Page 4 - KZN Business Sense 3.6

KZN

KwaZulu-Natal
Business Chambers Council
UNLOCKING INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

T Trade and Industry including
o drive economic growth
through attracting new
Invest SA, Trade and Investment
investment projects, boost
investor condence and improve KZN (TIKZN), the Durban
Chamber of Commerce and
ease of doing business in Industry, the KZN Growth
eekwini, Mayor Zandile Coalition, and state-owned
Gumede ocially launched the enterprises such as Dube
new Invest Durban Unit and TradePort, the Development Bank
Strategy, at the Durban of Southern Africa, Industrial
International Convention Centre Development Corporation, and
on 24 November. others.

e launch was facilitated by Key partners include the largest
Russell Curtis from eekwini banks, audit and advisory rms as
Metro’s Invest Durban Unit and well as sector based organised
supported by National Treasury business bodies working together
and the World Bank. to promote investment in Durban.
Similarly, the diplomatic
e Invest Durban Strategy, community will be better engaged,
driven by partnerships between informed, and partnered with for
eekwini Municipality and the mutual investment benets. e
private sector, plus other organs of above partnerships will be further
government, will help to promote formalised and implemented via
Durban as Africa’s preferred the new Team Durban Advisory
investment destination. Invest Forum being established.
Durban will provide advisory
services and support for new and Russell Curtis from eekwini
existing foreign investors so that Metro’s Invest Durban Unit said,
they can easily capitalise on “eekwini has many advantages
opportunities and best locations including it being the home to one
for such. of the continent's biggest ports." expanded Unit will benet into Durban through
Team Durban is an external Durban and positively impact better promotion,
Addressing captains of industry advisory team that will advise the smaller, local businesses as well. retention and aercare of
and senior executives representing city leadership on how to attract existing multi-national
various spheres of government investment and improve the cost “e Invest Durban strategy will investors. is is addition
plus the diplomatic community at of doing business. Basically, this facilitate sustainable investment to marketing and
the launch, Mayor Gumede said is a team that will help us target in Durban for the benet of all promoting Durban as an
the Invest Durban Team will have the next investor.” “Invest Durban through the expansion, retention investment destination of
signicantly increased resources, will target ve primary sectors and aercare of local corporate choice.
capacity and leadership support namely automotive industries, business within the Metro,” said
to attract, retain and grow logistics, ICT, agri-processing Sithole. invest@durban.gov.za
investment in our core sectors. and life sciences including
pharmaceuticals, biomedical Prominent private business
“In partnership with our other devices and health services.” representatives and government
Cluster Units, the Invest Durban ocials agreed that the
Team will also ensure valuable Invest Durban will expand introduction of the Unit and
linkages from the new foreign its delivery of a world-class strategy will expand investment
investments into our local small, Metro based investor support
medium and micro-sized service, encompassing investment
enterprises, plus community marketing and promotion, BENEFITS FOR ETHEKWINI
participation groups. We are investment facilitation and Developing and implementing an ambitious, professional and appropriately resourced 5-year investment
working towards ensuring that retention activities, plus promotion strategy will have the following signicant positive impacts for eekwini:
more new investments are spread constructive policy and process • Generate new investment and stimulate employment creation
across the City, including our advocacy. • Generate new SMMEs and support economic transformation
townships and rural areas,” said • Create and strengthen value-chains in key economic sectors
Mayor Gumede. Acting Deputy City Manager • Generate new revenue streams for the City in the form of property rates and taxes
for the Economic Development • Introduce new technologies, innovative processes and enhance skills development.
Invest Durban Unit will work Cluster Phillip Sithole said the
closely with the Department of ‘step-change’ strategy and Eekwini can further its leading municipal position in South Africa via this improved, global-best-
practice of investment promotion, for the benet of ALL."
NEW STRATEGY POSITIONS ITHALA SOC LIMITED FOR GROWTH

A s champions of banking leadership, the strategic plans. Already signicant steps become lifelong savers.

the unbanked in KwaZulu-
imperatives outlined by the
have been made to ll key

Natal, Ithala SOC Limited
believes poverty alleviation and organisation for the next few years positions as evidenced by the Nationally, since 2008, the
appointment of Zandamela on
programme has reached almost
include bridging the digital divide;
wealth creation can be fast-tracked 100% compliance with regulatory 1 September 2017 followed by one million learners, and many
through nancial inclusion. requirements to become a Lebogang Serithi as the Chief more through programme
fully-edged bank; improving Financial Ocer and Luvuyo integration in over 3 000 schools
Recently appointed CEO, customer service delivery; Keyise as Chief Technology nationwide. Twenty one banks and
Danny Zandamela, arms that intensifying use of technology Ocer. 43 nancial institutions participate
the critical role Ithala SOC based products; creating an in the ‘StarSaver’ programme.
Limited has to play in making enabling business environment Financial literacy programmes
banking and nancial services and increasing protability and feature prominently on Ithala’s “A strong ethos of customer-
more accessible to marginalised organisational capacity. strategy dashboard. As part of an care and community partnerships
communities is understated. ongoing commitment to nancial sustain the Ithala brand, thus
“Both strategically and literacy, Ithala SOC Limited dierentiating us from our
Ithala SOC Limited, whose operationally, we are making every regularly interacts with consumers competitors. As an entity
mandate is to serve ordinary eort to meet the South African on issues of money management. wholly-owned by the KZN
South Africans and help them to Reserve Bank’s requirements for provincial government, our overall
manage their money and create obtaining a full banking licence ‘Starsaver’ is a national savings goals and strategies are geared to
wealth, is a 100 percent owned and to become a fully-edged campaign which draws attention meet government priorities and
subsidiary of Ithala Development bank,” said Zandamela. to the important role that accelerate radical economic
Finance Corporation. volunteer bankers and nancial transformation,” concluded
e nancial services institution sector professionals can play in Zandamela.
Under Zandamela’s new is forging ahead with its growth educating the nation’s youth to CEO, Danny Zandamela

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