KNYSNA NEWS - The Greater Knysna Business Chamber (GKBC) was named the first-ever recipient of the AHi Special Board Award of the Year during the 2021 AHi Honours Awards on Friday 12 November. The event was held virtually.

The competition was contested by business chambers, small businesses, small farmers and hospitality businesses from across South Africa.

The AHi (formerly known as the Afrikaanse Handelsinstituut) Western Cape announced the winners from a shortlist of three finalists each in six categories. These include Business Chamber of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Beginner Small Business of the Year, Small Farmer of the Year, the Most Innovative Hospitality Business of the Year, as well as a Special Board Award.

The AHi Western Cape's executive director, Dr Willie Cilliers, says that more than 2 000 people voted for their favourite finalist in the competition. Japie Gouws, former managing director of the ATKV, emphasised that the judging panel made up 50% of the votes, while the public made up the other 50%.

This year, the AHi Western Cape decided to award a special honour to a business chamber that has showed outstanding performance in 2021, and this is the award that was handed over to GKBC by Albert Geldenhuys, director and newly elected vice-chairman of the AHi Western Cape.

Geldenhuys commented on the challenging times during hard lockdown, which came soon after the Greater Knysna Business Chamber was officially launched in late 2019. During this time, over 140 small business owners received food parcels co-sponsored by local businesses.

Geldenhuys further commended the GKBC on building a constructive relationship with the Knysna Municipality, in an effort to address and possibly solve issues that pose challenges for businesses in greater Knysna. Mention was made of the chamber's focus on safety and security as well as the screening of the water safety in the Knysna Estuary as joint initiatives with other organisations in town.

Chairperson of the GKBC, Pierre Gouws, expressed his pride in receiving the award.

"We as the Greater Knysna Business Chamber are humbled to receive this award; we are still a young organisation and obviously the pandemic made it challenging to assist local businesses in growing their individual companies," he said. "But it also brought those who could help together and assist in a more practical way. It is nice to see that that is being recognised. As a member of the AHi this award also encourages us to support and stimulate small businesses, with further help of the AHi."

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