President Cyril Ramaphosa stated his intention to eliminate administrative obstacles hindering business development after Durban enterprise leaders expressed concerns regarding illegal imports, unreliable infrastructure, and regulatory norms affecting struggling companies.
These statements were made by Ramaphosa during the 170th annual gala dinner of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC at the playTSOGO Globe hall in Suncoast on Wednesday evening. The event was attended by KwaZulu-Natal Premier Tamsuan Nguli, Minister of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Reverend Musa Zondi, Etkenville Municipal Mayor Cyril Shaba, members of parliament, and other high-ranking officials.
Palesa Phil, CEO of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC, informed Ramaphosa that cheap imports, counterfeit products, and illicit goods entering Durban through the port are seriously undermining local industry. She called on the president to intervene in the regulation of struggling sectors, insisting on the need to review these rules to protect affected businesses.
Phil emphasized the necessity of conducting inspections to ensure the preservation of industries suffering from cheap imports. Furthermore, she strongly demanded a strict and decisive fight against counterfeiting and illegal goods due to the destructive impact they have on the economy. She also advocated for reforms to support small, medium, and micro-enterprises (SMEs), noting that they face issues such as unreliable power supply, infrastructure problems, bureaucracy, limited access to finance, and labor market regulations.
Palesa Phil noted that SMEs provide employment for about 80% of the population in developing markets like Brazil and China, compared to approximately 60% in South Africa. Responding to Durban's resilience, President Ramaphosa acknowledged that enterprises and households continue to face serious difficulties, particularly due to the unreliability of municipal services. He pointed out that the state of infrastructure, electricity costs, crime, and logistical inefficiency impede investment and restrict economic growth.
Ramaphosa stated that these complexities cannot be solved by good intentions alone; they require competent leadership, sound management, and continuous action. He stressed that reliable municipal services are the foundation of economic development, and government institutions must be accountable, efficient, and responsive to citizens and businesses. He announced that the government is identifying areas where the time taken to obtain permits and licenses can be reduced, as well as eliminating unnecessary administrative steps.
The President added that the government is responsible for ensuring infrastructure, services, institutions, and political stability, while businesses are obliged to invest, innovate, and create jobs. He also noted that economic prosperity depends on social stability, warning that business and investment cannot thrive amid violence, intimidation, anarchy, or fear, citing the July 2021 unrest as a reminder of the cost of instability.
Premier Nguli mentioned that he took office in a situation that required rebuilding trust following the July unrest. He emphasized the need to listen to business leaders who argued that restoring trust requires security and responsive governance, not just speeches. During subsequent outbreaks of violence, the business community actively cooperated with the government to sustain the city's movement and protect livelihoods. Premier Nguli told the President of the Republic and the people of KwaZulu-Natal: 'Durban will never burn under my leadership, never again while I hold this office. We will protect every factory, every shop, every port, and every livelihood in this city, because burning Durban means burning the bread of millions. Ngeke kwenzeke, this will not happen.'