Business looking up in Ndlambe for New Year
School holidays are also much shorter than normal and this is having a negative impact
For most businesses, 2018 has been a difficult year mainly due to external factors such as the escalating price of Brent Crude, Brexit and trade wars between the United States and other countries.
This, together with Eskom load-shedding, is causing concerns and has led to unfavourable conditions in the local markets, a lack of investment, jobs losses and a general lack of expendable income for the majority of South Africans.
Kenton, Ndlambe’s fastest growing business hub, has also been affected by the state of the general economy and, as Kenton Business Chamber chairman litre, and the rand strengthened to below R14 to the US dollar.
“The residential property market remains resilient as buyers and sellers have adapted to the changing economic environment. In Kenton we have witnessed plenty of significant building projects this year, with some notable top end homes being built along the Bushman’s River, and in Lands’ End. The property market locally remains active with demand for well-priced properties and top end properties,” explained De Witt.
“The holiday season is expected to be shorter this year with schools opening earlier than usual. The local estate agents and owners of accommodation establishments however report that our local towns will be filled to capacity as holidaymakers flock to the Sunshine Coast.”
During the last quarter of 2018, after the Port Alfred Business forum selected a new chairman, an effort from business to improve the town.
“The overall approach is to promote positive input and contribution for business and increase our presence as a business group in Port Alfred. We already have business like the SUPERSPAR contributing police gardens and the Nemato SPAR sidewalk coming down the hill, as well as the island at the end of Main Street.
“We ended the year with an excellent talk from international keynote speaker ‘The Other Michael Jackson’ on the road ahead and how to approach change differently.
“We had a record attendance at this event and hope all who attended will join the business forum in the new year,” said Claassens.
“We look forward to 2019 with great anticipation. Some of the short-term projects we want to get going in the first few months are more colourful bins at strategic spots throughout the town, a garden competition, business to participate in ‘sponsor a spot’ where they can advertise as well, upgrade East Beach decking and showers, build a new website and Facebook page.
“We will also arrange more guest speakers during the course of the year. Economic commercial spend forecast for the Eastern Cape looks positive, specifically in the manufacturing sector.”
General manager of MyPond Hotel Sisonke
Mapuma said: “2018 has been a good and busy year for MyPond Hotel. Occupancy has gone up from 55% last year to 62% this year although the average room rate has not increased by a notable margin.
“A decision was taken to depend less
on government conferencing as a decrease of these [events] was seen in 2017. The hotel was opened up to a tour group that stays at the hotel every Tuesday night and also focused on getting more leisure travellers.”
According to Mapuma there was also a drop in visitors to the Lily Restaurant.
General Manager of the Halyards Hotel,
Freddie du Preez said the winter months – May, June and July – were extremely poor with both corporate and leisure guests tightening their belts.
“School holidays in December are also much shorter than normal and this is having a negative impact on revenue during the festive season,” said Du Preez.
“The continuous road works also had a direct negative impact as events that were going to take place using the R72 were cancelled or moved, including the SA Historic Grand Prix , and the Kowie 100.”
Pick n Pay spokesperson Janine Caradonna reported that the Port Alfred store was revamped this year and customers are delighted with the new improvements.
“During the revamp we made our aisles wider for customers’ shopping comfort. We also extended our range of produce and introduced a new fresh range across our butchery, fish, fruit and vegetables sections. Another popular attraction for our customers this year has been our Free Fruit for Kids offering where customers’ children can help themselves to a fresh fruit during their shop. The store has gone from strength to strength and we thank our customers for their support. We look forward to a busy and successful festive season as the town gets busier each day with holidaymakers,” said Caradonna.