Unlocking the Bay of Opportunity

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2025-01-15
Business In Action

The campaign to position Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) as the Bay of Opportunity has gained significant momentum since it was launched by the Business Chamber in mid-2024.

The aim is not only to unlock the strategic advantages and immense potential of this metro, but to talk about them, get other people talking about them too, and showcase them to the world, to position NMB as an investment destination of choice on the African continent.

A key component of the Chamber’s overall mission to attract and retain investment and grow jobs in the metro, #BayOfOpportunity is about building optimism and business confidence, shifting perceptions by offering evidence of real opportunities and concrete progress.

Among the evidence, NMB is uniquely strategically positioned by having two ports, an easily accessible airport, and generally good logistics infrastructure. Our industrial strength is anchored on the auto manufacturing sector but also diverse, extending into sectors including pharmaceuticals, beverages, and agriculture.

We have ample potential for renewable energy generation, plus significant lifestyle and natural environment attractions in the biodiversity of our 5-biome city, nature reserves and game parks on our doorstep, and ample outdoor recreation, sport and adventure opportunities.

Blue Flag beaches, rich cultural heritage and history, a vibrant hospitality sector, dynamic retail sector supporting entrepreneurship – taken all together, a highly attractive package of advantages to investing, working and living in the Bay.

Add to that the Bay’s greatest asset – its people. We have a community of innovative thinkers and progressive leaders, people with can-do attitude willing to roll up their sleeves and make the Bay a better place to live and work, because they believe in the potential.

Backing up and giving voice to our active business community, we have a dynamic and action-oriented Business Chamber committed to actively contributing to resurging the Bay and unlocking its potential.

We see momentum in the enthusiastic and growing support of businesses and government agencies of initiatives such as our Entrepreneurship Desk and Trade and Investment Desk that are our action arms in unlocking the Bay of Opportunity.

We see it in the responsiveness of national organisations to partner with us and help drive our efforts to put the needs of Nelson Mandela Bay on the national agenda and clear the obstacles to realising the vision of the Bay of Opportunity.

It is imperative that we continue to push this positive momentum forward in this new year.

Getting the basics right of the local enabling environment – service delivery, by-law enforcement, safety, cleaning – is critical, for a safe, hygienic living and working environment, and because these are the simple things that affect how we present our “face” to the world.

Our Trade and Investment Desk has released a Bay of Opportunity publication to market the Bay to prospective investors and provide comprehensive information on investment incentives, the practical steps and requirements for investing, and the support services of the Chamber and our partners.

The Desk is already tracking over a dozen potential incoming investments, and will ramp up this year on promoting the Bay locally and internationally. This includes launching a Bay of Opportunity portal to market the metro and support investors, and an Ambassador Programme to spread the message more widely.

Our Local Economy Reinvention Think Tank is working to harness local innovation capacity, proactively identify opportunities to capitalise on the Bay’s strengths and natural assets, and develop feasible business cases around new types of industry that will support diversification and a greener future. They’re investigating new technologies and innovative manufacturing and agro-processing opportunities, among them the promising potential of the industrial hemp value chain.

To support bringing the Think Tank work to life with actionable projects, we are planning to establish a Projects Desk this year.

To facilitate development of the right technical skills for existing and new industry sectors, we will be launching a Skills Desk this year; and a Risk Management Desk to ensure the metro and business are proactively prepared ahead of and in responding to disasters.

Collaboration with like-minded stakeholders is key to achieving our goal of unlocking the potential of the Bay. We need to be able to leverage resources, expertise and networks of influence to mutual advantage, and activate the levers of authority to effect changes outside of our scope of control. To this end we have fostered partnerships with key organisations such as Business Leadership South Africa, Naamsa, Naacam and the Consumer Goods Council.  We will continue to strengthen this base to ensure that a broad diversity of sectors are included and as we enter the new year, we will be engaging with Agbiz, the national agricultural business chamber, as well as the South African Property Owners Association.

It has been heartening on a national scale to see major property organisations start to publicly tout NMB, with its growth potential,  as the next semigration hotspot in the country.

Our ultimate goal? A diversified, greener and sustainable manufacturing and exports hub for Africa, translating into new investment and jobs for the Bay, and reinforcing that this is a great place to work and live.

The keys to unlocking the opportunities are in our hands.

Denise van Huyssteen is the Chief Executive Officer of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber.