In December 2018 the CCF and HBCF held an amalgamation meeting in a packed Sandbaai hall. The discussion and conclusion to the evening were that a multi-pronged approach should be the way forward to the challenges facing the businesses and the community. The two organisations amalgamated into the newly formed Whale Coast Business and Community Forum – WCBCF or simply referred to as The Forum.

Some of the main goals in 2019 we will be striving for are:

• An even stronger business and community voice for all – We have already started with the engagement of some other committees and communities in the Overstrand and our aim will be to continue this vigorously to find solutions to joint issues we have as residents and as businesses.
• Safety is our top priority. To ensure a safe working environment for all, whether you are a business owner or an employee. We intend to engage further with bodies such as HPP to lobby for a larger footprint to cover other areas such as our industrial zones etc. We are aware that some might not see the HPP as effective, but we firmly believe that this is the way forward. The contracting of security personnel to such new zones will also be discussed. We will work hard within the scope of the law to provide businesses with better security.
• Safety is our top priority. To ensure a safe working environment for all, whether you are a business owner or an employee. We intend to engage further with bodies such as HPP to lobby for a larger footprint to cover other areas such as our industrial zones etc. We are aware that some might not see the HPP as effective, but we firmly believe that this is the way forward. The contracting of security personnel to such new zones will also be discussed. We will work hard within the scope of the law to provide businesses with better security.
• Strengthening our sectorial clusters. As most of you might be aware of, the town has been divided into clusters, and the first such cluster was established at a CBD meeting on 22 December. A further 4 new clusters will be established during January 2019. The objective is that the cluster committee will provide the WCBCF with issues unique to them. The CBD has already identified a number of issues unique to them, which will receive the relevant attention.
• Finally – GET INVOLVED – as a committee we would like to call on all our members to turn 2019 into a year of active citizenship. If you’re not an active citizen, you can’t expect change. A committee of 10 can only do so much. We will not send you a request to attend a meeting if it’s not important. We can not allow structures in our town to continue if we are not involved and if you’re not active. We will broadcast all important meetings. We have a membership base of +- 800 and we firmly believe that power is in numbers. Some Rate Payers, HPP AGM and other meetings in the Overstrand has been poorly attended in 2018. This provides the committees of such organisations with a false sense of thinking that they are heading in the correct direction. If nothing happens in your area, and you are not involved in being part of the solution, you have only yourself to blame.

If your not a member and would like to become a member please JOIN NOW

Due to the geographic diversity with in Hermanus of our members we have created clusters for each of our towns business hubs – the current clusters are:

CBD Cluster

Old Industrial Cluster

New Industrial Cluster

Community Cluster