FOCUSING on the positive is good advice but often easier said than done.
Looking around Nelson Mandela Bay, it can be difficult to see the good when the negative aspects are plain to see every day.
However, acknowledging the positives, choosing optimism and hope rather than pessimism and a sense of helplessness, enables us as citizens to regain control over our fate.
Then we can act together to realise the potential and opportunities that we see – because if we don’t, who will?
And there is a lot to be positive about.
For one, the Bay is home to leading multinational employers and homegrown tech innovators that have developed global footprints.
For example, both Isuzu Motors SA and Volkswagen Group Africa were ranked as 2025 Top Employers by the globally recognised Top Employers Institute.
Jendamark Automation recently signed an agreement with Indian technology giant Tech Mahindra to be the global partner for its locally developed Odin digital manufacturing solution.
The Bay is also home to a number of other local companies operating globally in industrial automation and software development, such as S4 Integration and Wirk, that attract top IT and engineering graduates competing to work for them.
This demonstrates that local businesses are committed to investing in the Bay and to offering favourable working environments, enabling them to attract highly skilled talent.
Another reason is our natural environment and lifestyle advantages (good schools, easy mobility, friendly community, value-for-money property, beaches and nature reserves) that make the Bay a great place to live. Property experts have recently reported that the Bay is becoming SA’s new semigration destination, offering coastal living advantages.
Thirdly, this metro has a cohort of dynamic, visionary business leaders willing to get hands-on involved in bringing about positive change.
Through 11 geographic clusters supported by the Chamber change is happening – from improved security and lighting on the beachfront to cleaning and job creation in Neave/Korsten to securing sub-stations and electricity supply in Perseverance and Struandale.
Business leaders are volunteering time and resources to these and other Chamber initiatives such as mentoring younger businesspeople and entrepreneurs, supporting small businesses with pro bono services, and engaging with metro officials through task teams driving solutions to improving service delivery and infrastructure.
We are establishing a new model of collaboration and volunteerism that the rest of the country is looking to the Bay to learn from.
By highlighting these positives, we are by no means pretending that the very visible problems don’t exist. Streetlights not working, water leaks, potholes, vandalism of infrastructure, electricity outages, lack of safety and security – the list goes on.
At the same time as the Business Chamber drives the #BayOfOpportunity campaign to build confidence and highlight the advantages of the metro to potential investors; we are also actively working to address the very real barriers to investment, tourism, and job creation.
Denise van Huyssteen is the Chief Executive Officer of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber.
