Nearly 200 top players in the KwaZulu-Natal trade and development sectors came together to mark the official launch of the Ilembe Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism Mentorship Program at a glittering Inaugural gala dinner at the Fairmont Hotel on Friday May 27.

Guests included chief executive officers of the Durban and Pietermaritzburg Chambers of Commerce, Andrew Layman and Melanie Veness (respectively), Trade and Investment KZN Zamo Gwala and DubeTrade Port chairperson Mel Clarke.

"We are here to mark the official birth of the Ilembe Chamber, even though we have been in existence for the last three months. We want to mark our achievements so far and to welcome business in the area. We are your voice," said ilembe Chamber of Commerce president Bongani Linda.

Platinum sponsor for the evening and CEO of the trade and development arm Enterprise ILembe Kanyi Gasa said all present had a huge responsibility to see the benefits of the growth in the area move across the N2 freeway.

She was referring to a need to create a balance between the higher income earning and more affluent areas near the beach and the lower-cost housing and income generating areas on the western side of the N2 freeway.

CEO of ILembe Chamber of Commerce, Trenley Tilbrook told those present about the mentorship programme underway within the chamber, the difference between a coach and a mentor and an exciting opportunity for aspiring businesspeople in the area.

"I am extremely pleased to announce tonight that African Bank have offered a generous amount of money to help people in the area with sound business plans the opportunity to first learn from a mentor in the field and then present their idea to a panel. The winner will get R25 000 in seed capital to help his or her project get off the ground."

Guests and dignitaries enjoyed the good food and excellent atmosphere before key note speaker and well-known Change Consultant Michael Jackson took centre stage.

Jackson entertained the audience with a look back on how much the world had changed since the 1950s describing how the pace of life today compared with what happened then and how peoples wants and needs had increased.

Highlighting the areas of trade, money spent on research, post, phone calls and more recently emails and sms's, Jackson said that more money is spent on research in one day today than what was spent in the entire during the 1960's.
He said that the world now changes every three years and the advent of the Internet, Facebook and Twitter had changed the way the world communicates and does business.

"In 1950 people were asked who did they trust the most and the answer that came out on tops was my government whereas in 2010 when the same question was posed, the answer that people came out with was 'people just like me'," said Jackson.

He said today people are more connected than ever before and business men and women present in the room should embrace these technologies more than ever before