Why You Should Join the Kokstad Chamber of Commerce

Be part of the solution and become proactive by joining!
It is common cause that we get extremely excited about unity and forming a common front when the chips are down.
Cast your minds back to the consumer boycott of the early 90’s, the water crisis of 2006 and more recently the rates debacle.
It is in times like these that we realize how poorly organised “organised” business is and how little we can do on our own to prevent these things from affecting our business’s and lively hoods.

It is reasonable to assume that we are always going to face challenges in the running and development of our town and that business interests are not always going to be taken into consideration when dealing with these issues.
It is also historically correct to say that we always revert to “we should have mentality” way after the horse has bolted and the small problem has become an insurmountable one.
We are fortunate that the general consensus amoungst business owners is of support of our Association but there are understandably those who say, “Chambers in other towns are much cheaper” and “R300 per month is too much” or “But what’s in it for me?”.

In answer to the first two questions;
1. We need to remember that we are a new Chamber with a dedicated committee who are taking time out of their own business’s to look after the interests of yours. To get started there are huge expenses and obstacles to overcome. It is great to have your encouragement and verbal support, however without the financial support, this effort will once again fail and we as a business community will never again be taken seriously in this town.

2. Our numbers are low, we are not a Pietermaritzburg, Durban or East London who can draw on the contributions of thousands of members to support the office and the committee. Our expenses remain much the same as a bigger town but our numbers range from the upper tens to the several hundreds and resultantly our subs need to be higher. But seriously, put the number into perspective for a little. What does R300 buy your business these days? A business lunch for two, a small cell phone contract, half a tank of fuel, one corporate shirt, a call out for an IT specialist, a very little bit of electricity, a round of drinks for your mates on a night out?? Really not too much when you think about it, is it ...?

I think the last, and probably most important question's answer is that although we cannot pretend to be able to resolve all your problems, we can certainly make every attempt to raise them with the authorities as business concerns with a far greater possibility of having them resolved.

Ultimately, we can only make a difference in our community, if we are willing to take hands and become part of the solution.

manifesto

The Chamber is committed to represent all business stake holders in our greater community and will encourage membership and representation regardless of race, political affiliation, religion or association.

The Chamber is dedicated to forming positive relationships with and to work together with governmental and non-governmental role players to overcome common challenges faced by our local Business Community.

Our objective is to build a strong organisation that is heard at all levels of local government and which has the financial clout to promote the common agenda of local business.

We believe the Chamber must be run on the same principals as a successful business and advocate the employment of a competent administrator who reports to the executive committee.

We advocate getting the maximum “Bang for our Buck” and will ensure that all expenses are scrutinised to the last cent.

A good succession plan for the executive committee will form a cornerstone of the success of the Chamber going into the future.

We believe strongly in negotiation over intervention but are committed to pursue these ends through whatever means are necessary.

In particular we would like to work together with our local authority to address the following broad issues:

1. Show active support for the Municipal Manager

2. Attracting business and development to our town

3. The interests of the collective business community and individual businesses

4. Use of local suppliers and service providers by the local authority

5. The capacity to accommodate new business/development/expansion

6. Water crisis

7. Rates and valuation roll crisis

8. Roads, refuse disposal & other infrastructure

9. Cleanliness of our town

10. Accessibility, efficiency and accountability of all Municipal staff in all departments Municipal budgets and accounting.

Kokstad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Constitution