Dave Coffey, vice-president of the PE Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who was elected the lobby group’s new president, outlined his vision for business’ lobby group.

“My main aim as the new president is to drive Percci’s vision to be the leading business chamber contributing actively to creating an enabling economic growth environment for our members and the metro,” Coffey said.

Business unity would be the top priority during his term, Coffey said. He aimed to form closer relationships with business organisations like Nafcoc.

He would also focus on the chamber’s key projects, such as job creation and service excellence.

In his speech, Economic Affairs and Tourism MEC Andre de Wet made an inspiring call for the chamber to work closer with provincial government and to grow the province as a whole.

“Percci is ideally based to build partnerships between government and key role players in business.

“We should grow provincial patriotism. To us the Eastern Cape should be No 1,” De Wet said.

De Wet also made a call on business people to see what was needed in Transkei and to build an economy on these demands.

Economic growth in Transkei, he said, would eventually filter down to Port Elizabeth.

“Why has nothing exciting happened in Transkei? Because no total political buy-in has happened until now,” De Wet said.

Percci chief executive Alfred da Costa congratulated new board members who took office in the chamber yesterday.

They included Alan Baloyi of First National Bank, Hannah Sadiki of Standard Bank, Siya Mhlaluka of SA Port Operations, Thembi Matunda of BTKM quantity surveyors, Gordon Murdoch of Goodyear and Herald/Weekend Post editor-in-chief Jethro Goko.

Coffey started his career in 1987 with Dorbyl Automotive Technologies and progressed to MD of the company in 2000. He became MD of Shatterprufe PE in 2001.

He recently announced his resignation from Shatterprufe to become MD at Bel-Essex Engineering and said he would steer a major BEE deal for the company in the near future.