Business unity has become increasingly critical, especially
within the South African context, as we grapple with a severe
economic crisis. Now, more than ever before, the role of
business leadership organisations is crucial in addressing the
challenges our society is currently facing.

These challenges have placed significant strain on our business
leaders. As a business community, we encounter similar
obstacles, and the most effective way to overcome them is
through a unified approach. By leveraging the collective voice
of business, we can drive the solutions needed to tackle these
challenges head-on. Accelerate Cape Town is a platform for
business leaders to come together, exchange ideas, and chart
a way forward. It also enables collaboration and co-creation,
leading to greater economies of scale. Our objective is to
mobilise the collective responsibility of corporate business,
government, and academia to foster an inclusive and
increasingly prosperous society.

Furthermore, Accelerate Cape Town actively supports SMEs
through initiatives like the Western Cape Government’s Growth
for Jobs initiative, designed to bolster the growth and
sustainability of small and medium-sized enterprises, thereby
contributing to economic resilience and job creation.

South Africa faces pressing challenges – crime, corruption,
energy crisis, high unemployment, inadequate infrastructure,
and climate-induced shifts.

These challenges impact business, government, and civil
society equally, and they are too pressing for any sector to
face alone. While business and government may not always
see eye to eye, we share a fundamental aspiration for our
economy to thrive and our people prosper. The imperative for
greater collaboration cannot be emphasised enough;
together, we can surmount the hurdles before us.

At Accelerate Cape Town, we have the unique ability to
engage with government at the highest echelons, fostering
productive and meaningful relationships. Our aim is to cultivate
cooperation and consensus, ultimately propelling economic
growth and enhancing our resilience through unified efforts.

We work closely with government on crucial areas like
infrastructure, energy, transportation, education, and youth
employment. This includes advocating for policy and regulatory
amendment, as well as collaborating on regional economic
development strategy. This approach enables us to
comprehensively tackle our nation’s challenges and strive for a
prosperous, resilient future.

Sustainable Development requires a fine balance between the
socio-economic and environmental needs of communities, as
well as growth aspirations of business. Inequality is a pressing
concern globally and in South Africa, and given our current
trajectory, it is likely to worsen rather than improve.

Accelerate Cape Town believes that the solution lies in creating
shared value, which stimulates economic value in a way that
also creates value for society by addressing its needs and
challenges.

Our goal is to advance a sustained, economically viable region
that supports the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals initiative.
In this regard, we are particularly committed to contributing
toward the UN SDG4, SDG6, SDG7, SDG8, SDG9, and SDG17.

Having the right skills and experience enables city regions to thrive. Especially in a knowledge economy, where highly skilled people are valuable assets.

Accelerate Cape Town works to ensure that Cape Town continues to attract and retain the best skills for key sectors of our regional economy. We work with our members to support talent retention and ensure that we create a vibrant business networking environment for young professionals working in the city, and new professionals who have relocated to Cape Town.

We engage with educational institutions in the region, as well as with government to represent the views of business to define future work requirements of young and skilled professionals. We support local government and business programmes to establish more apprenticeships and internships, and foster collaboration between business, government and educational institutions.

By attracting and retaining highly skilled professionals, we build the intellectual capital to help build the regional economy.