Need to grow business
THE number of social grant beneficiaries in South Africa had grown from about two million in 1998 to more than 18-million, while many people who should be paying tax were not registered, Border-Kei Chamber of Business executive director Les Holbrook said during the business breakfast at the Tamboekie Festival on Friday.
Holbrook said challenges facing South Africa were a lack of necessary economic growth, a declining rand against other currencies, the reality that 6-million short term jobs were in jeopardy and the financial situation within the Euro zone.
The doors were currently open for an increase in the personal tax base and VAT, he said.
Speaking on growth opportunities, he said renewable energy offered a field of opportunity to entrepreneurs and investors.
IT company Hewlett Packard in Cape Town was running its office complex off the manure of 100 cows, he said, adding that Rance Timbers in Stutterheim used wood chips to generate energy.
He urged Lukhanji to pursue a twinning agreement with a foreign counterpart, using the Lower Saxony, Germany, agreement with the Buffalo City Municipality as an example which could bring about financial benefits for the local area.
He said the municipality should also look into ways to “turn waste into cash” with companies overseas making a good business of doing exactly that.
The chamber’s focal areas included the development of the aerodrome in Queenstown, farming, the revival of the Ezibeleni industrial area, land development and the establishment of water security.
He said the aerodrome could hold great benefits in terms of investment, especially when seen in conjunction with the new Safair routes to East London, which offered reduced rates on various routes.