RCCI notes efforts made by the city in response to ongoing water challenges
The Randburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) is deeply concerned about the ongoing water outages affecting various areas of the city of Johannesburg including Randburg. While we acknowledge the efforts made by the city in providing water tankers and in some instances, allowing throttling to avoid a total shutdown of the system, the Chamber…
Calls for comments regarding the city’s draft waste management by-law
The City of Johannesburg’s Environmental and Infrastructure Services Department (EISD) is reviewing the Waste Management By-Law as part of its commitment to strengthen regulation, protect public health and the environment, and advance recycling and reuse initiatives. Public participation sessions are taking place across the city during August and September 2025, led by the Speaker’s Office…
RCCI Welcomes The Appointment Of A Service Provider To Lead The Rehabilitation Of The Decommissioned Kya Sands Landfill Site
The Randburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) welcomes the City of Johannesburg’s appointment of the much-anticipated service provider to rehabilitate the hazardous Kya Sands landfill site. The site, which was closed in 2010 after reaching full capacity, has since become a hotspot for widespread illegal dumping, impacting the environment, local businesses and nearby communities….
SMEs Call For The Review Of Electricity Pricing Models Amid Steep Tariff Increases
Randburg-based small and medium businesses are calling on the government to review the current electricity pricing model as it has become unaffordable. The call was made following the announcement by the National Energy Regulator for South Africa (NERSA) that it will hike electricity tariff by 3% over the next two years. The businesses indicated that…
Consumers To Brace For Steeper Electricity Price Hike
Electricity tariffs for the next two years have been hiked after the National Energy Regulator for South Africa (NERSA) said it found errors in its price determination announced in January. For the first time in many years, tariff increases for 2026/27 and 2027/28 were set to increase moderately at 5.4% and 6.2%. Following the revision…
Local Manufacturing Companies Optimistic The Sector Will Show Resilience Following The 30% Import Tariffs Imposed By The US Government
Randburg-based manufacturing companies have expressed regret following the 30% import tariffs imposed on South African exports by the United States government earlier this month, but remain hopeful that the sector, through government intervention and alternative markets exploration, might recover quicker than expected. The import tariffs were imposed despite ongoing diplomatic engagements between Pretoria and Washington….
Randburg Chamber Receives Recognition For Promotion Of Local And Foreign Trade
The Randburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) received a recognition award for the promotion of business and ease of trade between Pakistan and South Africa, on Wednesday 18 August 2025, following the conclusion of the Pakistan-South Africa trade summit in Sandton. Receiving the award, RCCI CEO Richard Ntjana took a moment to dedicate the…
Small Business And VAT: Your Business Might Be Automatically Registered For VAT
Value Added Tax (VAT) is a valuable source of government revenue. As a business owner you must be aware that when your business grows larger you may be required to register as a VAT vendor. You will have to charge your customers or clients VAT and pay it over to the South African Revenue Services…
Free Publicity Secrets Every Small Business Owner Must Know
The morning Thandi decided to hand out free vetkoek to school children on her corner in Sophiatown, she wasn’t thinking about publicity. She was thinking about those little faces, breath visible in the winter air, walking past her bakery on empty stomachs. But when one grateful parent snapped a photo of children gathered around Thandi’s…
The Secret Code That Makes SA Businesses Dominate Google Search
Schema markup is like a secret code that makes the difference between your business being a whisper in Google’s crowd and being the loudest voice customers actually hear. Last week, I watched a friend’s bakery in Linden lose another customer to their competitor down the road. Same quality bread, same prices, but guess which one…
How AI Search Optimisation Is Changing the Game for Small Businesses
AI search is quietly revolutionising how South African customers discover local businesses, with tools like ChatGPT and Claude now recommending specific shops, restaurants, and services directly to users – and most business owners have no idea it’s happening. Last month, I watched my neighbour’s bakery in Melville get three new customers in one day. All…
Local Search Optimisation for South African Small Businesses: What’s Changed in 2025
Local search optimisation has become critical for South African small businesses. But Google’s AI updates are making traditional strategies obsolete. Many business owners are struggling to maintain visibility when customers search for their products and services. Local search has become the primary way South African customers find restaurants, retail stores, professional services, and local businesses…