Gauteng Business 2016 edition

INTERVIEW Randburg CCI

INTERVIEW Randburg CCI steering local business A finalist in the SADC South, 2015 Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government Awards, Linda Blackbeard is the dynamic and driven CEO of the Randburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry, an organisation that doesn’t take can’t or no for an answer, when it comes to standing up for the rights and needs of local business. Please share with us some of the success stories of your Chamber? In the last couple of years we have done a lot to unite business in the Randburg, Sandton and Midrand region and, in the process, have succeeded in creating awareness of what we as a Chamber can effectively do for the business community. We have achieved a lot for our members this year and have earned credibility a lot of out in the market place. What is the Chamber’s representation in terms of all communities? SMME’s and black businesses form a large part of our Chamber, We have a very strong BEE component. We’ve facilitated many worthwhile introductions and given assistance to the newer businesses through training courses and are in the process of negotiating with CoJ, to set up a central business hub that will allow us to offer a one stop info and assistance location. Many of the young businesses don’t know where or who to go to for help, so we will step in here to guide and assist them. Tell me about the trade delegations you lead? Much emphasis on cross-border business opportunities has enabled us to develop excellent relationships with our SADC countries. This is a very strong point for which Chambers is well known. It includes facilitating cross border trade and investment opportunities as well as introductions for agencies & development/ investment into Africa. We have at present excellent relations with Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi, Nigeria, and Taiwan. Our relationships with various Taiwanese companies have enabled us to negotiate the rights to purchase the use of their technology and machinery in RSA. They offer transfer of skills to the local businesses in RSA, to enable them to manufacture goods needed in our country. The technology and the especially their knowledge, is way ahead of us, so this is proving to be such a valuable and important relationship for businesses RSA. Strong relationships built with a number of European investors, interested in various local projects, is proving most beneficial. We focus a lot on energy and water as well as green projects. Our Rural water purification project, to supply clean healthy drinking water to the RSA rural areas; is a very difference concept, where the rural communities benefit financially from this to help them grow and develop. How else does the Chamber play a role? We do Certificates of Origin and are officially accredited officers. We work closely with the City of Jo’burg and sit on their business and tourism sub committees. We will do anything we can to help businesses. I believe its always best to establish what the needs of business is, so we offer the correct benefits to members. We face a tough year with the prospect of more interest rate hikes, along with other issues such as energy supply and water shortages, but for every problem there is a solution. We don’t like to look at the negatives, we prefer to focus the positive options. It helps to have good people beside you, to seek out the solutions to all the challenges we face on a daily basis and I am most grateful for the amazing EXCO team I have, made up of members of our Chamber. Without them, I would be lost. GAUTENG BUSINESS 2016 94

The Randburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry PROFILE The Randburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry was created to effectively protect and promote the interests of business in the Randburg, Sandton and Midrand regions. The Randburg Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organisation setup to represent the voice of local business in the Randburg, Sandton and Midrand suburbs of Johannesburg. Now in its 56th year, the Chamber is a formal institution that operates under a strong code of good business practice and operates under a constitution “Primarily we facilitate the introduction of relevant stakeholders to one another, as well as supporting and lobbying for local business interests. Basically, we make waves where required in order to improve the ways things happen and to ensure that any bad things that happen can be turned around into a positive situation for everyone involved,” says Linda Blackbeard, CEO of the Chamber. The Chamber also plays a role in terms of being a voice for general business issues, for instance where there are issues relating to the local municipality or even tax laws, or if there are problems that affect business such as interest rate hikes, issues around BEE implementation or relating to labour law changes. “Anything that affects business that they can’t sort out alone, they come to us and we support them by helping to give a voice to the business community and its needs,” adds Blackbeard. The chamber is affiliated to the South African Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Aims of the Randburg Chamber of Commerce • Protect the interests of business in the region, promote the private enterprise system and market-orientated approach with equal opportunities for all while assisting businesses to adapt to realities that cannot be changed • Promote member’s businesses locally and internationally and provide facilities for members to identify business opportunities through events, information services, advertising and other special business development facilities available from the Chamber. • Contribute to the formulation of national and local policies on key issues that affect business – be the voice of business operating in Randburg, Sandton and Midrand and give these localities a better place on the economic map • Influence constructively the environment & operating conditions nationally and in our area of responsibility • Attract local and international investment to our area of responsibility and facilitate international business and contacts • Act as a business information, training and facilities resource utilizing members expertise – aimed at assisting members to grow their business and fulfil a leading role in the community • Promote security, the growth of business, employment skills in the region • Contributing business expertise and resources to community development projects addressing social needs CONTACT INFO Address: Unit G8 Atrium Terraces, 272 Oak Avenue, Randburg, Gauteng 2194 South Africa Tel: 086 101 9218 | Fax: 086 212 4407 Email: admin@rcci.co.za Website: www.rcci.co.za 95 GAUTENG BUSINESS 2016