Regional focus at local conference
Mossel Bay Business Chamber’s recent business conference attracted representatives from several neighbouring towns in an attempt to mutually benefit from best practice experiences that were shared by speakers over the two day period.
Business of the Year 2015 and 2017, the Life Bay View Private Hospital's extensive plans for expansion during the next three to five years were highlighted when finance and administration manager Petri Conradie spoke of the role the medical industry plays in regional development. He alluded to Life Bay View hospital's future growth plans and said the hospital currently offers the only cardiac centre in the Southern Cape in addition to the full complement of all the major medical specialists and a 24-hour emergency unit. The hospital was recently extensively renovated and expanded and was again placed in the Top 20 Best Hospitals in the Discovery Health annual hospital survey. The availability of top class medical facilities is a major drawcard for related development in the region.
The recent Mossel Bay Business Conference built on the 2016 conference that placed the emphasis on development in the tourism, agriculture, petroleum and harbour spheres.
“This year the Business Chamber invited representatives of surrounding towns within a 280km radius to share their best practices and to introduce their unique marketing attributes and offerings. The intention was for business leaders and surrounding communities to learn and benefit from one another," the chairman of the Mossel Bay Business Chamber, Fanus Truter said.
In addition to a number of event sponsors punting their services and unique offerings, agricultural and local government roleplayers and highlighted the challenges they face in their respective areas. Speakers included, among others Johan Jebelius from Kamanassie Agriculture, Derrek Welgemoed from Central Karoo, who spoke of the proposed value to be derived from fracking in the Beaufort West area, Dirk van Papendorf from SSK who highlighted the cooperative's growth and expansion plans and spoke of the undeniable importance of the agricultural sector, Hendrik Visser from Hessequa Municipality who explained the challenges and exciting development plans for their jurisdiction, Jaco Roux from Mossel Bay Municipality who expanded on the growth and development opportunities within the newly approved spatial development framework, and Clinton Petersen from George Municipality who explained their local government challenges and developments.
The previous Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Gerrit van Rensburg and wellknown farmers from the area, Stoffel Fivaz and John Robertson, spoke on the challenges organised agriculture face.
The conference was well lead by the programme facilitator Bun Booyens.