DURBAN – The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) in partnership with Transnet Port Terminal held the KZN Exporter of the Year awards on the 4th of October 2018.
Exports account for 20.82 percent of the KwaZulu-Natal gross domestic product (GDP) and the value of exports increased from R130 million in 2016 to about R139 million in 2017.
The President of the DCCI said: "Exports play a key role in our economy and can have positive knock-on effects on our regional economy as they can result in growth in our manufacturing and industrial sectors which can promote growth along the value chain and job creation."
The chief executive of Transnet Nozipho Sithole highlighted the importance of including SMME's in the export industry and encouraging the growth of SMME's.
She said: "SMMEs are key to job creation, and we cannot leave them behind in our pursuit to put economic growth on an upward trajectory."
The DCCI also launched electronic Certificates of Origin solution call essCert. This will provide exporters with a secure, online tool for the application of electronic Certificates of Origin.
The chief executive of the DCCI Palesa Phili launched the electronic Certificates of Origin. "Our partner service provider, essDOCS, operates the world’s most substantial electronic Certificate of Origin network, including more than 200 Chambers of Commerce and over 33 000 exporters and freight forwarders," said Phili.
Here is the list of the of winners of the Exporter of the Years awards:
Category: Emerging
Winner: BBF Safety Group
Category: Small
Winner: Anderson Engineering Food & Chemical Equipment
Category: Medium
Winner: Bata South Africa
Category: Large
Winner: Sumitomo Rubber South Africa
Category: Africa
Winner: Amanzi Meters
Category: Service Providers
Winner: Indian Ocean Export Company
Category: Manufacturers
Winner: Sappi Southern Africa
Category: Agro-Processing
Winner: Scenicel t/a Avolands
Category: Creative Industries
Winner: Hillcrest Aids Centre Trust t/a Woza Moya
Category: Services Sector
Winner: Dormac Marine & Engineering (a division of Southey Holdings
Category: B-BBEE
Winner: Kuehne + Nagel