In March 2025, the Matjhabeng Municipality launched the first phase of its Business Visitations Programme in Welkom. The primary aim of this initiative is to start engaging businesses to establish partnerships and address service delivery and investment challenges in the area.
Ten companies were visited by the acting executive mayor, Cllr Hlobohang Mokhomo, and a high-powered delegation.
On 6 and 7 March, the Matjhabeng Local Municipality hosted its Strategic Planning Session, during which the six key municipal strategic priorities for 2025 were highlighted.
The priorities identified are economic development, sustainability and environmental stewardship, good governance, engagement, and partnership, developing community capacity, public safety and emergency preparedness and financial viability.
“To effectively achieve this, we recognize the importance of not only the municipality’s officials and the community but also the active participation and support of local businesses with established roots in the Matjhabeng area. As such, we have initiated a programme of business visitations during March and April,” says Mokhomo.
He says the goal of these visits is to build relationships and trust within the local business community of Matjhabeng.
“Local Economic Development is a key priority for the municipality this year, and we believe that having the support of local businesses is essential for the development of our area, job creation, and the empowerment of our community members. By creating a platform for engagement, we aim to foster collaboration with local businesses to support the municipality’s six strategic priorities and achieve long-term, sustainable growth,” he says.
The first phase of the Business Visitations Programme was launched in Welkom at the beginning of March.
“The primary was to start in focusing to engage businesses to establish partnerships and address service delivery and investment challenges in the area. This initiative will extend across all six towns of the Municipality, with Welkom serving as the launch point.”
The companies visited thus far are: Oranje Toyota Welkom, Goldfields Mall, Goldfields Casino, Pick ‘n Pay Welkom, Alma Nursery, Matlec/Afri-Tech, Bafotech, OK Foods – Empire Square, Ford Human Auto and Sparta the Beef Co.
The goals of the programme are to foster strong business partnerships, create sustainable employment opportunities, strengthen the local economy and to improve municipal service delivery.
During the two-day visitation, the municipality received positive feedback from business owners and employees, who were eager to showcase their operations. This engagement serves as a platform for continuous dialogue and partnership development, inviting businesses to request future visits as part of the programme.
Key focus areas of the business visits are business operations and objectives, eEmployment figures and demographic diversity, business development, growth, financial status, and investment capital, clientele and users, learnerships and current initiatives, community involvement and social responsibility projects and challenges faced by the business and the municipality.
“Through these visits, the municipality aims to create a deeper understanding of the needs and strengths of local businesses, enabling them to tailor support and solutions. The municipality and it’s executive are committed to working together with businesses to build community capacity, boost economic growth, and improve service delivery across the municipality,” says Mokhomo.
Local businesses in Matjhabeng can reach out to the Office of the Executive Mayor in order to request for their business to form part of the Mayoral Local Business Visitations to their premises. Interested parties must email the Executive Secretary in the Office, Chrisna Kasselman at Chrisna.Kasselman@matjhabeng.co.za
