Chairperson:  Lauren Vlaming (CFO – Olivewood)

The Operations and Marketing Committee deals with the operational and day-to-day running of the Chamber. All business-related functions such as Finance, HR, Communications, Membership and the overall Office management of Chamber, as well as related activities, is dealt with under this committee.

This committee also takes care of all Chamber social events such as Chamber Breakfasts, the Annual Dinner, Chamber Golf Days, Networking events and workshops.

This committee also ensures that Chamber members are kept abreast of all chamber related news, through the weekly newsletter called “Snapshots”, our Social Media pages, as well as the quarterly glossy Business Hi-Lite Magazine.

Chairperson:  Annemarie Fish (SQAL)

For Business and Industry to function and make a profit, it must exist within an enabling environment within which businesses thrive.  This committee focuses on ensuring that businesses in the Border-Kei Region have a reliable electricity supply, safe and good quality water supply, decent roads on which to travel and an effective rail infrastructure. This committee works closely with officials of the local municipality, to ensure a conducive environment is created for the effective functioning of our road and rail infrastructure, water and sanitation and electricity network.

This committee was instrumental in facilitating the widening and upgrade of Settlersway on the WesBank, from the airport up to the Steve Biko Bridge.

Chairperson:  Jacques van Zyl

The Komani Chapter of the Chamber celebrated their 21-year anniversary in 2023 and looks after the interests of our Komani members, driving initiatives for the benefit of the Komani members. The committee is currently led by Jacques van Zyl, a Chartered Accountant with Metcalf and Sahd Accountants. The Border-Kei Chamber of Business Komani, employs two full-time support staff, namely, the Komani Branch Coordinator, Marisca Burmeister and the Komani Branch Administrator, Sanelisiwe Kene.  The Komani Committee has several subcommittees, namely the Industrialists, Safety & Security, CSI, SMME, Finance and Membership Committees, as well as the Adopt-a-School project.

Chairperson:  Dr Ayanda Madyibi (ECSECC)

The Technology and Innovation committee is constituted of BCMM’s ICT department, ECSECC and Private Business. The world is changing fast and we have to stay abreast with technological changes and innovation. This committee focuses on exploring what technological advancements have been made, and to see how we leverage on these advancements and prepare our city for a changing world. Hydro power, climate change, tech hubs, Electromobility, robotics, AI, 4IR and the Smart City strategy are all topics, among others, discussed under this committee.

EREF (Employment Relations & Education Forum)

Chairperson:  Camille Naidoo (RB Africa)

The Employment Relations and Education Forum (EREF) serves as a consultative and advisory forum to members and external stakeholders regarding all matters pertaining to employment relations & Education, as well as Human Resource management, within the Border-Kei Region.  This committee is made up of the Dept of Employment and Labour, business and Educational Institutions.

The aim of the committee is to discuss and advise on initiatives to respond to the challenges of employment relations in the Border-Kei Region. This Committee hosts regular HR updates through the quarterly HR Forum and is also responsible for arranging the annual Future of Work Conference.

Chairperson:  Lindsey Pollock

No other activity stimulates and boosts an economy, such as sport and recreation. The Sports and Facilities Management committee is a partnership between the various sporting codes, BCMM Sports Council, DSRAC and the Sports and Recreation Directorate in BCMM. Born out of the desire to position East London as a sporting Mecca, this committee actively tries to attract tournaments, galas and matches into the BCMM region, in order to boost and stimulate economic activity.  However, this cannot be done unless the sporting facilities are of a certain standard. By partnering, supporting and working together with the local municipality, this committee has ensured that East London attracts the National Waterpolo Currie cup for several years in a row now and also ensured the successful execution of the Interprovincial Waterpolo Tournament.

Chairperson:  Tamrynn Roos (Investec)

The purpose of this committee is to be a Voice and Change Agent for Women in the Economy of the Border-Kei region.

The key focus areas of the committee are to create and facilitate: –

• Learning & Development, by inviting subject matter experts on topical issues, to speak at the monthly Women’s Connect sessions.
• Opportunities to connect with other like-minded women, to grow and develop.
• Access to local and global markets through the Women in Trade Export Readiness Programme in partnership with Trade Forward Southern Africa (TFSA) & Future Females, fully funded by the UK Government.
• Advocacy for the inclusion of Women businesses in previously male dominated sectors as well as for preferential procurement.
• Networking opportunities & strategic linkages through the monthly Women’s Connect Session.

Chairperson:  Linda van Heerden

The purpose of the Good Deeds Committee is to provide a consultative and advisory forum to members and external stakeholders regarding all matters pertaining to Corporate Social Investment within the Border-Kei Region as well as to assist in the development and sustainability of social entrepreneurs in the NGO/NPO/PBO sector.

The purpose of the Good Deeds Committee, is to facilitate: –

• Skills development within the sector, through an NGO Development and Mentorship Programme in partnership with the University of Fort Hare.
• Be a resource pool for companies, to fulfil their Corporate Social Investment and Corporate Social Responsibility
• Calls to action during disaster response and recovery, on an ad hoc, case-by-case basis during crisis periods.
• Engaging with and lobbying external stakeholders for support and funding to fulfil the many needs within the NGO/NPO sector.

SUB-COMMITTEE

Chairperson:  Dean Knox (Jonginenge)

Under the WEMAC committee, is the Tidy Towns Subcommittee. For any coastal city, a beach is a main attraction. Leisure tourists want to visit the beach when they get to a coastal town or city, on one condition, that the beach is clean. An initiative that started in Margate, each beach has been assigned a beach champion, that overseas and collaborates with the local municipality for any repairs that need to be done and for the cleanliness of that beach. Resources are than mobilized, under the BKCOB MOU with the city, to ensure the beach is cleaned. Various private sector companies also contribute towards this initiative and buy advertising space on boards that are strategically placed in high visibility areas, to fund any initiatives approved by the Tidy Towns Subcommittee. This committee is a partnership between private business, BCMM Law Enforcement, Community in Blue and the various Ratepayer’s Associations.

Chairperson:  Robyn Mafanya (Nyara Youth Development)

In a Province with a high unemployment rate, particularly amongst our Youth, we have an obligation to ensure that we create a platform that will focus on creating opportunities for the Young people in the Border-Kei Region. This desk focuses on young people between the ages of 18 – 30. Responsible for the Annual Youth Reality Conference, the Youth Desk has identified three sets of young people to focus on, namely the non-matriculants, the matriculants and the unemployed graduates and to see how we craft specific programmes for these sets of young people. Launching the Youth Entrepreneurship Programme in 2025, the desire of this committee, is to see every young person live up to their full potential and become economically independent.