The deputy minister of Mineral Resources honourable Godfrey Olifant attended the John Taolo Gaetsewe SMME Chamber dinner gala on July 27, 2018 at Meriting lodge. The dinner gala was one of its kind because for the first time it enabled to convince a broader spectrum of the business community and directly so, the mining managers in the region, mayors, religious leaders, traditional leaders, the academics and intellectuals.

While this was the launch pad of the chamber it also sought to position itself as an organisation that seeks trade opportunities within the mining sector and other businesses on a professional footing where networking and exchanging of constructive ideas has become a modern conduit to strengthen relations. The district executive mayor councillor Sofia Mosikatsi welcomed the guests and did not mince her words in giving thumps up to the initiators of the new chamber.

She said that the noble initiative couldn’t have come at better time and should demonstrate that it has the brilliance to redefine the image of the emerging local entrepreneurs and occupy its deserving space in the region. The chairperson of the new chamber Mr Oboitshepo Ndamane was very bold about the organisation’s objectives and it was a daunting task to establish a chamber that suits the interests of parties, business and the community in every facet, as a centre of belonging.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we are partners in a unique project because it is the dream of the people of JTG. This project represents a way of rethinking the relations between the business and poor communities. It entails recognition that the business has some moral obligation to consider ways in which to reciprocate the benefit to the communities. I am personally very grateful to everyone in this room for helping us to create a unique project which will rebalance, in some measure, the flow of benefits between the JTG community and business.

Tonight, we are launching not just a business chamber, but a project which will see important, sustaining relationships between business and communities. So, for JTG SMME chamber and for me personally, this is a truly exciting project. We are immensely grateful to everyone in this room for helping to make it happen. We as the chamber are looking at transforming our local economy by creating projects for the local business community, consequently creating jobs. We look at encouraging our people to systematically occupy industrial sites and run successful factories. We want our people to be hands-on and work hard to empower themselves”.

In his keynote address the deputy minister said that the mining sector has an avalanche of opportunities that need organisational discipline to penetrate and create much needed employment and grow the economy. He urged the new chamber to liaise with the Northern Cape Mine Managers association as the first step towards opening their realistic ambitions.

“We shall lead you all the way. Procurement is very broad and lucrative. We need companies that can deal with local beneficiation. Mining is all about transformation, let’s change the character of the mining industry for the benefit of our communities and the country”. The minister hinted at his retirement mid next year saying he has played his part. The chamber is divided into segments targeting the private and public sectors in its multifaceted approach.