The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has announced it's 2017 top 50 business award winners with a total of eight first time winners this year.
The 2017 award ceremony was hosted by the Executive Mayor, Athol Trollip, at the Boardwalk Convention Centre on Tuesday.
Some of the new investor award winners includes Stateline Processed Metal, Coega Dairy and WNS Global Services.
Executive Mayor, Athol Trollip said this year's awards was to give recognition to companies which invest into the city and create job opportunities.
"If we didn't have companies investing here and new companies coming here we would not be able to provide the so desperately needed job opportunities. Youth unemployment is probably our biggest challenge so any company that's looking to employ graduates that are coming out of the education system and out of our universities is critically important. So we are really trying to encourage those companies that are doing that' he said.
Fist time winner in the long standing investor category, Little Slipper's Kate Horne said she was excited the PE based shoe manufacturing firm won.
Horne said she hopes the firm can continue growing which will in turn benefit the local economy.
"I'm surprised to be acknowledged and very happy to be part of this function today and I think family values got us to where we are today. Our work force is amazing and we love being part of that and them being part of our family. We just want to grow and create more jobs for Nelson Mandela Bay” she said.
New investor award recipient WNS Global Services General Manager, Edward Maughan, also spoke to Algoa FM News after the ceremony.
“We have several offices around South Africa of which PE is one of the most important offices for creating local employment. We are very excited to win the award today also very excited to be recognised in this category" Maughan said.
Click below for the full list of winners:
