A new Cooperative Business Chamber was officially launched in Nelson Mandela Bay in a bid to boost the local economy.
The Chamber was officially launched by the Eastern Cape Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism and the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality in New Brighton on Wednesday.
With a current membership of 64 Cooperatives operating in the tourism industry, manufacturing, construction, catering, agriculture, transport, ocean economy, waste management and recycling sectors the ideal membership goal set for the NMBCC are at least 200 Cooperatives.
Speaking at the launch MEC, Sakhumzi Somyo, said the chamber would give local cooperatives support through government initiatives.
Somyo said the Eastern Cape Development Corporation was also running a programme to give cooperatives registered with the chamber "legal impetus" to compete appropriately with other business entities.
Meanwhile, Nelson Mandela Bay executive mayor, Athol Trollip, said the municipality needed to play a bigger role in facilitating the economic involvement of cooperatives.
He said the establishment of the Chamber gave local and provincial government a chance to interact with Cooperatives, "to help people who have business ideas but no means to implement them."
Trollip said there will be training and support for the entrepreneurs to ensure that Cooperatives do not just come and go.
"Let me thank all the stakeholders here today whose participation led to this launch in particular MEC Somyo who encouraged Metro Cooperatives to become organized and to speak in one voice leading to the Cooperatives now belonging to an apex organization that will provide them with support and development," Trollip said.
"I am furthermore pleased to note the good working relations between all the stakeholders and the desire by all partners to establish the tertiary cooperative, the NMBCC, and to convert opportunities into sustainable growth in order for cooperatives to operate in a conducive environment.
"This initiative will place the city among the forerunners in the implementation of the national policy on cooperatives in pursuit of meaningful participation to attain local economic development imperatives," he added.
Linda Bhasini of Comforter Primary, one of the business owner's who received certificates of registration at Wednesday's launch, said they came together as an unemployed youth with qualifications to form a Cooperative.
Bhasini said their business falls under agriculture and waste management and with the establishment of the Cooperative Chamber she was hoping that things would work out for them.
