Over the last few years, many of Atlantis’ businesses have benefited by responding to opportunities created by the Atlantis Business Chamber (ABC).
This, according to ABC, which believes local small, medium and micro-enterprises (SMMEs) have benefited from the chamber’s vigorous engagements and negotiations with private companies, contractors, state owned enterprises and the local municipality.
“These engagements emphasised and compelled the adherence to the tender empowerment rules and localisation criteria that must benefit our local SMMEs,” ABC says in a press release.
Some initiatives of the chamber lead to assisting local businesses, and these include the first SMME empowerment drive for the new year, which will be the Community Based Vendor (CBV) project.
“This project will make it possible for small businesses to participate in Requests for Quotes (RFQs) and Tenders that are only for Atlantis businesses,” said ABC. “In our meeting with the City Supply Chain Team they claim to have done the same a few years ago but couldn’t prove such. The Atlantis Business Chamber told them to run the programme with the inclusion of the ABC to ensure transparency.”
Another project is the revamp of the Atlantis CBD. This project is based on a Community Action Plan, suggested and driven by community members. “This project, like many others is designed to empower local businesses and create employment,” ABC said. “But it all depends on how involved we as a community get.”
Giving the CBD a facelift is part of a continuous Mayoral Urban Regeneration Programme (MURP) project, and ABC representatives serve on the project steering committee.
ABC is a forerunner in keeping government and businesses accountable, to ensure the community is not excluded from local economic opportunities. It says: “Our continuous engagement with Eskom Power Station and Eskom Ankerlig has resulted in benefits from their Skills Development Programmes as well as their Enterprise Supply Development programme. In these programmes Eskom trains local businesses on how to do business with Eskom.
“This is an important programme, since this community is closest situated to these sites and is the most affected by the environmental risks and should therefore be beneficiaries of their opportunities, by actively responding to these economic opportunities.”
Eskom Ankerlig will start with bulk infrastructure work this year. The Atlantis Business Chamber has already secured a position on the stakeholder committee where it will ensure that locals benefit from the project. There are also near future projects that will be communicate as the projects roll out.
The Atlantis Special Economic Zone (ASEZ) claims to be the economic turnaround for Atlantis by attracting international investment which will potentially create big business and job opportunities.
Over the last eight years the ABC has ensured that it plays a major role in the project to ensure that locals do not miss out “like we did in the past” it says. “We are constantly in discussion with the CEO, Dr Pierre Voges, who has pledged his support.”
The ABC makes it clear all the work it does is to benefit the Atlantis community as a whole.
“We want our community to know that a lot of work, time and effort has gone into the activities of the Atlantis Business Chamber to make the above possible, despite the serious lack of funding for various reasons.
“This is for the sole purpose of ensuring that our community benefits from local economic opportunities and not marginalized or excluded for trivial reasons. It is therefore imperative that when we advertise opportunities for request for quotations, tenders or training, that the community responds to show interest and support for these initiatives.” The chamber also urges local businesses to make sure they are registered, fully compliant business entities. Entrepreneurs and business people who requires assistance in this regard may contact the ABC office for enquiries. Assistance for registration on all the various data bases such as the CoCT, local subcouncil, Eskom and others will be done.
“With more local business opportunities on the horizon, it is important that the youth prepare themselves in this regard through artisan and business management skills as a priority. These skills development and training opportunities will be the focus of the Atlantis Business Chamber in future, with the various service providers who have partnered with us.”
Visit www.atlantisbc.org or its Facebook page for more. Contact can also be made via email to secreatry@atlantisbc.org, atlantisbusinesschamber@gmail.com or info@atlantisbc.org
