Over the past year, as a fledgling organisation, the St Helena Bay Business Chamber has focused on building the foundations necessary for long-term sustainability. Our priority has been to establish sound systems, procedures, and governance structures to create a functioning environment in which the Chamber can flourish. Along the way, we have gained valuable insights and applied those learnings to strengthen how we operate and serve our members.
Engagement with Government
The year has already begun with meaningful progress behind the scenes. Late last year, the Chairperson led a delegation to meet with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, presenting a number of requests requiring approval, recognition, or support. We are pleased to report that all requests received in-principle approval or acknowledgement. Importantly, we were connected with the relevant municipal departments, and we are now actively engaging with them to advance these initiatives. This engagement marks an important step in establishing formal protocols.
We have also begun exploratory discussions with the West Coast District Municipality to seek recognition and support for initiatives relating to events, tourism, and business development. These engagements are intended to extend further, including discussions at provincial level, to ensure that St Helena Bay and its business community are well represented and supported.
A Regional Partnership: Joint Community of Chambers – Weskus
A significant milestone was reached at the third meeting of the Joint Community of Chambers – Weskus (JCCW), where a Memorandum of Understanding was formally signed between five regional chambers. This initiative arose from a shared belief that the chambers representing Velddrif, Weskus – the broader region including Vredenburg, Saldanha and Paternoster- as well as Langebaan, St Helena Bay and the West Coast Black Business Aliance, should not operate in isolation. Instead, by collaborating at a regional level, we can share opportunities, support one another, and promote economic growth across the West Coast.
The first meeting in October 2025 established the guiding principles from which the MOU was developed. The signing of this agreement now formalises that cooperation.
What This Means for Our Members
This partnership significantly expands the reach and opportunity available to our members. Through the JCCW, our members will gain exposure to a wider regional network, opening doors to collaboration, shared opportunities, and increased visibility across neighbouring business communities.
The agreement enables the chambers to work together to promote the collective interests of businesses across the West Coast, encourage investment and entrepreneurship, and support skills development and mentorship. It strengthens our collective voice when engaging with municipal, provincial, and national government, ensuring that business concerns and opportunities are represented more effectively.
In practical terms, this means joint events, shared networking opportunities, coordinated advocacy, and collaboration on initiatives designed to attract tourism, investment, and economic activity to the region. It also creates a framework where chambers actively support one another in addressing challenges, sharing knowledge, and building resilience across the business community.
We are excited about the opportunities this regional collaboration brings and the value it will deliver to our members.
Upcoming Networking Event
Our next networking event will take place on 25 February 2026 at Timplicity and De Palm Bar, located at the De Palm Lifestyle Centre. Please keep an eye on the events section on our website and communication channels for further details in the coming days.
The event is open to all businesses, not just chamber members. Please invite other business you may know to join.
Growing Together
We are encouraged by the steady growth in Chamber membership, which reflects a shared belief in the value of collaboration and collective progress.
Remember, this is your Chamber. We exist to support you and to help create an environment where business can thrive. We encourage you to make use of the communication channels on our website and to share your ideas through the suggestion box.
We are planning to bring a number of different events and networking opportunities throughout the year. If you have any thoughts or request on events you would like to see get in touch.
Together, we are building not only a Chamber, but a stronger business community.
