This is according to the president of Nocci, Pieter Botha, who tells the OFM Business Hour, that it is a new dawn for the chamber following the election of a new committee in February 2022. 

The committee’s goals include: working alongside local government, upping the ante on events, and expanding the reach of the chamber across the vast central South African province. 

Botha says the latter goal will be met by getting all the defunct chambers in various parts of the Northern Cape up and running again. 

On the issue of challenges in the province, Botha says poor service delivery is continuing to be a heavy burden on local businesses. 

He adds that road infrastructure in the Northern Cape is dilapidated, further stressing that “businesses cannot continue to function this way”. 

Botha says they have engaged local and provincial government on the issue of service delivery despite numerous postponed meetings. He says the Chamber wants to see improvements in service delivery or they will be taking further action against the government in future. 

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The Nocci president also commented briefly on the recent R1.50 temporary reduction in the general fuel levy by Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, which led to the cost of fuel rising moderately last week. 

Botha says whilst it provides some relief for businesses, it remains “a drop in the ocean”. He believes more still needs to be done to lower input costs for small businesses in South Africa. 

The Chief Executive Officer of Nocci, Sharon Steyn, previously urged businesses in Central South Africa to make use of their local chambers and not just sit on the sidelines.

Steyn said it’s vital to be affiliated with business chambers - the voice of business - because it enables you to have access to a national network of small businesses, institutes and chambers, not forgetting having a direct line to government.

She stressed that it is of no use if a business merely joins a chamber but doesn't participate.

Listen to the full interview with Botha below: