Business chamber meeting

LYDENBURG – The Lydenburg/Mashishing Business Chamber held their last member meeting on Tuesday.

During a previous meeting between the business chambers of Lydenburg/Mashising, Sabie and Graskop – the latter two chambers AHI affiliated – a unanimous decision was taken to establish the Thaba Chweu Business Forum (TCBF) with immediate effect to address issues that negatively impact on the business environment within the Thaba Chweu Local Municipality and to work for the advancement of business opportunities.

During this meeting the executive committee of the Lydenburg/Mashishing Business Chamber, decided to give recognition to some of these individuals who contributed to the town’s business and community life.

For their relentless contribution to the community, the following people were awarded: Mr Chris Jankowitz (Wenakker), Ms Jeanetta Kruger (Rusoord), Past Zodwa Hlatswayo (Uzenzela Wena Orphanage), Ms Hantie Bezuidenhout (Lydenburg Dienssentrum), Past André Hanekom (Pastors’ Fraternal and the new umbrella association for all charities in town) and Mr Mohammed Cassim (vice-chair of the chamber, for his hard work liaising with Eskom and the council and for ensuring that the town had water during the power outages earlier this year.)

For professional and friendly service to the Lydenburg/Mashishing business community, the following employees were awarded for going the extra mile: Mr Reinet Bell (Highlands Panorama News), Ms Toeks van Zyl (Hengel & Kuns), Ms Annetjie Barnard (sales manager 4U Office), Ms Pinkie Mnisi and Ms Bongi Tonga (McGee & Co).

These ad-hoc awards were made without any lengthy nomination or voting process, as a first attempt to say thank you for work that is done, mostly behind the scenes. The chamber aims to grow this process, with public participation, into an important annual event.The chamber also heard from Past Hanekom about the needs of the different welfare organisations in Lydenburg.

The new acting municipal manager, Mr Godfrey Nkosi also attended the meeting and said, “We are here to ensure service excellence and to build relationships. Gone are the days when the municipality and businesses are poles apart. That is why we as Thaba Chweu Municipality would like to interact with an integrated business chamber.”

Nkosi confirmed that the newly appointed rescue team was qualified and committed to turn around the current situation of poor service delivery. “People must pay for services and those who owe money, must come forward to make an arrangement. Many are milking the municipality. We cannot carry on hiring equipment at exorbitant prices – we need our own fleet,” he said.

He also emphasised that infrastructure issues rank highly on their agenda and promised that changes would be visible in the nearby future. “We are only administrators and not politicians,” Nkosi said.

Ms Gerda Whitehorn also urged businesses to get in contact for the up and coming 2014 Lydenburg/Mashishing Business Directory. A competition is now running for the front page of the directory in which the winner will receive a weekend getaway at Paardeplaats nature reserve. She said the winner of last year’s picture, Mr Des Jacobs, decided to step aside this year allowing for other up and coming photographers to enter.

Enquiries: Whitehorn on 079-515-7799.