Musa Makhunga, President of the Durban Chamber of Commerce

The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry carries the responsibility to assist with issues and challenges facing business in the eThekwini Municipal area and beyond.

The mandate of the Durban Chamber requires it to lobby and advocate as well as offer business support services to its members, stakeholders and affiliates.

In a joint partnership, the Durban Chamber together with Durban Community Tourism Organisations (CTO) that exist to promote the development of tourism for their member organisations, have identified a need and an opportunity to formalise a strategic alliance that will offer CTOs representation at the Durban Chamber. This will afford CTOs full chamber membership status at a discounted rate of 40% in membership fees which are NPO member rates. As full members of the Chamber, these CTOs will form part of the Durban Chamber Tourism Forum and participate at all other Chamber Sector and Area based Forums. Exclusive Chamber member benefits will also be extended to them including an offering of market linkages, a critical component of any business especially that of small enterprises.

The objective is to roll out this initiative over the course of the year with the following CTOs: Umlazi Township Tourism, Durban Central Tourism, Clermont KwaDabeka Tourism Development and INK Tourism.

Speaking on the signing of the MoU, CEO of the Durban Chamber Dumile Cele reaffirmed that, “As the Durban Chamber, we pride ourselves in the promotion and development of a vibrant small business sector in the townships and are committed to growing sustainable enterprises with it, It is therefore fitting that we support CTOs because the Tourism industry has the ability to contribute vastly to the economy of eThekwini”.