Eastern Cape Business 2017 edition
The 2017 edition of Eastern Cape Business is the 10th issue of this highly successful publication that, since its launch in 2006, has established itself as the premier business and investment guide to the Eastern Cape Province. The Eastern Cape enjoys an abundance of natural and human resources, as well as established industrial infrastructure that drives the economy of the province. This includes three ports and two industrial development zones which are home to a wide range of manufacturers and exporters. The 2017 edition includes an in-depth look at the province’s two Industrial Development Zones, a focus on skills development and investment climate information from the Nelson Mandela Business Chamber and the Border-Kei Chamber of Business.
The 2017 edition of Eastern Cape Business is the 10th issue of this highly successful publication that, since its launch in 2006, has established itself as the premier business and investment guide to the Eastern Cape Province. The Eastern Cape enjoys an abundance of natural and human resources, as well as established industrial infrastructure that drives the economy of the province. This includes three ports and two industrial development zones which are home to a wide range of manufacturers and exporters.
The 2017 edition includes an in-depth look at the province’s two Industrial Development Zones, a focus on skills development and investment climate information from the Nelson Mandela Business Chamber and the Border-Kei Chamber of Business.
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
OVERVIEW<br />
Development finance<br />
and SMME support<br />
Seed money is available for forestry ventures and much more.<br />
SECTOR INSIGHT<br />
Recycled pineapple waste<br />
is living again as outdoor<br />
furniture.<br />
• SEDA opened a new technology<br />
research and development<br />
centre in 2016.<br />
There are a wide range of options available for the financing of<br />
small business ventures in the <strong>Eastern</strong> <strong>Cape</strong>. The big retail banks<br />
have desks dedicated to promoting small enterprise and several<br />
agencies have a specific focus, for example the <strong>Eastern</strong> <strong>Cape</strong> Rural<br />
Development Agency (ECRDA).<br />
In promoting forestry enterprise, the ECRDA reported in 2015/16 having<br />
made R15-million available, while the <strong>Eastern</strong> <strong>Cape</strong> Development<br />
Corporation (ECDC) had contributed R8.3-million and the Development<br />
Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) R64-million. This is a good example of<br />
the variety of funding mechanisms available.<br />
The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) is another financing<br />
institution that is very active in the <strong>Eastern</strong> <strong>Cape</strong>. Several development<br />
agencies receive support from the IDC: Nelson Mandela<br />
Bay Development Agency; Blue Crane Development Agency; and<br />
Nkonkobe Development Agency.<br />
Two of the ECDC’s seven business units are devoted to small business:<br />
Development Finance and Enterprise Development. The ECDC<br />
has several financial products tailored to meet the various needs of<br />
business, entrepreneurs and investors, ranging from short-term to<br />
long-term finance and small- and micro-loans. The ECDC and the<br />
Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) jointly run the TIA-ECD Innovation<br />
Seed Fund Programme, which aims to identify and co-fund earlier<br />
stage technology innovation projects in the <strong>Eastern</strong> <strong>Cape</strong>.<br />
In the first three quarters of<br />
2015/16, the ECDC disbursed<br />
R72.1-million to 198 small businesses,<br />
creating about 1 415 jobs.<br />
Most of the money went to rural<br />
areas, including the OR Tambo<br />
(28%) and Alfred Nzo (14%) and<br />
Amathole (4%) districts. Sixtyone<br />
youth-owned businesses<br />
received R20.7-million and<br />
R15.5-million went to 58 womenowned<br />
businesses.<br />
In its role as a provider of advice,<br />
the ECDC assisted a delegation<br />
from the Amahlubi Traditional<br />
Council when it attended the<br />
World Forestry Congress. This<br />
is part of the DBSA Jobs Funds<br />
Forestry projects. Help Desks<br />
have been established to support<br />
small business in Port Elizabeth<br />
and East London.<br />
One of the companies supported<br />
by the ECDC, outdoor<br />
furniture manufacturer PolyFibre<br />
Pty (Ltd), has received SABS approval<br />
for its products, which<br />
EASTERN CAPE BUSINESS <strong>2017</strong><br />
54
Change language