LOUIS TRICHARDT - A request by the Soutpansberg Chamber of Commerce for assistance with the Soutpansberg Entrepreneurs Week became ensnarled in an elaborate web of preconditions and amendments to conditions during this week's monthly meeting of the Makhado Municipal Council.

The Chamber last year hosted its first highly successful Entrepreneurs Week, which brought a high profile flood of favourable publicity to the area. It was characterised by its highly polished professional arrangements, high profile speakers and elaborate exclusivity, to share its dividends with all members of the entire community.

After allocating an amount of R16 000 to help defray the considerable costs of the organisers and also recommending an annual contribution to this venture of the Chamber, an elaborate list of preconditions have been added in the official recommendation by Exco. Several additional preconditions were added during a debate in which several councillors criticised aspects of last year's arrangements.

The Chamber gets instructed in the preconditions to make sure that all ward councillors are duly informed and invited to participate in the events and all activities of the week. The Chamber is also instructed to present workshops for all women in the 35 municipal wards in order to empower them to run successful small businesses. Furthermore the Chamber is instructed to liase with the sporting clubs in order to ensure that a sporting committee will train the different sporting codes at all schools in wards 1 to 35.

In the resolution, which was adopted by Council, the Corporate Services (Chamber of Commerce) Portfolio Committee is instructed to meet with the Chamber from time to time, "to ensure that all the preconditions are honoured by the Chamber of Commerce."