ECDC’s vision is to be a primary contributor to the economic prosperity of the Eastern Cape through private sector development and its mission is to positively contribute to government’s development objectives for the province; to overcome the constraints of poverty, unemployment, inequality, underdevelopment and apartheid inheritance.
Some of our flagship projects include:
- The ongoing development of a R1.3-billion particle board plant at Ugie in the northern region of the province with Steinhoff which will see 3 000 direct new jobs being created in the province.
- An innovative eco-tourism and empowerment project, Kuzuko Game Reserve, a 14 500-hectare 'big five' safari park which has been contractually incorporated into the Addo Elephant Park.
- The revitalisation of storage and milling capacity in the province.
- Development of the Nelson Mandela Bay Technology Hub, a multi-faceted programme focused on providing support to SMMEs in the ICT and related industries.
- The development and implementation of a groundbreaking skills development initiative, the Integrated Emerging Contractor Development Model (IECDM).
- Several international trade missions which boosted the provincial economy.
In addition the ECDC has helped many SMEs to make the right business connections, both domestically and in the export market, and it also targets the provision of micro loans to aspiring entrepreneurs hoping to create 1 300 new jobs as a result.
Potential investors should make the ECDC their first stop in the Eastern Cape.
ECDC E-platform facilitates global trade
The ECDC's intention to become a provincial one-stop export shop has taken a significant step forward with the establishment of an E-platform to enable local manufacturers to get their goods into global markets. Developed by
ECDC’s Trade Promotion Unit from best practice nationally and internationally, the E-platform enables manufacturers to register their products and thereby market them to international buyers.
'Our experience is that one of the more difficult components of exporting is establishing initial markets and the E-platform does this at no cost to Eastern Cape exporters and manufacturers,' ECDC CEO Mxolisi Matshamba said.
The E-platform uses Global Sources as its showcase vehicle which is used by over half a million focused buyers from around the globe. Global Sources was established over 35 years ago, way before the Internet was developed, and has simply harnessed the technology for greater impact. ECDC passes on Export opportunities generated through a presence on Global Sources to the relevant Eastern Cape exporters and mManufacturers.
'We already have 120 industry-specific products showcased on www.globalsources.com/ecdc.co and encourage Eastern Cape manufacturers who believe their products could be exported to register with us at ECDC.'
Registration can include an on-line export readiness test which assists would-be exporters to see if their products are ready to market.
'Often we find that goods may be export-ready but manufacturers are not. Exporting involves a number of steps and we have to ensure that before letting potential exporters market their goods to a potential half a million active buyers that they are ready to provide sizeable orders, at the quality required and on time,' Matshamba said.
This is where the Trade Promotion Unit steps in and makes contact with manufacturers to give them input on what is required to penetrate the export market. ECDC also links exporters with their relevant export councils which in turn broadens opportunities for them.
ECDC’s Trade Promotion Unit works closely with a number of organisations involved in trade and export and companies registered on the E-platform can access information on specific questions which could relate to freight of export items, what costs are covered by whom and insurance of goods while in transit.
'ECDC is part of an Export Networking Forum along with the Border-Kei Chamber of Business, UTI, ABSA and Fabkomp which will provide people registered on the ECDC’s E-platform with access to information about specific technical export information. We request that in cases where companies use the export opportunities successfully that they must keep us informed, so that we can measure the impact of the E-platform on the promotion of trade and job creation,' he said.
In some cases such information can enable ECDC to address critical mass limitations in manufacturers. 'Our counterparts in other provinces report that in some instances
two manufacturers of the same product might have greater success in the export market if they work together to complete big orders,' Matshamba said.
For more information, contact the ECDC call centre department:
Tel: +27 43 743 5600
Email: info@ecdc.co.za
