By Matthew Petersen
Cape Town – Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth James Vos has outlined the City’s plan to overhaul its business approach by focusing on 10 key indicators from its Ease-of-Business Index.
These indicators, Vos explained, directly affect the performance and growth of businesses in the city.
“Those 10 business-facing indicators have an impact on business performance. In our language, we say, ‘How long does it take to get a plan approved, an electricity connection, or a business license?’,” said Vos during an interview with African Insider on the sidelines of the first-ever Doing Business in Cape Town Summit on Wednesday.
He stressed the importance of speeding up bureaucratic processes, noting that “for business – time is money.”
Vos emphasised the need for every municipal department to contribute to the plan’s rollout.
He said that collaboration across different sectors would create demand and supply opportunities, ultimately driving economic growth.
“We have to change our mindset and the way we do our business, internally and externally, by saying how quick can I do it,” he said.
Vos described the summit as a call to action.
The event aims to facilitate business growth by providing access to markets and fostering cross-sector collaboration.
“It’s about moving that needle in the right direction, with genuine intent, and at the same time achieving double-digit growth in sectors so that we see an increase in output and performance,” said Vos.
With workforce development marked as a top priority, the summit will push for strategies to make Cape Town’s business environment more competitive.
“We need to find clever ways to get your product to market fast, efficiently, and within budget, so you can be competitive with your price,” he said.
Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Andrew Whitfield also explained the significance of the City’s plan within the broader context of the Government of National Unity (GNU).
“Our mission as the GNU is to create an enabling environment for business to grow and create jobs, and for people to get and keep those jobs. In pursuit of this mission, we’re committed to collaborating with government departments and the private sector to cut red tape and improve ease of doing business,” he said.
Whitfield said that the department would work closely with provincial governments to combat the rising cost of living and create employment opportunities.
He commended Cape Town for setting a strong example for other cities to follow.
“The City’s success is due to targeted efforts to support skills development, investment facilitation, and investment in key infrastructure such as energy, water, mobility, and safety,” he said.
He expressed renewed confidence in the GNU’s ability to simplify business processes and secure jobs, encouraging South Africans to collaborate to attract more investment into the country.
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