GEORGE NEWS - The Acsa Stakeholder Forum George was launched recently for local small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) that wish to be considered in the tendering process for projects at the George Airport.
Attendees hope to be considered as service providers during the airport's major expansion project which was announced in February this year. The Airports Company of South Africa (Acsa) will invest approximately R100-million over the next five years to upgrade the George Airport.
"Local SMMEs would like to be part of those benefiting from the works programme," said Lester Jansen, the spokesperson for the Stakeholder Forum, which will act as a mouthpiece for SMMEs in George.
According to Jansen, they would like to see the municipality establishing a projects management unit (PMU) to work in cooperation with the Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) office so that business management training can be provided to unemployed people on the municipal service provider database.
"Their skills have to be enhanced. We would further like to see Acsa's supply chain going straight through the municipality's service provider database and not through the Local Economic Development (LED) department, as this leads to only certain people getting the contracts. The LED department does not have access to the central supplier database of the municipality. We want a fair supply chain process and fair competition."
Some attendees said they want to see black business benefiting in line with the economic liberation process that needs to take place in the country. A representative from the EPWP office of the municipality, Jason Jansen, provided helpful information to attendees regarding the requirements to register on the municipality's database.
'Acsa requested central supplier database'
The George Municipality said it is not aware of the Acsa Stakeholder Forum. "Acsa has on one occasion requested a central supplier database printout from our supply chain offices via our Economic Development Department, following a workshop organised by Acsa to source George-based suppliers, which was poorly attended.
"At no time was or is Acsa prescribed to in terms of who to appoint, or provided with specific service providers or company names," said municipal communications chief, Chantel Edwards-Klose.
Small business owners attending the launch of the Acsa Stakeholder Forum. Seated, from left: Lindile Bengu, Thobile Magoqwana, Lassy Matyolweni and Annedee Kleinhans. Back: Jason Jansen, Thembinkosi Rayi, Blax Toto and Lester Jansen. Photo: Alida de BeerShe said the EPWP unit assists SMMEs to register at the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC). To register a business, one needs to pay R175 into the CIPC's account at Absa Bank (405 568 1017); R50 for name reservation plus R125 for certificate issuing from the CIPC; 4 x business name choices; certified ID copies of directors (owners); and Central Supplier Database registration.
Documents required to register a business are CIPC documentation, proof of a business bank account, BBEE documentation, tax clearance certificate, CIDB registration, NHBRC registration, electrical registration, and ID copies.
The EPWP unit also provides assistance to individuals in completing the George municipal database form.
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