SOUTH AFRICA - CHINA EXPOS 2012

The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) will be hosting exhibitions in the cities of Beijing and Shanghai from 4 - 9 October 2012. This is an opportunity for South African companies to explore the Chinese market and gain inroads into Asia.  The closing date for applications to participate in the Expos is 31 May 2012. Please find attached the Invitation, guidelines and the application forms.

Invitation
Guidelines
New Services Application
New Manufacturers Mission Application

2012 AFRICA SMME AWARDS COMPETITION

The Africagrowth Institute is organising the 5th Africa SMME Awards Competition.  If you have a successful small business and your company meets the entry requirements, please enter your company for these Awards.  Africa is ready for business and the world has finally taken notice of the continent’s massive business opportunities. The Small Business Sector is a key driver of growth in Africa.  To acknowledge and appreciate the important role the sector plays in promoting wealth and prosperity in the continent, Africagrowth Institutes, in partnership with major Private Sector Institutions, NGOs and SMME support agencies is pleased to introduce the 2012 Africa SMME Awards Competition. The idea behind the Awards is to identify and recognise the best performing SMMEs in the Africa. The Award ceremony showcases the continent’s best SMMEs in the trade, services and industrial sectors.  The overall winner will receive the African SMME of Year Award.  The Awards ceremony will take place 27th of September 2012 at Spier Wine Estate, Stellenbosch in Cape Town, South Africa.
 
To be eligible, your business must satisfy all of the following criteria:

• Employ less than the full time equivalent of 200 persons and must have a turnover ranging between R40 000 and R10 million per annum.
• Registered in Africa.
• In active operation for at least two years.
• Be resident in Africa.
• Not be a branch of another business.

Closing date for entries: 30 June 2012.  For more information, please contact: Dina Potgieter, 021 914 6778, dina@africagrowth.com, www.africagrowth.com.  View Criteria and Entry Form. 

JOBS FUND

The Jobs Fund administered by the DBSA, has issued the Second Call for Proposals. The Private, Public and Non-Governmental sectors are invited to submit their most innovative ideas to address South Africa’s high level of unemployment. The Fund will be open for applications from Monday 2 April 2012. The call will remain open for 8 weeks and will close on 31 May 2012.  The Jobs Fund is a R9 billion employment creation program launched by the Minister of Finance in June 2011. It is an initiative of the Government aimed at addressing the country’s high rate of unemployment. Managed by the DBSA, South Africa’s state-owned development bank, the primary mandate of the Jobs Fund is to support initiatives that pilot innovative approaches to employment creation.

Press release
What is the Jobs Fund
Eligibility & Assessment Criteria

ABOUT US

The Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Business (PCB) was constituted in August 2002 following unity negotiations among three former business organisations – the Pietermaritzburgse Sakekamer, the Midlands Black Business Chamber and the Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Commerce and Industries.   In forming a new chamber of commerce and industry, the unifying bodies agreed to forego their independent identities.    Following the unification, the PCB was afforded the recognition of the local and provincial governments as the representative of the business community in Pietermaritzburg.

The PCB is an affiliate member of the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) and through this national chamber is linked to the International Chambers of Commerce (ICC) and the World Chambers Federation (WCF).    The PCB is a registered company in terms of section 21 of the Companies Act (2002/026810/08) and is also a registered Non-profit Organisation (027-519-NPO).

The membership of the PCB consists of over 900 companies, a membership that places the Chamber as the fourth-largest chamber of commerce in South Africa. To read more click here.