Physical address: Unit G8 Atrium Terraces, 272 Oak Avenue, Randburg, Gauteng 2194. Tel: 086 101 9218 | Fax: 086 212 4407 Email: admin@rcci.co.za | Website: www.rcci.co.za Contact details INTERVIEW

provincial Trade departments Are there Randburg so much joined. commerce, government What Our Electronic and is look forward the SADC

Contact development, including the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA).

We also liaise with the City of Johannesburg and the City’s Economic Development Department. Our goals are to support the city with its vision.

We sit on the Community Policing Forum Committees and we are active partners on the committees of LDAC (Local Drug Action Committee), which is the local organisation driving crime prevention, so we look at all areas of safety and security for the people within our area.

Are your members drawn from different sectors?

If you’re a registered business you need to be a member of the Chamber. All legitimate industry sectors are entitled to be members of our chamber. We will support you and try to help you wherever we can. Our members are from all business and industry sectors.

Would it be correct to say that the area covered by the RCCI has some of the country’s most dynamic businesses?

The areas we cover form the economic powerhouse of South Africa. I cannot stress strongly enough that the business hub of Sandton alone is responsible for decision-making (on signing powers and approval) of a large number of business transactions taking place across the country. We are also the media hub of the country.

Are there particular challenges?

Randburg Chamber, which was founded in 1959, would love to embrace more businesses in our area. There is so much opportunity and we could facilitate so much more if businesses joined our chamber movement.

We are delighted with the way our current directors and their teams are covering the web, social media, Facebook, LinkedIn and events. Things are very positive in our neck of the woods and we need all businesses to participate, so we can work more together in these tough times.

The more businesses stand together with their local chamber of commerce, the stronger our voice will be. The way of doing business has changed and the Chamber is moving with the times.

We are represented on the right committees, we are connected to the right people at the City of Johannesburg and we are dealing at the right levels of government through SACCI.

Do we have the correct connectivity to be able to assist local businesses in their areas of need?

We continually ask this question to improve our offering. The businesses out there need to tell us what their needs are. This way we can provide a better service for them.

What does the future hold?

Our Electronic Certificate of Origin programme for export is available. This saves the member so much time and is designed in South Africa especially for our markets. Businesses and members can look forward to renewed focus, positive opportunities, and facilitation in the SADC region for business growth and opportunity. ■