City ranks first in SA in two Ease of Doing Business indicators

The City of Cape Town participates in the Subnational Doing Business Survey, which is conducted by the World Bank. Our performance is benchmarked against other major metros in South Africa. Currently, the City ranks first out of nine in South Africa in two of the indicators – Electricity and Construction permits in the country, on the Registering Property indicator. Read more below:

The City is committed to continuously improving its performance and has implemented 30 improvement projects that are at various stages of implementation. National Treasury has applauded the City’s Ease of Doing Business programme as an example of best practice in the country to improve the business environment.

The City of Cape Town, through the Enterprise and Investment Department, focuses on specific sectors which are poised for growth, and therefore best placed to attract the investment needed to create the right conditions for job creation.

The City started participating in this programme in 2015 and the second assessment was conducted in 2018.

‘A vital part of creating the right conditions to grow our economy is making it easier to do business. Recognising that there are always ways to improve, means that we have embarked on an extensive and cross-departmental Ease of Doing Business programme.  This programme is designed to promote good regulation and processes that yield positive outcomes for both the business sector and the City and increased economic activity,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management, Alderman James Vos.

The Ease of Doing Business programme aims to:

• address administrative and regulatory impediments to business development and growth;
• promote simplifying and mainstreaming permitting and licensing procedures;
• facilitate better regulation administration and applications in ways that minimise unnecessary costs to business and the City;
• build on engagement with private sector engagement and build trust in the City; and
• lobby for the improvement in the quality of City regulatory governance and frameworks

‘While the City has been ranked first on construction permits and getting electricity nationally (with the City only responsible for 1 step in a 7 step process) we are not resting on our laurels,’ said Alderman Vos.

The City’s Enterprise and Investment Department has assisted the three City regulator departments (Development Management, Energy and Revenue) to develop multi-year reform action plans to address any gaps aimed at making the City more globally competitive.

For example, the Registering Property Reform Action Plan focusses mainly on Enhancements to the current Rates Clearance Automation Project, to improve turnaround times and improve efficiencies.

‘We are deeply committed to taking the necessary steps to make it easier to do business in Cape Town, especially for SMMEs which are the backbone of our economy. I encourage businesses to visit www.investcapetown.com or get in touch with us at business.support@capetown.gov.za  for assistance. Together and by implementing the right strategies, we can build back better than before,’ said Alderman Vos.