Mario Green, vice-chairman Weskus Sakekamer, (seated) with (from left) Shandré Summers (WCBDC), Elmondo Paulse (Transnet), Renier Grosch (G3 Group) and Helena Schoeman (Sefa).
Local partnerships is one way to help ensure local businesses benefit from the new developments happening in Saldanha Bay.
The newly established West Coast Business Development Centre/ Transnet Enterprise Development Hub in Saldanha is an example of one such partnership.
Last Thursday, the Weskus Sakekamer heard that through this partnership access to options for business financing has been made considerably easier.
Also, direct access for business owners to the revenue service (SARS), “meaning a trip to Cape Town for this is no longer necessary,” explained Shandré Summers, general manager of the WCBDC.
Direct access to the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) was also incorporated in creating a “one-stop shop” for local business, said Elmondo Paulse from Transnet, tasked with enterprise and supply development in the Saldanha Bay area.
Transnet, as part of their Market Demand Strategy, is planning to spend billions of rands on the West Coast alone, and Paulse says he wants to develop local suppliers to ensure a win-win situation for all involved.
He said under the government’s Operation Phakisa (“hurry up”) about seven to eight billion rand has been budgeted towards infrastructure development in the Saldanha Bay area and the new industrial development zone (IDZ).
“The West Coast is going to change, so we must change. We must change collectively and take ownership of these changes,” said Paulse.
Referring to a previous enquiry from a white business owner, Paulse said black-owned business has to be accommodated, but white business owners need not fear that only the former will receive contracts. “Together we must make it work,” he said.
The hub offers access to business finance through the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (Sefa), represented in the hub by Helena Schoeman, and the G3 Group (Renier Grosch).
Sefa offers business loans of between R50 000 and R5 million at an interest rate of 14% (12,5% in special cases).
Financial services group, G3 Group, offers loans and grants from R1 million upwards, but subject to strict requirements.
“This is our West Coast. For too long we have allowed that it be taken from us. The next generation will hold it against us if we don’t act now. Working together, taking hands, the watchword is partnerships,” concluded Mario Green, vice-chairman of the Weskus Sakekamer.
Vredenburg farmer, Hennie Steenkamp, commented that all these plans and visions are great, but Transnet needs to come and mend their fences on his farm Nooitgedacht, adjacent to the turn-off to St. Helena Bay. “Your trains are killing my sheep,” he said. Paulse told Weslander he will look into the matter
