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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.

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Upcoming Events

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Front Desk Reception - Workshop

18th June 2019 08:30

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India-South Africa Business Forum - Exploring Mutual Trade and Investment Opportunities

18th June 2019 09:00

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Marketing and Branding Workshop

18th June 2019 10:00

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How to complete your Income Tax Return - CPD Webinar

19th June 2019 13:00

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Innovation Master Class: Innovation and Digital Portfolio Committee

19th June 2019 13:00

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Wills - CPD Webinar

24th June 2019 13:00

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City's Transport Budget 2019/2020 - Prioritising congestion, public transport & facilities

25th June 2019 11:00

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Cape Coast Chapter Lunchtime Networking Event

26th June 2019 12:00

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LATEST NEWS

12 Jun
The clampdown on mayoral gravy trains is the best news in weeks

The clampdown on mayoral gravy trains is the best news in weeks

The Chamber has welcomed the clampdown on mayoral gravy trains and other wasteful expenditure by municipalities. This is the best news we’ve had in weeks. Nearly two thirds of our municipalities are dysfunctional or in financial distress and it is high time that firm action was taken. The clampdown takes place on the instructions of the Minister of Finance, Mr Tito Mboweni. Further evidence of municipal failures is the fact that they owed Eskom R17 billion. What seems to be happening is that many municipalities collect money for electricity from consumers and then spend it on other projects. This is not just wrong but it is also dishonest. We welcome the ban on free drinks at council meetings, restrictions on catering, limiting entertainment expenses for qualifying officials to just R2 000 a year, the ban on credit cards linked to municipal accounts and only economy class tickets for flights. Perhaps the most important change is the restriction on the use of expensive consultants, often to do work that should be done by well-paid municipal officials. The Zondo commission of enquiry has taught us that one of the most widely used forms of corruption is the over payment of consultants and facilitators, often […]

Featured Item Press Releases
29 May
Join our Team – Events / Digital Manager

Join our Team – Events / Digital Manager

The Cape Chamber of Commerce & Industry is looking for a dynamic Events/Digital Manager. The Chamber is a highly respected brand with a heritage that spans 215 years. The successful applicant will have an exciting opportunity to lead a small team comprised of secretariat, event coordinators and digital specialists. This is no ordinary leadership position – the Chamber serves over 2 000 businesses, and the staff in your department cover the full spectrum – from baby boomers to millennials. As such, you will need to be an exceptional communicator. Not only will you be experienced in events and traditional marketing, but you will be up to date with the latest in digital strategy (Xero, HTML and database management shouldn’t scare you) and there must be very little about social media you don’t know. The Chamber is a service organization and deadlines are part of the job. You will travel frequently in the Peninsula, so you are required to have a reliable vehicle. You will report to the Executive Director. Duties include the following: • Oversee the operation of the department, including the design of an organizational structure adequate for achieving the department’s goals and objectives. • To ensure that the […]

Featured Item Press Releases
16 May

Cape Chamber turns 215 years old

The Cape Chamber, which was formed in 1804, five years before Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin were born, celebrates its 215th anniversary on May 24. Commercial methods were primitive and it was to be three years before the slave trade was officially ended and another 36 years before the first postage stamp, the penny black, was issued in 1840. Before that people paid to receive letters just as they now pay to receive e-mails. It was a different world with different challenges and we not only survived them all, we thrived on them. The last few years have been tough for business in the region, but we have been very active in our support for a healthy business environment for our 2 000 plus member companies. Prudent strategic choices in the face of adversity have enabled the Chamber to grow and flourish. The focus has been on innovation, our core strategy of engagement and the fact that – as seen in third party research – we have become more relevant with brand equity that has grown substantially. The Chamber has a proud record of innovation, support for a free Press and lobbying for progress on matters like railways, postage, banking […]

Featured Item Press Releases
13 May
The annual IWEC 2019 (International Women’s Entrepreneurial Challenge)

The annual IWEC 2019 (International Women’s Entrepreneurial Challenge)

Entries for the annual International Women’s Entrepreneurial Challenge, which is run in South Africa by the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry, close on May 22. The competition gives women who own and run businesses an introduction to an international gathering of entrepreneurs and opportunities to network and develop global connections for their companies. IWEC was established in Barcelona in 2007 for women business owners who are already in the global marketplace and want to expand or those who are ripe to get into the market and learn from other women leaders. An important aspect of IWEC awardees is their commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility programs in mentoring, board participation, community outreach and sustainability. The IWEC competition gives woman-owned businesses with a turnover of $1,5 million (ZAR 21 Million), are involved in international trade and have been operating for more than three years, an opportunity to enter this esteemed competition. This year successful local entrants will attend a conference of winners in November in New Delhi, India, the fastest growing economy in the world. Previous conferences have been held in Shanghai, Belgium, Sweden, Turkey, Peru, Cape Town, Seattle and Barcelona. Further information and entry forms can be obtained from Mary-Jean on […]

Featured Item Press Releases
9 May
The expo designed to energise the small business sector

The expo designed to energise the small business sector

The Chamber’s annual Small Business Development Expo, which is designed to help and energise the small business sector, takes place on Friday, May 17, at the River Club in Observatory. Admission is free and with top speakers and more than 60 exhibitors there will be exciting opportunities to find solutions to business problems and get new ideas for future developments and growth. The fact that the number of exhibitors and attendance has more than doubled in the last four years shows that the Expo meets an important need at a time when the country desperately needs economic growth. It is up to the business community to take the initiative and show the way. We can rely on support from the public sector, particularly the Province and the City but only business can provide the energy, enterprise and innovation to make things happen and create jobs. The Expo will provide opportunities to talk directly to the authorities such as the City of cape Town’s Enterprise and Investment Department, the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission and the Department Economic Development and Tourism as well as businesses which specialise in providing services to small firms. Speakers will include George Cloete of the Department of […]

Featured Item Press Releases
9 Apr
Business Acts to Solve the Electricity Problem

Business Acts to Solve the Electricity Problem

Business is taking the initiative to bring together the Province, the City, Green Cape, industry experts and energy users to develop a response to the electricity crisis at a special summit in Cape Town next week. This follows the devastating losses suffered by business during the recent period of extreme load shedding. We can’t leave the problem to Eskom and have no option but to act in the interests of the people of the Western Cape. We have convened this summit because we are all in this together and we have to find ways to emerge from the crisis with new hope for energy security and economic growth. We hope those attending the summit will also realise that the present management of Eskom has inherited the problem and they need help. Eskom has now become a burning platform which requires cool heads, strong leadership and the best innovative minds in the world to get us out of this crisis. The summit will be about understanding the range of problems and finding solutions rather than apportioning blame. Eskom is welcome and we will leave it to the courts to deal with the culprits who have brought this crisis upon the nation. With Eskom […]

Featured Item Press Releases
4 Apr
Emergency Summit to Deal with Blackout Threats

Emergency Summit to Deal with Blackout Threats

The Electricity Summit will arm businesses with all the information they need to make the best decisions on how to deal with load shedding and the threat of sudden blackouts. The emergency Summit is being convened by the Chamber after the devastating losses to commerce and industry as a result of load shedding. It takes place on Monday, April 15 at the River Club in Mowbray. We have had extraordinary co-operation from the Province, the City, Green Cape and the energy industry to bring the best brains to the summit to help us plan the way forward. The summit will be opened by Ms Helen Zille, the Premier of the Western Cape. She will be followed by Hildegard Fast, the Province’s Energy Security Game Changer, who will deal with future energy issues and plans. The Cape Town municipality, the distributor of electricity, will play a vital role and Kadri Nassiep, the Executive Director of Energy and Climate Change, will call on his 25 years in the field to outline City’s views on the energy status and future issues. The City has the 180 MW Steenbras pump storage scheme which can provide vital back-up in emergencies. Bruce Raw, the Chief Strategy Officer […]

Featured Item Press Releases
26 Mar
Majority of Cape Town property owners believe current property valuations system is unfair

Majority of Cape Town property owners believe current property valuations system is unfair

The vast majority of Cape Town business and residential property owners believe that their properties have been significantly overvalued by the City and that the present system of determining valuations is unfair. In a survey of our member base, 63.2% of respondents saw the rating system as a wealth tax while only 36.8% said it was a reasonable way to raise revenue for local government. What surprised us most was the number of properties which our respondents said were overvalued by 100% or more. One would expect variations of perhaps 20% but when the 100% figures appear then it is clear that something is very wrong. Nearly 61% of respondents said their business properties were overvalued while 73% said their residential properties were overvalued. In response to the question “Leaving sentiment aside, if you were offered the equivalent of municipal valuation for your property would you accept or reject the offer” 57% said they would accept the offer and sell their properties. This is a very significant comment as it reveals the real extent of dissatisfaction with the valuations and that people have no confidence in the system. This was confirmed when more than 82% of respondents said they did not believe the […]

Featured Item Press Releases
18 Mar
New round of extreme load shedding

New round of extreme load shedding

The new round of extreme load shedding gives businesses and municipalities no option but to look for other suppliers of electricity. We have already seen the whole Old Mutual office complex in Pinelands go off grid and we will see many more cases like this because businesses cannot cope with an unreliable supply of electricity. The present crisis is hurting businesses, municipalities and Eskom. Business needs electricity to survive. Eskom desperately needs to sell more power to keep going but instead finds its revenue going down while its costs increase as it has to use expensive diesel to keep its emergency gas turbines going. In addition, Eskom has to spend more money on long overdue maintenance. Any business person knows what falling sales and rising costs mean for a company. The situation will also hurt struggling municipalities which rely on electricity income to subsidise their costs and keep their distribution systems and rate-paying commercial and industrial firms going. This has created a situation where roof-top solar looks more attractive every month and where municipalities like Cape Town want to make use of independent power producers. They have no choice. The long-term effects will be bad for Eskom, the country and for […]

Featured Item Press Releases
12 Mar
Janine Myburgh hands over Chamber reigns to the new President

Janine Myburgh hands over Chamber reigns to the new President

The Cape Chamber could not be in better hands as I hand the reigns over to Mr Geoffrey Jacobs. I’ve served as president for five eventful years which saw a rise in the Chamber’s profile. This was confirmed by independent research which found that the Chamber brand equity had significantly increased during this time. The new president is well equipped for the job. Geoff is probably the best qualified president we have had in recent years. He was brought up on the Cape Flats, educated in Athlone and went on to earn Masters degrees in business administration and history. Most of his experience in the business world has been in the human resources field. I am particularly pleased that he is a former school principal with a deep and practical understanding of education. I believe this will be of great importance as we go forward for there is nothing like knowledge to break down social and professional barriers. South Africa has too many underachieving schools and that leads to underachieving lives. We see the results in business, and it is my wish that business and the Chamber will take a greater interest in education, especially basic education and I’m sure Geoff will […]

Featured Item Press Releases
11 Mar
Cape Town will be staging the 2023 Netball World Cup

Cape Town will be staging the 2023 Netball World Cup

The Cape Chamber is delighted that Cape Town will be staging the 1922 Netball World Cup. It is once again proof that the City at the foot of Table Mountain has the power to draw and stage international events and that will be good for business, good for jobs and good for tourism. The tournament will put Cape Town on TV screens around the world and it should be a great advertisement for everything we have to offer. At the same time it will be a challenge. The centre of the tournament will be the underused Good Hope Centre and it will be good to see the centre brought back to life, but the big challenge will be to improve the surrounding areas. This is a vital historic part of the City which has been much neglected in recent years. We have unfinished buildings, open spaces and a planning vacuum. I hope the City sees this as a challenge to deal with old problems and a sorry story of injustice. Perhaps it will even give it a new District Six or should we call it District Seven for luck and a future of renewal. Janine Myburgh President of the Cape Chamber

Featured Item Press Releases
8 Mar
The best that can be said about the new electricity tariff increases

The best that can be said about the new electricity tariff increases

The best that can be said about the new round of Eskom electricity tariff increases is that they are not as bad as they might have been. We are still looking at three years of above inflation increases with the bitter knowledge that every time we pay for electricity we are paying for corruption and incompetent management. Naturally we are pleased that Nersa has curbed Eskom demands but this does not solve the problem. It is now up to Eskom to cut its costs. It is time to ask questions about how many jobs Eskom has destroyed in the last decade when electricity tariffs were increased by about 300%. We know that that half the foundries in the country have had to close down because they could not afford the electricity. The aluminium smelters have closed down and how many mine shafts have been put on care and maintenance? Perhaps even worse is the number of mining and industrial projects that have been put on hold or cancelled because the price of electricity made them uneconomic. We also want to know why Eskom was unable to collect debts from many municipalities which together owed R38 billion for electricity. Some people pay […]

Featured Item Press Releases
6 Mar
Rail Enforcement Unit proves battle against vandals and copper thieves can be won

Rail Enforcement Unit proves battle against vandals and copper thieves can be won

In its first three months of operation the new Rail Enforcement Unit has already proved that the battle against copper thieves and vandals can be won. In the past 12 months the value of damage to the Metro Rail system was R107.7m but in the three months from November last year to February this year the amount of damage sustained was zero, according to a joint report by Metrorail, the City of Cape Town and the Provincial Government. This is due to the co-operation between all three organisations and private security. When we all work together we can win this battle and save Cape Town’s vital rail system. In fact, the joint effort gained ground as the value of goods recovered during the three months was greater than the value of goods stolen with the losses due to theft amounting to R858 000 while the value of goods recovered was more than R2.6m. It is successes like this which turn the tide. We have a long way to go but the knowledge that security staff are making a difference will give them more confidence and that, in turn, will improve their performance. The next step in the battle is to make […]

Featured Item Press Releases
27 Feb
City’s bid to buy renewable energy directly from independent power producers

City’s bid to buy renewable energy directly from independent power producers

The Cape Chamber has welcomed the attempt by the City of Cape Town to speed up its bid to be allowed to buy renewable energy directly from independent power producers. At present the matter between the City, the Department of Energy and NERSA is before the Gauteng High Court but the City now wants it to be treated as urgent. The recent load shedding and the threat of more to come makes it essential for all cities and the economy as a whole to have access to additional sources of electricity. New solar and wind power would cost about 80 cents a unit which is more expensive than the wholesale price the City pays Eskom for electricity but with the kind of tariff increases being demanded, 80 cents a unit will be a very good price in a few years time. Renewable energy will be entirely financed by the independent power producers and will not affect the City or Eskom’s borrowings. The plan is to limit the renewable energy projects to a total of 400 MW. This is a relatively small amount of power when compared to the 1 800 MW supplied by the Koeberg nuclear power station. In addition, […]

Featured Item Press Releases
25 Feb
Frightening aspects of the Draft Expropriation Bill

Frightening aspects of the Draft Expropriation Bill

One of the most frightening aspects of the Draft Expropriation Bill is that it gives our 257 municipalities the right to expropriate property without compensation. In the letter of objection to the Bill I’ve said that the biggest demand for land was in the urban areas so municipalities would be the authorities most likely to do the expropriating and they would be given dangerous powers which most of them were not competent or equipped to use. The performance of our municipalities leaves a great deal to be desired. This is clear from the fact that only 33 of our 257 municipalities obtained clean audits last year and the auditor general has complained of the lack of accountability and that his advice is simply ignored. In addition, there was a vast corruption problem with, for example, municipalities collecting money for electricity and spending it on other projects instead of paying Eskom. Municipalities now owe the electricity company R17 billion. Municipalities cannot be trusted to implement expropriation without compensation fairly and with the administrative justice demanded by section 33 of the Constitution. The Bill gives five examples where “nil compensation” would be justified but it also states that expropriation without compensation is […]

Featured Item Press Releases
22 Feb
Budget announcement designed only to keep us afloat until after elections

Budget announcement designed only to keep us afloat until after elections

This budget will not solve any of South Africa’s pressing economic problems or bring us closer to solutions. The Chamber’s impression is that it is a holding or “treading water” budget designed to keep us afloat until after the election. We have urgent problems like dealing with Eskom and the other state-owned entities which are on the verge of bankruptcy. Drastic measures are required but if we expected them in the budget we have every reason to be disappointed. The Minister did not shy away from the seriousness of our problems and warned that that we would have to deal with bitter fruit but he offered us little we will have to wait until after the election. Predictions of an economic growth rate of 1.5% are optimistic and, weighed against an increase in the debt-to-gdp rate, it is clear that we are slipping backwards. It was clear from the Minister’s remarks that he knows what kind of decisions will have to be made in the near future but the question is whether there will be the political will to make those decisions. At present the indications are that there is such a diversity of opinions in the ruling alliance that […]

Featured Item Press Releases
15 Feb
SOPA 2019 painted a clear picture of where SA could be without corruption

SOPA 2019 painted a clear picture of where SA could be without corruption

Premier Helen Zille’s State of the Province address and her account of the progress made in the Western Cape give a clear picture of where South Africa could be without the corruption that has plagued many other provinces and state-owned enterprises. Nothing says this more clearly than the Auditor General’s figures on local government where only 33 municipalities out of 257 achieved clean audits and 21 of them were in the Western Cape. This is a clear indication that the corruption problem is well contained in the Western Cape and it is surely one of the most important reasons for our success. In the public sector as a whole the Western Cape achieved had 83% clean audits. Next best was Gauteng with 52%. The figures clearly show that the Western Cape is the leading province in the country and the best place to live. The number of jobs  created in the Western Cape had increased by 25% over the last 10 years while job numbers grew by only 18.8% in Gauteng and 8.8% in KZN. In almost every area the record of success is outstanding and the indications for the future are good. Even a field like agriculture grew and […]

Featured Item Press Releases
11 Feb
Shocked by load shedding

Shocked by load shedding

The Chamber is shocked by the sudden dramatic increase in load shedding. How is it possible for six units to go down at the same time? It is just too much of a co-incidence and we must ask if this is not another case of sabotage? Sabotage was blamed for a previous bout of load shedding, but the form it took was never explained to the public, except for workers who prevented coal deliveries from taking place. Stage Four load shedding is very serious indeed and it will affect commerce and industry. This will also affect the jobs of other workers, especially in heavy industry and it is time that workers whose jobs are at risk raised their voices. The new crisis will affect businesses confidence and I can see foreign investor turning away and looking elsewhere for investment opportunities. To make matters worse the blow has come in the middle of the tourist season and at a vital time for agriculture, two of our most important industries. In the long term it will also mean more businesses and home owners making decisions to go off grid leading to further problems for Eskom and its staff. Janine Myburgh President of the Cape […]

Featured Item Press Releases
8 Feb
Courageous State of the Nation Address

Courageous State of the Nation Address

The Chamber has praised the courageous State of the Nation Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa and says business will support the reforms he announced. We have to warn, however, that implementing the changes will be a major challenge and bring Ramaphosa into conflict with members of his own ruling alliance. The big threat is from the unions at Eskom who have already shown that they are willing to strike and obstruct coal deliveries no matter how much damage this will do to the country. The speech also revealed that the President has a deep understanding of the fundamental problems that are crippling the economy. The one disappointment was the reiteration of the dangerous expropriation without compensation policy which is likely to undo much of what he is trying to achieve. The Chamber is pleased to note his determination to eradicate corruption and the strengthening of the National Prosecuting Authority to speed up the process. If he is successful we may need some new jails. We also welcome the new emphasis on technical education for the modern world but the introduction of tablets in schools is something that will have to be handled with great care. It is a very cheap […]

Featured Item Press Releases
4 Feb
Keeping car licence fee increases down to 3% for the WC is a significant achievement

Keeping car licence fee increases down to 3% for the WC is a significant achievement

Keeping car licence fee increases down to 3% for the Western Cape is a significant achievement for the provincial government. It is also a pleasant surprise for the public who have been left punch drunk from a series of above inflation increases in administered prices over the last few years. Many of us thought 3% increases were an extinct species. It will also help the Cape to deal with the problem of motorists and truck owners licensing their vehicles in other provinces where licence fees are artificially low to “poach” business from the Western Cape. It is happening in an election year, but it is still a welcome indication that costs are under control in the province. Janine Myburgh President of the Cape Chamber

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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.

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