• Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Login

logo

Menu

  • Home
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • IWEC 2017 Awards
      • IWEC Awardees 2015
    • Design4FutureLiving
    • Exporter of the Year
      • 2017
      • 2016
      • 2015
      • 2014
      • Previous Winners
    • Events Archive
  • Membership
    • Join Now
    • Member Benefits
    • 25 Reasons to Join the Chamber
      • Advocacy and Lobbying
    • Subscription Rates
    • Member to Member Deals
  • Services
    • Chamber Deals
    • Lobbying
    • Networking
    • Business Information
      • Gazette Notices
    • International Trade Desk
    • Dispute Settlement
    • Finance
    • Rooms for Hire
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe Today
    • Services Brochure
  • Intel
    • Press Releases
    • ED’s Blog
    • Set Breakers
  • About Us
    • Team
    • Council
    • Portfolio Committees
    • Chapters
    • Code of Conduct
    • Chamber Constitution
    • Youth Chamber
  • Contact Us
logo
  • Get to know the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry
    LEARN MORE
  • PROUD DIGITAL PARTNER OF DESIGN FOR FUTURE LIVING 2017
    Read more - Auric Consulting
    Read more - Design For Future Living
  • CapeChamberBanner8
    Get to know the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry
    LEARN MORE
  • CapeChamberBanner9
    Get to know the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry
    LEARN MORE
  • CapeChamberBanner10
    Get to know the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry
    LEARN MORE
  • CapeChamberBanner11
    Get to know the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry
    LEARN MORE
  • CapeChamberBanner12
    Get to know the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry
    LEARN MORE
  • CapeChamberBanner13
    Get to know the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry
    LEARN MORE
  • CapeChamberBanner14
    Get to know the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry
    LEARN MORE
alternative

Cape Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Established in 1804, the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the oldest member-based business organisation in Africa. It is mandated to serve, enable and lead business. This is achieved through a multitude of services, networking opportunities as well as robust advocacy on behalf of business.

The Chamber represents business of all sizes and virtually all sectors. Our members count on us to be their eyes and ears in the Western Cape as well as on a national level, and we work tirelessly to ensure that we serve our members’ needs.

As a key player in the business landscape, the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry truly believes that we are Where Opportunity Meets.

Join Now

Upcoming Events

loading...
×

×

×

Rewarding Staff: How to develop and improve your Employee Reward System

27th September 2017 14:00

Register Now!

Currency Trading: How to spot Strengths and Weaknesses in the FOREX Market - Workshop

28th September 2017 08:30

Register Now!

Train the Trainer Workshop

28th September 2017 08:30

Register Now!

Networking for Decision Makers! "It's Not What You Know, It's Who You Know"

29th September 2017 08:00

Register Now!

Commissioner's Breakfast Networking Session

29th September 2017 08:00

Register Now!

Loss Control Measures Workshop

3rd October 2017 08:30

Register Now!

Workplace Relationships Webinars - Episode 1

4th October 2017 08:00

Register Now!

The Future of Business Success: The Experience Economy Workshop

5th October 2017 08:30

Register Now!

SEARCH THIS SITE

Events

KEEP UP TO DATE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

LATEST NEWS

20 Sep
No justification for any increase in Port tariffs

No justification for any increase in Port tariffs

There is no justification for any increase in Port tariffs and it is time port users were compensated for decades of over-charging. The Chamber was commenting on proposals to increase port tariffs by 8.45% this year and 24.8 percent next year. Recent revelations and court cases have made it clear that Transnet has been involved in a great deal of wasteful spending and corruption and it’s time for cargo owners to “claw back” money spent on excessive port charges. A 2012/2013 study by the Port Regulator found that cargo dues paid by cargo owners were 874% above the global average. It’s true that these dues had been reduced but they are still above the global average. The Regulatory Manual for Tariffs say that “the key purpose of applying claw-backs is to ensure that the National Ports Authority or any other port user is fairly treated and is not subject to unfair losses or gains…” A further problem is that the NPA bases tariffs on how much revenue they need rather than the cost of operating the ports. Port users have every right to expect the revenue raised from the ports to be well and productively used. Unfortunately, this is not the case, […]

Featured Item Press Releases
18 Sep
Strike by taxi industry further exacerbating the transport problems impacting business

Strike by taxi industry further exacerbating the transport problems impacting business

The impending strike by the minibus taxi industry will further exacerbate the transport problems that business is experiencing in the region. We are already dealing with a disrupted and inefficient rail service compounded by a traffic congestion problem so this could very well be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back. The lack of clear leadership in the taxi industry needs to be addressed, and the Chamber urges all parties concerned to come to some provisional agreement in the short term, because business can ill afford another blow to operating efficiency in what is already very challenging economic times. The taxi industry is of the belief that vehicles have been impounded unfairly and if that is the case, this could be due to one of two factors: a large number of taxis being non-compliant in terms of safety and fines, or a system that is not impartial and fair. Road safety cannot be compromised and the rule of law needs to be upheld. If there is any potential for corruption in the system, this needs to be identified and eradicated. The taxi industry also needs to understand that the strike will force people to find other modes of transport, […]

Featured Item Press Releases
12 Sep
The Atlantis Green Tech Special Economic Zone

The Atlantis Green Tech Special Economic Zone

The Atlantis Green Tech Special Economic Zone is one of the most imaginative development projects we have seen in a long time. Renewable energy, efficiency and clean technologies add up to a new growth industry with almost unlimited potential. What’s more the timing is right and we are well placed to take the lead in this country and in the African continent. It’s ironic that the increasing tariffs for Eskom electricity are making reliable energy more viable. Eskom may be turning away from renewable energy but this is giving distributed generation a boost and there are many customers for renewable energy and off-grid projects. In Africa the electricity infrastructure is poor and this makes own generation and off-grid projects extremely attractive to commerce, industry and domestic consumers. There are now doubts about the future of “the big power station, big grid model” and many African countries are going to find big advantage in by-passing the traditional and expensive model for electricity distribution and going straight to distributed generation and micro-grids. There is a new green and sustainable approach to energy and Atlantis and the Western Cape will be perfectly positioned to take full advantage of the change and it will […]

Featured Item Press Releases
7 Sep
The Country’s emergence from recession a relief to business

The Country’s emergence from recession a relief to business

The County’s emergence from recession is both a relief and a source of encouragement for business. It is the sort of positive news we desperately need, but there is a great deal more that we need to do to ensure that the recovery is sustained. One of the reasons for the improvement was the bounce back by agriculture after the drought in the northern parts of the country, but this was still an uncertain area for the Western Cape which has experienced a very dry winter. In spite of this, the lifting of the dark cloud will encourage investment for further growth and this will send a good signal to the rating agencies. In the long term, however, the country has to deal with fundamental problems like the corruption which is draining South Africa of the resources needed for investment and job creation. We also have to deal with the gross mismanagement of the State owned enterprises and get our municipalities into shape. Structural reforms are urgently needed to make it easier for companies to employ the young and inexperienced and measures are needed to ensure stability in the labour market like the long-overdue use of secret ballots before a strike. […]

Featured Item Press Releases
1 Sep
Survey results of Metrorail’s effect on business

Survey results of Metrorail’s effect on business

Cape Town businesses believe that the Metrorail’s problems are a threat to the viability of their businesses and that the stressful conditions on the trains are affecting the mental health and morale of 94 percent of their staff. This emerged from a survey of its members by the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry. We knew the situation was bad but the survey reveals it is even worse than we thought. Conditions on Metrorail trains have become a nightmare and employers tell of staff arriving at work in tears and leaving for home with fear in their eyes. The survey revealed that 92 percent of businesses believe that the Metrorail situation is worse than it was a year ago with 71 percent saying it is much worse. About 20 percent of the respondents said they had even considered relocating their businesses to reduce commuting problems. Eighty percent of respondents said their employees had been robbed and assaulted on the trains during the past 12 months. The effect on industrial relations has been drastic with 77 percent of businesses reporting that their IR situation has worsened and 38 percent reporting that it is much worse. In response to the question “do you think […]

Featured Item Press Releases
24 Aug
SAA – The black hole consuming SA’s resource

SAA – The black hole consuming SA’s resource

South African Airways has become a black hole that is simply consuming the resources of the country and it would be irresponsible to pour any more good money into the failing airline. This after we were notified on the government’s plan to sell its shares in Telkom to finance yet another bail-out for SAA. SAA has had more than enough time to turn its fortunes around and the chances of doing so now must be close to zero. We must remember that SAA’s main competitor, Comair, is doing well and making a profit in the same market. This tells us that SAA is badly managed and unable to compete, despite the resources that have been poured into it. SAA needs drastic surgery not bail-outs. The new danger is that SAA will start losing customers because people don’t like losers and that will further reduce its chances of any kind of recovery. To sell a good asset like Telkom’s shares and use the money to prop-up a bankrupt airline with a bleak future does not make any sense. The only thing that we can learn from this sorry story is that the government does not understand business and, for the sake of […]

Featured Item Press Releases
15 Aug
Credibility of campaigns against women abuse undermined by cabinet

Credibility of campaigns against women abuse undermined by cabinet

The credibility of Women’s Day and government campaigns against the abuse of women have been undermined by two members of the cabinet. The actions of deputy Higher Education Minister,  Mduduzi Manana, who has admitted assaulting two women outside a night club and his defence by ANC woman’s league president, Bathabile Dlamini, are a major setback for gender equality and fairness. Women’s right are so important, we have a public holiday to further the cause and celebrate the contributions women have made to the country and all this is betrayed by the scandalous behaviour of someone who, as a person responsible for the education of children, should set an example. The sheer hypocrisy and the obviously scripted apology was nauseating and did little to repair the damage. As Forrest Gump’s mother said in the movie ‘handsome is as handsome does’ and we have seen something decidedly unhandsome. The deputy minister has proved himself to be grotesque. Of greater concern was the fact that Minister Dlamini said there were other senior government leaders who were even worse. This tells us that the bullying and assaulting of women is tolerated at very high levels. She seems to be telling us that this assault was […]

Featured Item Press Releases
7 Aug
Urging our Members to support the march to Parliament

Urging our Members to support the march to Parliament

We, the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry, urge our members to support the peaceful march to Parliament to protest against corruption and state capture. We have reached a state where it has become necessary for all good men and women to stage a public demonstration of support for real democracy and the values enshrined in our Constitution. We cannot prescribe to our members but we believe they share our values and will support our actions. We have given our own staff permission to participate in the march. In addition, we have written to Federation of Unions of South Africa to assure them of our support for their role in the demonstration. It’s now necessary for both organised business and labour to stand together and say enough. The people of South Africa have been the victims of massive theft while the authorities have done little to bring the criminals to book. We hope the collaboration between organised business and labour will mark the beginning of a new co-operative approach to find lasting solutions to the country’s social and political problems. The country is crying out for new leadership and we will support every lawful and peaceful attempt to achieve this aim. […]

Featured Item Press Releases
7 Aug
Be careful what you tell yourself – it could very well be true

Be careful what you tell yourself – it could very well be true

Be careful what you tell yourself – it could very well be true Like all humans, we eventually reduce every confusing element of our life down to two questions: Where did we come from and why are we here? According to David McRaney, the author of You can beat your brain, all groups and cultures ask these questions and existentially speaking, some find an answer while others are content to live their lives without an explanation. The emerging field of narrative psychology adds a third fundamental question: Why do you want to know the answer to these questions in the first place? Dan MacAdams (as quoted by McRaney) asserts that, when your attempts to put together a narrative fail you, that’s when you free-fall into malaise and stagnation. Without a narrative, our wants, needs and goals fall apart and that is why people often lose themselves after retirement. Storytelling appears in every human culture, and according to MacAdams ‘to make meaning is to create dynamic narrative that render sensible and coherent the seeming chaos of human existence.” There has to be a reason for you to get up. This may be as base as slogging through another day, but meaning […]

ED’s Blog Featured Item
4 Aug
SA does not yet realise the true cost of corruption

SA does not yet realise the true cost of corruption

South Africans do not yet realise the true cost of corruption and the long-term damage it has already done to the country. Corruption leads to bad decisions as we have already seen with PRASA and its purchases of locomotives totally unsuitable for local conditions. When decisions are taken on the basis of the kick-backs on offer we end up paying too much for unsuitable goods or services. We end up with inferior equipment that costs more than the quality products that would have done a better job The effect of the bad decisions have accumulated and that is one of the main reasons for the breakdown in service delivery. The Gupta leaks have given us a frightening picture of the way procurement decisions have been made and the many billions of rands lost through over-payment. Now we must deal with the enablers and those who covered up corruption. Fortunately there were enough honest people who were now taking great personal risks to leak information to the public. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude and at the same time we must encourage more people to come forward with more information. The balance was starting to tip in favour of […]

Featured Item Press Releases
3 Aug
It will be unfortunate if the City Partnership is unable to continue

It will be unfortunate if the City Partnership is unable to continue

It will be unfortunate if the City Partnership is unable to continue but there is no threat to the essential task of keeping the central city clean and safe. The original task of the partnership, which was created by the SA Property Owners Association, the Chamber of Commerce and the City, was to restore order to the streets of the city by increasing security and cleansing services and it carried out this work with distinction. The partnership also succeeded in solving graffiti problem and dealing with the aggressive car guards who had taken over the City’s parking meters. This work was taken over by the Central City Improvement District in 2007 while the City Partnership focused on more general development issues. Fortunately, the CCID has maintained the standards set by the original partnership and the improvement district continues to be a model for both the City and the country. They have done outstanding work over the years and deserve our congratulations. Without the work they did we would not have the thriving tourist industry that has brought so much life, opportunities and jobs to Cape Town. Janine Myburgh President of the Cape Chamber

Featured Item Press Releases
1 Aug
Help us support our children

Help us support our children

As part of our Women’s Day celebrations in August, the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be collecting and donating sanitary towels to learners who live in disadvantaged communities. Many girls in disadvantaged communities do not have access to sanitary towels and are unable to attend school during their menstrual cycle. The Chamber would like to assist with their education by providing them with this basic necessity. Should you wish to help us with this initiative please send your donations by 8 August 2017 to: Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 33 Martin Hammerschlag Way and we will receive your donations at our offices on the 4th floor of the building, or if you wish to assist with a cash donation for the purchase of sanitary towels, then please contact us on Tel: 021 4024300 or email: carmen@capechamber.co.za

Featured Item
1 Aug
Why wait to build trust when you can generate it?

Why wait to build trust when you can generate it?

Why wait to build trust when you can generate it? People buy from people they like and trust. All things being equal that is (but admittedly there comes a point where price saving compensates for lack of trust). There are a probably a number of attributes (that differ across product classes) that affect the relationship between the consumer and the brand, but I would postulate that trust ranks pretty much up there. Today, there are so many features on electronic products that it makes it difficult to rank them in preference. We have to go with how we feel about the brand. Or the salesperson. In the book Pres-suasion by Robert Cialdini, he relates the story of how Jim (his real name) managed to induce trust during the sales process of a somewhat complicated product. Jim’s company made expensive heat-activated home fire alarm systems. Pretty serious stuff. Trust, according to Cialdini, is one of those qualities that leads to compliance with requests, provided it has been planted before the request is made. The sales sequence taught to Jim and all the sales reps, was pretty standard. After a bit of small talk to build rapport, the prospects (usually a couple) […]

ED’s Blog Featured Item
27 Jul
Five remarkable SA business women chosen to receive awards from IWEC

Five remarkable SA business women chosen to receive awards from IWEC

Five remarkable South African business women have been chosen to receive awards from the International Women’s Entrepreneurial Challenge in Seattle, Washington, in the United States. They were nominated by the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry and they all run multi-million rand businesses with and combined annual turnover of nearly half a billion rands. They are: • Lesley Waterkeyn who runs Colourworks, an advertising and marketing company. • Vino Govender, who runs LA Consulting Engineers. • Tara and Tiffany Turkington, two sisters who run Flow Communications. • Savanah Maziya Danson who runs the Bunengi Group which specialises in project development in infrastructure, agriculture and natural resources. A fifth award goes to Jill Bysshe who runs National Ethical Trading, a company that deals with natural and organic products. Her award will take the form of a mentorship programme to help accelerate growth in her business. It’s inspiring to see these women building successful businesses in a difficult economic climate. They embody the spirit of enterprise that we so desperately need in this country and they set an outstanding example for others. The awards will be presented at a conference in Seattle in November. They will also meet other winners from different parts […]

Featured Item Press Releases
24 Jul
When PowerPoint is your cash register

When PowerPoint is your cash register

When PowerPoint’s your cash register The cash register in a company is often the PowerPoint presentation (not just the PowerPoint, but the whole package that comes with it – which is usually you). Although we frequently sell our work (or rather ourselves) on paper, and even sometimes verbally; in many cases the success of the sale depends on the persuasion of the PowerPoint presentation. Unfortunately, we often use PowerPoint as a drunk uses a lamppost – more for support than illumination. We place an extreme amount of focus on our product or service and yet we will spend very little time on effective presentation to sell that product or service. That’s like giving your wife a Gucci handbag wrapped in newspaper. Or your husband a radio controlled plane without the batteries. It’s about control Contrary to popular belief, the product does not sell itself. If presentation skills are so important – and they are the veritable buttons on the cash register, why do we just plug away, using whatever natural talents we were blessed with, to stand up in front of a critical audience and state our case? Having control of your bodily functions (in the non-gastrointestinal sense) is crucial […]

ED’s Blog Featured Item
17 Jul
Creative Destruction and Schumpeter’s Gale

Creative Destruction and Schumpeter’s Gale

Creative Destruction and Schumpeter’s Gale In the early 1900s, the economist Joseph Schumpeter coined the term Creative Destruction (also known as Schumpeter’s Gale). Basically (and I am probably upsetting a few ‘real’ economists here) creative destruction describes an economic order that can only develop out of the destruction of some prior economic order. [1] We can draw the conclusion that (although I have probably drawn it to its limit), that there is no such thing as a generic winning formula, because the market is in a constant state of flux. That means, what worked for company X may not work for company Y, especially in a different time and space. Also, with the exception of a few companies (so far), profitability of the individual firm itself does not endure, due to the erosive forces of imitation, competition and profit-taking that continuously change the landscape. What Creative Destruction then infers. is that you can never get the same result as a successful competitor by just copying that competitor – unless you are that successful competitor. Feelosophy The previous sentence is somewhat reminiscent of the philosophical debate that has been raging since 1270 on the question “How many angels can dance on […]

Featured Item Press Releases
17 Jul
Eskom considers paying their Executives R5.5m bonuses

Eskom considers paying their Executives R5.5m bonuses

The time to consider bonuses for Eskom executives will come when they start cancelling corrupt contracts and recovering stolen funds and not a day before. This comes after weekend reports that the Eskom board wanted to pay bonuses totalling R5.5m to three of its most controversial executives. I am amazed that bonuses have even been mentioned. It shows that the Eskom board has no understanding of the damage it has done to the South African economy, the reputation of the country or of the anger of their customers. Over the past 10 years, a succession of boards and well-paid executives has presided over the decent of Eskom from one of the top five utility companies in the world to junk status. How is it possible to even think about paying bonuses for such a disastrous performance? The country now needs to see the Asset Forfeiture Unit swing into action. There is more than enough evidence to justify the seizure of at least one coal mine that I can think of, and that’s just for starters. The whole electricity industry is changing with the advent of renewables. Eskom needs a board which understands the challenges that lie ahead and not one with […]

Featured Item Press Releases
11 Jul
Five reasons clients reject their advertising

Five reasons clients reject their advertising

Five reasons clients reject their advertising The agency gets the brief – they do the work – they show the work and get either a yay or a nay. The work is probably of a high standard, so when it is rejected they probably feel the pain acutely. However, if agencies knew the secret sauce, the frequency of rejections should decrease markedly and so should the term ‘Oh well, back to the drawing board’. Here’s the problem: agencies are just taking briefs. They should never be taken; briefs are there to be discovered. The agency is not there to answer the client’s brief – they are there to solve the client’s problem. There’s a big difference. We often ask ourselves what do we need to do to sell the product, when sometimes it’s better to ask why people don’t buy (more) of the product. Surely if you provide an answer, there must be a question? That’s why work gets rejected so often – it does not answer a question. There is no problem, so the ‘solution’ is either liked or disliked by the client – whatever takes their intuitive fancy. Granted, the more seasoned the client, the more accurate their […]

ED’s Blog Featured Item
7 Jul
ICC finds that South Africa had a duty to arrest the Sudanese President

ICC finds that South Africa had a duty to arrest the Sudanese President

The decision of the International Criminal Court finding that South Africa had a duty to arrest Sudanese president, Omaar al-Bashire, should come as no surprise since it is in line with the decisions made by our own courts. Unfortunately it will be a mark against South Africa’s name and undermine trust in the country. We cannot choose which international agreements to observe and which to ignore when we are a party to those agreements. If we do that there will be no point in making agreements with South Africa. South Africa had once been seen as the polecat of the world and the last thing we need is to re-earn that epithet. Unfortunately, ignoring the commitment and defying our own courts is also in line with recent decisions to avoid prosecuting political and well-placed executives against whom there is growing evidence of corruption. We are approaching territory where we allow the powers that be to choose which laws and commitments they enforce. That is dangerous, undemocratic territory and we must retreat from it before it is too late. Janine Myburgh President of the Cape Chamber

Featured Item Press Releases
3 Jul
Mandela Day – Want to make a difference? Be involved!

Mandela Day – Want to make a difference? Be involved!

With the country in recession and the daily stories on corruption, it has never been more important to remember and to honour the values Nelson Mandela gave to the new South Africa. He said: “I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.” We can best do this by reaching out to a community less fortunate than we are. This year the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry will celebrate Mandela Day holding out a hand to the people of Lavender Hill. You are welcome to join the Chamber staff who will be serving bread and fruit at the CAFDA Family Centre in Grassy Park on Tuesday, July 18. Help us add meaning to the occasion by donating warm clothes, non-perishable food and blankets before noon on Monday, July 17. Our address is 33 Martin Hammerschlag Way and we will receive your donations at our offices on the 4th floor of the building. For more information please contact Mary-Jean Thomas-Johnson on 021 402 4300 or email mj@capechamber.co.za

Featured Item Press Releases

ABOUT CAPE CHAMBER

Established in 1804, the Cape Chamber of Commerce is the oldest member-based organisation in Africa. The Chamber has remained contemporary and relevant with a wide range of services, including information, training, networking, trade facilitation and robust advocacy on behalf of our members. We are the voice of business.

SITE MAP

HOME
ABOUT US
EVENTS
MEMBERSHIP
SERVICES
INTEL

CONTACT US

4th Floor
33 Martin Hammerschlag Way
Foreshore
Cape Town
8001
Tel: +27 21 402-4300
Fax: +27 21 402-4302

FACEBOOK
  • Cape Chamber of Commerce
  • Contact Us

© Copyright by Cape Chamber. Created by #Fable.

Cape Chamber Newsletter

Subscribe to keep up to date with the Cape Chamber.
First Name
Last Name
Company Name
Email address