The upgraded Atlantis Business Hives with new features was officially launched by Alderman James Vos, Mayco Member for Economic Growth, on Friday 29 September.
The revamped facility includes units for traders working with a variety of goods and services, including hair care, hardware, clothing and textile, food, financial services and funeral services.
“My team and I have seen first-hand what traders needs are and are working constantly to see how best we can respond to them,” Vos said.
“These upgraded facilities are a show of our commitment as a City to providing traders with dignified, safe and clean trading conditions.”
Along with the hives the new site includes parking, ablutions, security and cleaning services.
The new Atlantis facility forms part of a wide-ranging schedule of infrastructure initiatives for informal trading sites across the metro. The City has approved a budget of R184 million to upgrade trading spaces over the next three years. Other projects are underway and due to commence in various areas within the City including Philippi and Athlone.
Vos added he was excited to see the fresh opportunities for local traders and to see how they bring fresh energy into forgotten spaces.
He said traders’ needs are not simply around infrastructure, and to that end further development of their business skills is needed. Training is being offered in the coming weeks, which will cover matters such as how to do business with the City, product development and digital marketing.
This is in addition to training offered by the City’s Business Hub, which reached 3 285 budding and existing entrepreneurs in the previous financial year through the 79 workshops it conducted on smart procurement and construction management among others.
He closed the official event by thanking the local traders and acknowledged them for “making a difference to Cape Town’s economic landscape.”
