Memberhip fees range from R50 a month for sole proprieters to R400 a month for corporate members.
Payable to:
First National Bank Knysna
Knysna Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Branch Code 21-02-14,
Account number 622 3971 1311.
Please add your business name as a reference on the deposit slips / transfers.

Contact person: peterd@seanet.co.za

As the recession runs its course. As with business elsewhere in the world and other parts of South Africa, Knysna seems to have run into a wall. As you plug the holes and look for the solutions to improve your personal business situation, you may want to ask yourself this question. Do you have the passion, desire, drive, energy, commitment, and will to be a survivor? And even if you do have all that, will you, your business, and those who depend on you for their livelihood, survive the present and future business challenges if you continue to battle along on your own?

Synergy is the simple, uncomplicated, reality that one plus one is more than two. When like minded, similarly situated, equally challenged, people unite to identify, select, and implement solutions, the outcome is better and greater than it would have been if each member applied the same energy and passion to finding the solutions on their own. One strand of cotton can be snapped by a child, but hundreds of strands twisted into a single cord can lift an elephant.

For the first time ever, Local Government (The Council) and Tourism are committed to working with the Business Community to make Knysna “A Town that Works for ALL. ” All the people who live here stand to benefit by participating in the establishment and work of the Knysna Chamber of Commerce and Industry that will be launched at a Business Summit that will be held on the 28th of August 2009.

All the essential ground work has been done. An interface between important international organisations that want to “twin” with Knysna and contribute to the transformation / improvement of the economic conditions here, have been started. Negotiations are under way with large and Influential Universities and Colleges in America and Europe, to establish a University in Knysna that will address all the aspects related to “Wellness” the global Ecology, Global Warming and associated disciplines. Imagine the impact that the spending power of 2 000 international students, their families and their friends, could have on Knysna.

Services that will help, mentor, educate and develop existing and new entrepreneurs in Knysna are already in place. The Chamber will enable members to access these services and other relevant information and training at a fraction of the normal cost.

Business owners are being invited to contribute to the process by submitting their specific needs or requirements to the people listed below. It’s all about communication, service and community. We can only be effective if you tell us what you need.

There are obviously a host of other issues and services that will be addressed, and provided, by the chamber, but access to the support demands your participation.

It is therefore a pleasure to invite every business person in Knysna to attend the launch of the new Knysna Chamber of Business and to become a member of the KCCI.

This is your opportunity to close ranks, join hands, and work towards a better future for everyone in Knysna.

Please RSVP / notify Peter Dijkstra at peterd@seanet.co.za or Dave Hendry at dave@botany.co.za or phone 044 382 5851 to confirm your attendance.

Boerewors Bash – Colin Vermuelen

Coffee Club – Dave Hendry 3825851 or 0825660252

dave@botany.co.za

Bus Net Int – Trish Thompson 3824750 or 0828997723

BOP Business Link Up – Bev Moodie 3829730 or 0832687678

bop@lantic.net

“The Municipality” – Who knows? Who cares?

Erf 431, the paved parking above the Knysna Movie House, is a public erf expropriated in 1995 for public purposes, in particular to provide an attractive entrance to Pledge Nature Reserve. The Engineer’s drawing of 1996 shows it as an extension of the Reserve. What has “developed” since then ? And if the property was sold, were the proper procedures followed? Did it change hands at market value?

What are the answers to these questions? Who really cares?

I cant believe that anyone can still be in any doubt that we need to form a Chamber of Business and to ensure that these sort of issues are addressed and that solutions are found. But I could be wrong and it wont be the first nor the last time.

Would it not make sense to pause for a moment and ask ourselves whether we could not achieve a lot more by doing it slightly dfferently? Would it not be in everyones interest if we started pooling our efforts and looking for ways to work smarter.

Of course it would. That is what this initiative is all about. There is a need which can be addressed but only if people are prepared to change the way these sort of things have always been done and only if they are prepared to look for and work towards answering the question that arise.

For our part we have set up our first quality circle and are busy promoting the concept to the restaurants, food and hospitality industry. This with the objective of providing a service and resourcing a full time employee who can commit the time that’s needed to get this organisation running.