performance blockages such as red tape and lack of responsiveness; and • monitor the LED process and strategy implementation. SACCI Women’s Day Event to be hosted by Border-Kei Chamber The Border-Kei Chamber invites SACCI members and business people to attend the SACCI Woman’s Day event, which will be hosted in East London during August – Women’s Month. The date and venue are still to be finalised, but interested persons can in the interim contact Alta Pretorius at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or telephone (011) 446 3836. The Port Elizabeth Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry In an effort to promote economic growth and the broadening of member knowledge about business opportunities, the Port Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PERCCI) recently hosted two important events. Over 300 businesspeople from within the metro met at a networking function hosted in conjunction with Rio Tinto Alcan, where Lesley Mpanza, a senior executive at the company, reiterated the commitment to construct a smelter within the Coega Industrial Development Zone. Corporates and SMEs alike had the opportunity to source new business contacts and mix with the leaders of Nelson Mandela Bay’s business community. In another event, Dr Azar Jammine, chief economist at Econometrix, gave the audience some food for thought through his belief that South Africa is relatively resilient in terms of weathering the storm – despite the global recession taking its effect on the world economy – since not all industries are suffering to the same extent. “The major slide exists within the metals processing and automotive sectors,” he said. He added that South Africa’s correlation with emerging markets such as China, the primary consumer of commodities, will see that the economy does well. “If China continues to grow, our economy will do well.” Dr Azar Jammine (2nd left) recently addressed an audience at a business breakfast in Port Elizabeth. Pictured with him is MC Botha (left), managing director of Joubert Galpin Searle; Andrew Murray of ECSECC; and Odwa Mtati, CEO of PERCCI Another factor contributing to South Africa’s ability to survive the storm is the hosting of the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup as well as the momentum already in place regarding fixed infrastructure spending. Greater Tzaneen Chamber of Business The Greater Tzaneen Chamber of Business celebrates its 50th Birthday Celebrations this year with two events: a Night Golf event on 15 May; and a Gala evening on 23 May when the guest speaker will be the governor of the Reserve Bank, Mr Tito Mboweni. These two functions are open to attendance by all. Two new SACCI chambers The two youngest chambers in the SACCI movement are the Dobsonville and Lekwa/Standerton chambers. SACCI welcomes them on board. They are both actively participating in SACCI events and committees. The Roodepoort Chamber has taken the Dobsonville under its wing and assists with SMME training for their members. SACCI participated as independent electoral observers CEO of SACCI, Neren Rau presented the following view on the general elections that took place on 22 April 2009: “SACCI is pleased with the conduct of the elections of 22 April. Although there were reported incidents of sporadic violence, shortages of ballot papers and ballot boxes, these did not seem to be widespread or co-ordinated. Two of SACCI’s electoral observers who assisted in observing the elections were Thami Nqyai and Palesa Shuping “SACCI’s election observers found the IEC to be generally efficient and the stations observed were characterised by a positive atmosphere. “It is not just the right to vote, but the context in which voting takes place that makes a citizen proud to be South African. We anticipate a result that will be based on ‘free and fair’ elections that will be reflective of the will of the majority of South Africans. These are essential prerequisites for the conduct of business and for favourable investor interest in South Africa.” SACCI will be meeting with ministers from all relevant ministries once they have been appointed. Alta Pretorius SACCI Visit www.sacci.org.za for further information SACCI

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