𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐔𝐌 𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐓 𝐍𝐄𝐊𝐊𝐈𝐄𝐒

The Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT), in collaboration with the Breede Valley Municipality (BVM), hosted a business networking project meeting under the theme “Creating Partnerships for Meaningful Change in the Breede Valley”. This engagement marked a new chapter in entrepreneurial collaboration in the Breede Valley.

Held at Nekkies Resort, the networking engagement brought together a wide range of business stakeholders and government representatives with the shared ambition of establishing a Business Network Forum (BNF), a platform designed to unite role players to discuss, exchange insights, and collaborate on key issues affecting economic growth and development in the region.

The networking session served as a follow-up to recommendations made by engagement by DEDAT, following a Maturity Assessment conducted with the Municipality in July last year. The assessment aimed to evaluate the municipality’s capacity to implement effective economic development initiatives to stimulate local economic growth.

The networking event featured speakers from various levels of government and sectors, including representatives from the Province, the District Municipality, the business community, and the local municipality, with the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Tourism, Arts, and LED, Dr. Julian Kritzinger, among them. Speakers increasingly emphasised the need for strong business networks and ecosystem engagements as a pathway to economic transformation.

In a collective step toward progress and shared aspirations, an Interim Steering Committee was appointed and tasked with strengthening business networks and promoting sustainable economic development through collaboration. To reinforce and support this structure, DEDAT and the Municipality will participate in the Steering Committee, helping to formalise it and implement programmes aligned with its intended objectives.