Positioning Cape Town as the leading business-friendly destination in Africa
The City of Cape Town’s Economic Growth Directorate will host the inaugural Doing Business in Cape Town Summit at the iconic City Hall on Wednesday, 16 October 2024.
The Summit will bring together captains of industry, local business formations, public and private sector professionals, and academia for a day of insightful discussions on progress made in the City’s quest to become the easiest place to do business in Africa.
What to expect
At the Summit, the City will launch the second edition of the Ease-of-Doing-Business (EoDB) Index, which tracks progress made on each of the 10 Index indicators. This will be followed by a series of panel discussions focused on how the City and its partners are working in tandem to develop a positive climate for business and investment in Cape Town.
Cape Town’s Index builds on the findings of the 2018 World Bank’s Sub-National Doing Business (SNDB) Survey, which ranked Cape Town as the top municipality in the country for granting electricity and construction permits.
With the Cape Town Index, the City aims to reduce the time, costs and complexity of processes across ten critical indicators for Ease of Doing Business. These include:
- Building Plan Approvals
- Getting Land Use Rights
- Getting Electricity
- Connecting To the Water Network
- Rates Clearance Certificates
- Informal Trading Permits
- Digitisation of City services
- Permissions to lay fibre internet cables and pipelines
- Public Land Transfers
- Obtaining a Business Licence
Programme highlights
- Opening Address by Alderman James Vos, City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth
- Keynotes by Michael Jordaan, Venture Capitalist and former banker; and Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Andrew Whitfield
- Remarks by City Manager, Lungelo Mbandazayo
Panel discussions
Livestream
We’re excited to offer a livestream of the Summit, allowing you to view and participate in the discussions from anywhere.
Join the livestream on YouTube and LinkedIn.
Meet the City’s Business Hub Team and Strategic Business Partners
Engage with the City’s Business Hub team and Strategic Business Partners at the Summit
The Business Hub
The Cape Town Business Hub is a dynamic centre designed to support entrepreneurs, start-ups, and established businesses in Cape Town, South Africa. It provides a vibrant ecosystem that includes office spaces, co-working environments, and meeting facilities. The hub offers a range of services such as business mentoring, networking opportunities, and access to funding sources. It fosters innovation and collaboration by hosting workshops, seminars, and events that cater to various industries. The Cape Town Business Hub aims to drive economic growth and development in the region by empowering businesses to thrive and expand.
Wesgro
Wesgro is the official tourism, trade, and investment promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape in South Africa. Established to drive economic growth in the region, Wesgro’s mission includes attracting investment, promoting exports, and enhancing the tourism sector. The agency provides support and services to businesses, investors, and tourists, aiming to create job opportunities, stimulate economic development, and boost the regional economy. Wesgro collaborates with various stakeholders, including government entities, private sector companies, and international organisations, to achieve its objectives.
Green Cape
Green Cape is a non-profit organisation based in South Africa that focuses on driving sustainable economic development in the green economy sector. Established in 2010, Green Cape works to unlock the potential of green technologies and practices to create jobs, reduce environmental impact, and foster innovation. They provide strategic support, research, and collaboration opportunities to businesses, government, and investors to promote the growth of green industries such as renewable energy, water management, and waste reduction.
BlueCape
Blue Cape, founded in 2019, is dedicated to fostering growth and investment in the ocean economy. Collaborating closely with partners such as the City of Cape Town and the V&A Waterfront, Blue Cape aims to dismantle barriers to entry, promote skills development, and drive job creation within the sector. By supporting local, provincial, and national governments, Blue Cape strives to build a robust and sustainable ocean economy, ensuring resilience and prosperity for coastal communities and beyond.
CapeBPO
CapeBPO is the strategic business partner of the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape, dedicated to fostering the growth and advancement of the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry in South Africa. With a dual mandate, CapeBPO focuses on attracting international companies to establish operations in Cape Town and the Western Cape, enhancing their productivity through outsourced services.
CapeBPO plays a crucial role in training and empowering local youth, facilitating their entry into rewarding careers within the BPO sector. Through these initiatives, CapeBPO aims to drive economic development, create employment opportunities, and position the region as a hub for global BPO excellence.
Western Cape Economic Development Partnership (EDP)
The Western Cape Economic Development Partnership (EDP) is a public benefit collaborative intermediary organisation dedicated to fostering collective impact and societal change. With a decade of practical experience, EDP facilitates cross-sector collaborations addressing critical development challenges. They enable stakeholders to harness their collective energy, knowledge, and resources to enhance interventions in areas such as agriculture, inclusive economic development, unemployment, urban management, climate change, resilience, food security, governance, transport, community safety, and more. EDP’s mission is to drive meaningful collaboration and transformative change processes that tackle society’s most pressing issues head-on.
UVU Africa
UVU Africa is a non-profit organisation dedicated to fostering inclusive societies across Africa through innovation and technology. Partnering with bold talent and visionary collaborators, UVU Africa focuses on incubating and accelerating businesses, developing skills, and creating specialised innovation clusters. Their mission is to drive inclusive growth in the digital economy, empowering communities and shaping a future that embraces diversity and sustainability.
Craft & Design Institute
The Craft and Design Institute (CDI) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to fostering the growth and sustainability of South Africa’s craft and design sector. With a history over 20 years, CDI serves as a pivotal force in developing creative individuals and small businesses nationwide. Acting as a catalyst for change, CDI passionately empowers practitioners with the skills, resources, and digital proficiency needed to thrive in both local and global markets. CDI’s impact is profound, supporting over 6,000 businesses and individual artisans, from start-ups to exporting enterprises. From rural communities to urban centres, CDI plays a crucial role in driving innovation, economic growth, and cultural preservation within South Africa’s dynamic craft and design landscape.
Cape Town Tourism
Cape Town Tourism is a leading destination marketing organisation dedicated to promoting Cape Town on the global stage. Understanding the critical role of successful tourism in strengthening the visitor economy, Cape Town Tourism also aims to instil a sense of pride within the community. By collaborating closely with local businesses and communities, the organisation highlights their unique offerings to the world. The primary goal of Cape Town Tourism is to empower its partners through tourism, helping them elevate their businesses to new heights.
Cape Clothing and Textiles Cluster
Established in 2005 by industry and public sector stakeholders, the Cape Clothing & Textiles Cluster (CCTC) is a dynamic community dedicated to strengthening and growing the Western Cape’s clothing, textile, footwear, and leather value chain. This vibrant group represents over 140 retailers and manufacturers, supported through various programs and projects. The CCTC assists domestic firms in accessing both local and selected export markets by promoting globally competitive and sustainable value chains. The cluster focuses on developing World Class Manufacturing capabilities, optimising supply chains, and enhancing Quick Response capabilities, all grounded in market-led requirements and commercial business propositions.
Atlantis Special Economic Zone (ASEZ)
The Atlantis Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Cape Town, South Africa, is a dedicated greentech manufacturing hub established in 2011. This SEZ was created in response to the Department of Energy’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme (REIPPP), aiming to foster industrial and economic development through the clustering of industries in a designated area, the Atlantis SEZ offers a range of incentives to attract both foreign and local investment.
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