ECDC beneficiary sparkles at Edgars eventECDC beneficiary sparkles at Edgars event. Read More...
 
ECDC brings prominent fashion awards to Eastern CapeEastern Cape born designer took the top honours at the 17th annual Vukani Fashion Awards co-sponsored by the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) and held in East London’s Hemingways Mall recently.. Read More...
 
Next stop – London, Glasgow - for Eastern Cape exhibitionOn 14 September, the Eastern Cape’s photographic exhibition, featuring some of South Africa’s most spectacular natural beauty, goes on view in Glasgow and London.. Read More...
 
Eastern Cape pioneering new fibre processing possibilitiesSeven plant fibres are leading the province’s charge to produce a range of eco-friendly inputs to a range of products.. Read More...
 
Eastern Cape pioneering new fibre processing possibilitiesEastern Cape natural fibre cluster is likely to lead the country’s initiatives in natural fibre processing, says Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) chief executive Sitembele Mase.. Read More...
 
EC pineapple fibre goes commercialEastern Cape pineapple fibre products are posed to hit local and global markets as the Ndlambe Natural Industrial Products (NNIP) completes the next phase of the province’s pineapple project revitalisation.. Read More...
 
Volumes rise at East London port as car market improvesTransnet Port Terminals says January’s export volumes were 200% better than forecast, while imports were 38% better than budgeted. Read More...
 
ECDC gives heat to East LondonQueenstown entrepreneur makes his move as ECDC provides financing. Read More...
 
ECDC gives heat to East LondonTapping into Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) resources has seen Thami Manona’s ice business heat up, now plans are afoot to expand into the rural market within one year of starting.. Read More...
 
Mthatha pizza fiesta for two highflying youth entrepreneursOutlets record impressive growth in revenues. Read More...
 
Joule fleet now ready for marketing, testingFour marketing vehicles will be used in demonstration.. Read More...
 
East London plant now "three-times a winner"Another plant General Motors in Port Elizabeth takes third place.. Read More...
 
China could play a transformative role in the Eastern CapeLeading economist says the Province is a hidden opportunity. Read More...
 
4th annual SMME summit and expo kicks-off on WednesdaySummit coincides with global entrepreneurship week which will be celebrated in 88 countries. Read More...
 
Youth gets increased share of loansDevelopment financier improves its loan portfolio to the province’s youth. Read More...
 
ECDC trade portal brings global business within local entrepreneurs’ graspEastern Cape’s businesses show off their success at accessing global opportunity through ECDC’s electronic buyers website. Read More...
 
ECDC support for SMMEs soarsAn additional 107 small medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) received direct financial support from provincial development financier, the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), from 800 last year to 907 in 2009/2010.. Read More...
 
Eastern Cape SMMEs feel the impact of ECDC supportOnke Mankahla, a partner in three Debonairs franchises in Mthatha, is one of the budding youth entrepreneurs financed by ECDC in 2009/2010. . Read More...
 
Ngqura container terminal gears up for further growthThe Ngqura Container Terminal (NCT), which celebrated its first anniversary in October 2010, is undergoing expansion of its berth facilities. . Read More...
 
EC finalist announced in business launchpad competitionNoludwe Ncokazi, ECDC executive manager development services. Read More...
 
Eastern Cape women finalists feature strongly in entrepreneur competitionEastern Cape business women are holding their own in male dominated sectors such as construction, information and communications technology and the green industries, says SMME Business LaunchPad Competition on the announcement of the province’s finalists.. Read More...
 
Automotive parks for micro-franchises way of future says AIDCGrant Minnie, Supply Chain Development Senior Project Manager of the AIDC, who completed unique research into the informal automotive sector, maintains that cities would promote new business opportunities by implementing such a business zone, mainly for the aftermarket, and build a bridge between the formal and informal sectors of the economy.. Read More...
 
Explore export opportunities, entrepreneurs toldQueenstown entrepreneurs told of African opportunities. Read More...
 
IBM sends specialist team to help economic institutions become more efficientFirst-time visit for global IT company contingent. Read More...
 
Another four EC women are awardedFour of the Border region’s leading businesswomen were celebrated this weekend at this year’s Regional Business Achiever Awards in East London.. Read More...
 
EC movie is releasedTHE locally produced movie Themba – A Boy Called Hope opens tomorrow at cinemas and tells the story of a young boy growing up in rural Eastern Cape.. Read More...
 
NMB women walk away with farming awardsPort Elizabeth City Hall was filled with song as more than 20 women walked away with cash rewards for excelling in the provincial department of agriculture female farming entrepreneur awards last week.. Read More...
 
GMSA looks to local production for SparkThe new Spark is one of the "top candidates" for possible local production at General Motors South Africa's (GMSA's) Port Elizabeth operations, says GMSA president and MD Edgar Lourencon. . Read More...
 
Mercedes-Benz wins top global production awardThe award went to the East London plant because it had yielded the fewest defects and malfunctions of any plant serving the US market.. Read More...
 
Projects highlight agro-processing to grow province's jobsPineapple industry restructuring sets it on “good footing”. The Eastern Cape is pushing ahead with a number of high-impact projects in the agro-processing industry that will create a significant number of jobs, Eastern Cape Development Corporation sector manager for agro-processing Mlamli Nodada said yesterday.. Read More...
 
ECDC to host entrepreneurial workshops in Aliwal NorthThe Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) has today begun a series of workshops which will be held throughout the Eastern Cape in a bid to build the capacity and competitiveness of small businesses.. Read More...
 
VWSA ramps up its investmentVolkswagen SA (VWSA) yesterday announced a R500m investment in a new workshop facility, adding to a R5,23bn investment by the group in SA over the past four years.. Read More...
 
ECDC crafts the path to success for rural womenThe Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) has invested over R600, 000 in a women’s development project in rural Transkei.. Read More...
 
ECDC crafts the path to success for rural womenThe Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) has invested over R600, 000 in a women’s development project in rural Transkei.. Read More...
 
Guesthouse owner’s winning streakECDC helps leading Queenstown B&B owner, Maria Nyawula, to put her Victorian manor on the map.. Read More...
 
Photographic spectacular for Germany's rail travellersGlobe trotting photographic exhibition features 40 images including to iconic Eastern Cape must-sees such as the Hole-in-the-Wall in Pondoland and the Valley of Desolation in the Karoo.. Read More...
 
Guesthouse owner on a growth pathHistoric guesthouse makes wave at Tourism Welcome Awards with ECDC’s help. Read More...
 
New dairy built to EU standardsWhen the Dispatch visited the site of the future Sunningdale Dairy on Friday, workers in hard hats were crawling all over the 6500m² site, all working hard to get the factory operational by the end of the month.. Read More...
 
ECDC funds new EC dietary fibre projectA DIETARY fibre project co-funded by the Eastern Cape Development Corporation is the first big step to revive the once ailing Eastern Cape pineapple industry.. Read More...
 
BPO&O means more jobs for ECThe Eastern Cape has been identified as one of the ideal business process outsourcing centres in South Africa, which means more jobs for locals.. Read More...
 
Eastern Cape positions itself as hazelnut hubQueenstown grows its first 24 hectares of hazelnuts for confectionary giant. Read More...
 
EC crafters impress international audienceThe L'Artigiano de Fiera - one of the biggest of its kind - is held at the Fiera complex on the outskirts of Milan. The six artists returned home having sold out their crafts which included soft furnishings such as cushions and curtains, mohair products, African dolls and recycled glass jewellery. The crafters were part of a 34 member craft team from all over South Africa put together by the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).Two of the best sellers in the country hailed from the Eastern Cape. . Read More...
 
ECDC sees growth in EC’s futureActing ECDC CEO Msulwa Daca says positive growth needs to be combined with job creation, as well as infrastructure investment and government’s SMME support.. Read More...
 
ECDC says expected growth rate positive for the province"The projected 2,3% economic growth rate in the national budget speech is positive because players in the economic development field rely on government's projections to make estimates at the local level," says Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) acting chief executive Msulwa Daca.. Read More...
 
Grand unveiling for SA’s first electric car in SwitzerlandSouth Africa's first electric car, the Joule, which is expected to be manufactured either in the Coega or the East London industrial development zones, will be featured at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland next month.. Read More...
 
Six Eastern Cape crafters wow audiences at annual International craft festival in MilanSix Eastern Cape crafters recently wowed an international audience at the annual International L'Artigiano de Fiera Milano (correct) craft festival at the world's fashion capital in Milan, Italy. . Read More...
 
Eastern Cape's first wine estate to reap first harvest this monthKick-started by a R3,2 million Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) loan, the Eastern Cape's first wine estate, Cob Creek Wine Estate in Jeffrey's Bay, is set to reap its first commercial harvest at the end of February.. Read More...
 
Emerging contractors programme given industry thumbs upThe Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) has given the thumbs up to the Eastern Cape Development Corporation's (ECDC) flagship Integrated Emerging Contractors Development Programme (IECDM) as an industry leader.. Read More...
 
Volumes up at Coega portOver 40 vessels have already docked at the state-of-the-art facility which January being a bumper month.. Read More...
 
Coega’s refinery now closer to approvalIn a major boost for Eastern Cape jobs, the R66-billion oil refinery project at Coega has taken a step closer to approval.. Read More...
 
ECDC reaction to Budget Speech"The projected 2,3% economic growth rate in the national budget speech is positive because players in the economic development field rely on government's projections to make estimates at the local level," says Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) acting chief executive Msulwa Daca.. Read More...
 
Emerging contractors programme given industry thumbs upThe Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) has given the thumbs up to the Eastern Cape Development Corporation's (ECDC) flagship Integrated Emerging Contractors Development Programme (IECDM) as an industry leader.. Read More...
 
Eastern Cape's first Wine Estate to reap first harvest this monthKick-started by a R3,2 million Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) loan, the Eastern Cape's first wine estate, Cob Creek Wine Estate in Jeffrey's Bay, is set to reap its first commercial harvest at the end of February.. Read More...
 
EC unlocks tourism potentialInvestments pour into one of the Eastern Cape’s most profitable sector. Read More...
 
New tractor factory to create 150 jobsIn an early 2010 boost for the Eastern Cape, an agreement between an Eastern European industrial nation and South African organisations is set to result in a tractor factory being built at Coega.. Read More...
 
News locally made VW Polo gets introducedVolkswagen SA expects to double its export figures with the introduction of the new range to 55 000 this year.. Read More...
 
SA beaches get international thumbs up for safetySouth Africa's coastline sparkles! Twenty-nine South African beaches have been awarded international Blue Flag status for 2009/10 for excelling in safety, cleanliness, provision of amenities and maintenance of environmental standards.. Read More...
 
Eastern Cape tourism sector poised for growth as investments pour inSignificant tourism investments running into millions of rands which have generated job creation and economic growth opportunities for the Eastern Cape in the last year have placed the province on track to unlock its untapped tourism potential.. Read More...
 
Over R100m injection for Transkei cropping projectThe Eastern Cape Provincial Government’s special purpose vehicle AsgiSA Eastern Cape (EC) is about to double its dry land cropping footprint in the former Transkei from 6,700 hectares to 12,000 hectares this planting season.. Read More...
 
ECDC procurement specialist’s MBA thesis takes world by stormEast London SMMEs take to the worldstage with the launch of an ECDC authored publication. Read More...
 
ECDC move from traditional to contract based finance pays dividendsEastern Cape business follows global move to microfinance. Read More...
 
ECDC launches first office in Ukhahlamba District MunicpalityOne of the province’s poorer regions gets business support. Read More...
 
Mdantsane fashion duo make impressive debut at national exhibitionECDC’s crafters show off their prowess at landmark exhibition. Read More...
 
Eastern Cape SMME Summit kicks off at Christian Centre tomorrowOver 300 Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), existing businesses and associations from across the Eastern Cape will gather for the third annual SMME Summit and Business Unlimited Expo at the Christian Centre tomorrow. The annual summit is organised by the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), the Department of Economic Development and Environmental Affairs (DEDEEA), the University of Fort Hare (UFH) and the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA). . Read More...
 
ECDC revives its Satellite office in Ukhahlamba District MunicipalityAfter a long absence, start-up and existing businesses in the Ukhahlamba District Municipality (UKDM) will again be able to access Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) business finance and enterprise development services when it launches a satellite office in the region tomorrow.. Read More...
 
ECDC move from traditional to contract based finance pays dividendsThe move from traditional forms of microfinance to the less risky tender or contract-based finance has paid dividends for the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC).. Read More...
 
IT’S ALL SYSTEMS GO AT PORT OF NGQURAThose who occupied special vantage points today at the new deepwater Port of Ngqura in South Africa witnessed history in the making, as the 300 metre long, 13 metre deep MSC Catania sailed into the port to become the Ngqura container terminal’s first commercial vessel. . Read More...
 
ECDC releases solid resultsMore than 800 Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) received financial support from the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) in the 2008/2009 financial year compared to 130 in the previous year due to a successful turnaround strategy.. Read More...
 
Mthatha’s tourist centre gets underwayA multimillion rand state-of- the-art tourism centre will soon be opened in Mthatha to assist local and international visitors.. Read More...
 
ECDC honours 10 top Eastern Cape womenWith no knowledge of the construction industry, Mandisa Makiwane took the “plunge” and started Limangwe Construction in 2000 with little chance of success, barely nine years later, she has been honoured as one of the top 10 women in the Eastern Cape.. Read More...
 
IBM sends specialist team to help economic development institutions become more efficientWith four years project management experience at leading business solutions provider International Business Machines (IBM), Saritha Bhat from India is using her knowledge to help institutions like the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) become more effective.. Read More...
 
ECDC procurement specialist’s MBA thesis goes internationalA Master of Business Administration (MBA) thesis by Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) procurement officer Nomhle Sinxoto was so impressive that an international publishing house has turned it into a book.. Read More...
 
Mdantsane fashion duo make impressive debut at national exhibitionVisions are literally “becoming” for a duo of Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) funded Mdantsane young designers who wowed an international audience at the annual Department of Trade and Industry (dti) South African Handmade Collection exhibition with their new line of kitchen accessories.. Read More...
 
ECDC releases solid resultsMore than 800 Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) received financial support from the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) in the 2008/2009 financial year compared to 130 in the previous year due to a successful turnaround strategy.. Read More...
 
IBM sends specialist team to help economic institutions become more efficientWith four years project management experience at leading business solutions provider International Business Machines (IBM), Saritha Bhat from India is using her knowledge to help institutions like the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) become more effective.. Read More...
 
VW aims to raise local content to 70%As part of Volkswagen of South Africa’s (VWSA’s) initiative to achieve 70% local content on the vehicles produced at its Uitenhage plant, in the Eastern Cape, the company invested R5,6-million investment in a body-panel washing machine. . Read More...
 
Property booms on Wild Coast property boomWhile the South African property market is in the throes of a major decline in values, the Eastern Cape‘s pristine Wild Coast is experiencing an unprecedented property boom.. Read More...
 
Empowerment high on the East London IDZ agendaForth right comments from Bheki Sibiya who encourages black entrepreneurs to ‘travel the road less travelled’ and to seek new skills. “If we want to grow and be where we want to be we need to invest in the skills develop pillar on BBBEE.. Read More...
 
Eastern Cape photographic exhibition now “globe trotter”Europeans love the Bathurst “Big Pineapple”, Hole in the Wall, Bird Island and bottle nosed dolphins says Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) which recently returned from its third photographic exhibition on the continent.. Read More...
 
PetroSA Coega refinery to ease power shortageProject could generate up to 600 MW of extra power which could sold off to local industry and communities.. Read More...
 
Eastern Cape site of successful water-neutral schemeThe World Wide Fund for nature (WWF) and government’s Working for Water (WfW) programme launched a fully quantitative water neutral scheme, and has achieved significant results at the South African Breweries (SAB) pilot project site in the Eastern Cape. . Read More...
 
East London to be turned into a ‘lifestyle city’ by proposed revampA proposed revamp is said to turn Buffalo City into a ‘lifestyle city’ boasting a golf themed hotel, a holiday resort and formalised beach access amongst others. Major plans are being proposed to revamp Nahoon Mouth, with hotels and resorts on the cards for the upmarket East London suburb. . Read More...
 
EC “home to almost 10% of all known plants”ECDC medicinal and aromatic plants sector manager says opportunities abound as users move to healthy alternatives now valued at R270 million.. Read More...
 
Coega refinery to cut SA’s fuel import bill by billionsThe proposed 400 000-bl/d crude oil refinery PetroSA is planning to build at Coega in the Eastern Cape, could have a positive impact on South Africa’s current account balance, Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said on Tuesday . Read More...
 
Export coup for VWSA with 6,000 motor car orderVWSA says that over 40 per cent of its total planned production will be exported. . Read More...
 
Study proves AIDC has helped auto sectorEstablished to assist in increasing the global competitiveness of the South African automotive industry, the Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC) has demonstrated its positive socioeconomic effect on its key focus areas.. Read More...
 
NGQURA CONTAINER TERMINAL GAINING MOMENTUMA combination of expert management and state-of-the-art equipment could see Ngqura container terminal (NCT) in South Africa positioning itself as a major container hub for sub-Saharan Africa. So says Transnet Port Terminals’ Chief of Operations, Solly Letsoalo.. Read More...
 
Four communities lead crop charge in former TranskeiThe planting of 6,000 hectares of maize, using land last cultivated 20 years ago, is helping to improve food security for the communities of Alfred Nzo, OR Tambo, Chris Hani and Amathole districts.. Read More...
 
Dutch success for Eden tourismTourism officials in Eden were upbeat yesterday at the close of the Vakantiebeurs Leisure Tourism Show in the Netherlands, where they advertised the delights of the Garden Route and surrounds last week.. Read More...
 
Eastern Cape construction sector poised for growth over short to medium termECDC CEO Mxolisi Matshamba says construction will play major role in keeping regional economy buoyant. The Eastern Cape’s construction sector is likely stimulate the province’s economic growth in the short to medium term despite the downturn in the global economy. . Read More...
 
200 Eastern Cape SMME’s meet global standardRigorous ISO training programme should build competitiveness of small businesses. Two hundred Eastern Cape Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMME’s) received International Standards Organisation (ISO) certificates allowing them to compete in international markets and for big contracts at an awards ceremony held at the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) yesterday. . Read More...
 
East London IDZ looks to diversifyThe first licensed IDZ in South Africa tells of how it will attract further investors into the zone. With its value proposition for the automotive industry successfully completed, the East London IDZ is now starting to work on diversification into other sectors, says CEO Simphiwe Kondlo . Read More...
 
200 Eastern Cape SMME’s meet global standardTwo hundred Eastern Cape Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMME’s) received International Standards Organisation (ISO) certificates allowing them to compete in international markets and for big contracts at an awards ceremony held at the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) yesterday.. Read More...
 
Eastern Cape construction poised growth in short to medium termThe Eastern Cape’s construction sector is likely stimulate the province’s economic growth in the short to medium term despite the downturn in the global economy. Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) chief executive officer Mxolisi Matshamba says because of the infrastructural backlogs in the province, the construction sector is positioned for growth.. Read More...
 
ECDC, Housing and Public Works sign emerging contractors’ agreementTwo hundred contractors to build over 1,000 homes.. Read More...
 
Mercedes-Benz’s SA positive about exports despite two “extreme” monthsLocal plant has produced 50,000 units of the new C-class with plant manager confident that plant will remain busy. . Read More...
 
ECDC, Housing and Public Works sign emerging contractors' agreementAn agreement signed yesterday between the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) and the departments of Public Works and Housing will see over 200 emerging contractors gain access to finance, jobs and skills over the next two years. As part of the programme, emerging contractors graduating from the ECDC’s Integrated Emerging Contractors Development Model (IECDM) and public works emerging contractors Incubator programme have preference when tendering for the department of Housing infrastructure projects. . Read More...
 
Eastern Cape photographic exhibition launched in GermanyThe Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), the development arm of the Eastern Cape Government, recently launched its Eastern Cape from Above photographic exhibition at the Munich Airport in Germany.. Read More...
 
Coega’s liquid storage, shipment facility attracts strong interestsThe operator of the Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ), the Coega Development Corporation (CDC), on Friday said it has received an "overwhelming response" to its call for proposals to invest in a R2-billion liquid fuels storage and transshipment facility.. Read More...
 
Exhibition captures Eastern Cape’s spectacular landscapesMore than 12,000 travelers and visitors to Germany’s Munich airport were treated to eclectic beauty of the Eastern Cape in October with a photographic exhibition which included 40 photographic larger-than-life displays.. Read More...