Alliance now reality

In a game-changing move for the Onderberg, Nkomazi Local Municipality has taken hands with the major Nkomazi-based business chambers, to ensure issues affecting business are addressed. This collaborative approach promises to greatly benefit the entire business community.
The agreement is the culmination of nine years’ worth of attempts at constructive engagement.
To this end, Nkomazi organised business, represented by various regional chambers, has long sought to constructively and formally engage in a partnership with local government. The challenge has been that of bringing a single local government entity into contact with a fully representative face of business. Given the fresh winds blowing through the land, there have recently been mutual outreaches between the private sector and local government, and also between major chambers in Nkomazi, to achieve a solution and establish a sustainable relationship with Nkomazi Local Municipality.

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The chairmen of the three primary business chambers in Nkomazi have announced that the Nkomazi Business Alliance (NBA) is now a reality. Consisting at inception of Nkomazi East Combined Commerce and Tourism Association (NECCTA) of Komatipoort, and the Nkomazi Business Chamber representing Nkomazi South and Malelane Business Chamber, it represents the single combined face of Nkomazi organised business as recognised by local government. The parties formally signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday September 30.
For the better part of a year, the individual chambers and the director for planning, Nkomazi, Penny Sibisi, have been in informal discussions related to better cooperation between business and local government. This has culminated in a decision by the three major chambers to form an alliance, with the specific goal of assisting the municipality in aligning service delivery with basic economic development imperatives.
Mel Preddy confirmed that the intention of the alliance will focus exclusively on the Nkomazi geographical area. Its first formal order of business, once cooperation agreements with Nkomazi Municipality have been formalized, will be to provide comprehensive input into the budget planning for the coming financial year, with priority on enabling business, and in particular tourism, to develop unfettered by infrastructure constraints. This means that real business people will have real opportunities to influence their environments.

Elliot Ngwenya, chairman of Nkomazi Business Chamber, stated that the agreement between the alliance members ensures that each remains fully independent, with its own members.

The chambers remain individually responsible to their members. The agreement also makes provision for incorporation of other appropriately constituted business chambers and local tourism associations within Nkomazi to join the alliance. Each alliance member will retain an equal standing with other member organisations.

Preddy stated that the individuals forming the core team behind the establishment of the initiative have been at it for 10 years and more.

Over time, many attempts have been made to fruitfully engage with local government, including previous attempts at creating combined forums. Few of these have resulted in sustained commitment from local government. This persistence may however finally pay off, resulting in true change for Nkomazi and mirroring the aspirations of our president at national level.

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The initiative will be assisted by capitalising on similar, successful initiatives elsewhere, in particular in KwaZulu-Natal, which is known for well-structured alliances between government and civil society. The team, in conjunction with other organisations active in Nkomazi, will be engaging with acknowledged experts in the various fields involved.
According to Jan Engelbrecht of NECCTA, a lot is currently at stake. The Special Economic Zone development for Nkomazi, located near Komatipoort, is a reality with infrastructure already under development.
This will be followed with close interest by Nkomazi business, along with the establishment of a framework for City Improvement Districts (CIDs) that have been proven successful in Mbombela and the larger metropolis in South Africa.
Enquiries can be directed to any of the chamber leaders. Elliot Ngwenya (Nkomazi South and Alliance convener):
076-827-3397, Mel Preddy (Malalane):
082-777-6067 and Jan Engelbrecht (NECCTA): 082-784-5682.