Have Your Say: Launching the Cape Chamber's 2026 National Business Environment Survey
The Cape Chamber is excited to announce the launch of our latest Business Environment Survey, a key tool underpinning our efforts to help grow the regional economy.
The survey is simpler and clearer than ever before—it takes less than 15 minutes to complete—and is specifically designed to identify the business chokepoints requiring urgent attention.
The more businesses that respond via the survey, the greater our collective insight into the systemic challenges and the stronger our ability to address them.
In this way, we continue the work we are doing on multiple fronts, helping to reduce impediments to growth such as freight logistics bottlenecks and load-shedding. The results of previous surveys have helped us effect meaningful change; with our latest survey, we hope to make an even bigger impact.
Conducted by Stellenbosch University's Bureau for Economic Research (BER), our annual Business Environment Survey is informed by a central question: "What does business need from others?" By answering this question, survey respondents enable us to mobilise responsible institutions and the required expertise.
But it doesn't stop there. Our role includes holding institutions accountable for implementing the changes needed to assist business—reporting on progress, or the lack thereof. In addition, the BER's quarterly Business Confidence Index surveys provide a platform for the continuous monitoring of overall business sentiment.
To achieve maximum effect, the Business Environment Survey is structured according to systemic focal areas. Respondents are asked to identify business improvement priorities across four spheres of operation: enterprise, precinct, sector, and the regional business environment. In this way, the survey seeks to cover the broad sweep of business operations, from the individual enterprise level to a company's participation in the entire regional economy.
In our view, this survey model can be applied countrywide, wherever organisations wish to enhance the interests of their business members. We invite other business chambers to participate, thereby giving us the power of comparing various places, and to identify and emphasise common challenges.
Why is this important? Because it helps us become more effective for our members and stakeholders. It also helps build a continuous improvement system for bottom-up economic development.
Why does this matter? Because our country needs change to overcome its challenges. By helping to effect that change, we make a profound and lasting economic impact.
To reverse the decline, we as business organisations need to provide clear leadership and direction.
Please watch our communication channels in the coming days for the survey link and details on how to participate. We invite all business stakeholders, big and small, to help us confront these problems and, more importantly, to become part of the solution.
John Lawson, CEO of the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry