Record revenue and the addition of new members marked a positive year for the iLembe Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism.

Revenue grew by almost R300 000 year-on-year and 25 new members joined, while an unqualified audit opinion was also received.

Speaking at the Chamber’s AGM last Thursday, outgoing Chamber president Nkonzo Mhlongo reflected on a year shaped by national policy uncertainty, muted GDP growth and fluctuating investor sentiment. While improved macroeconomic conditions in the latter half of the year supported business confidence, ongoing governance, infrastructure and service delivery concerns at local government level continued to factor into the regional operating environment.

“Parallel investigations and regulatory processes at the KwaDukuza municipality (KDM) involving Cogta, the Special Investigating Unit and Nersa further reduced planning certainty and investor confidence,” said Mhlongo.

“On the flipside, KDM was voted the best-run municipality in KZN and our region attracted R26.5-billion of investment at the KZN Investment Conference. During 2024, KwaDukuza passed the highest number of building plans per capita in KZN, a quarter of the value of all business plans passed in the province.”

Advocacy remained central to the Chamber’s mandate.

Engagements with KDM led to the establishment of a Five-a-Side Technical Task Team aimed at improving collaboration between business and local government to address infrastructure and service delivery constraints. A separate Southern Electrical Network Task Team was formed following prolonged outages, shifting focus from crisis response to long-term network resilience.

Efforts to revitalise the Isithebe Industrial Park, which accounts for 45% of the district’s manufacturing capacity, were also intensified in a bid to improve estate management and security.

The Chamber’s flagship competition and mentorship initiative, The Entrepreneur Programme, has also been extended to additional districts nationally.

In closing the AGM, a special honorarium was given to former presidents and long-term Chamber members Andy Horton and Dominic Collett for their consistent service to the iLembe business community.

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