Understanding George's municipal support for small business

when elena started her consulting practice, she expected municipal services to be bureaucratic obstacles rather than business development partners. her first interaction with George Municipality’s Local Economic Development department challenged those assumptions completely - within a few weeks, she had licensing approvals that colleagues in other cities said would take months.

eighteen months later, elena’s business has secured a municipal contract through the small business procurement program, participated in municipal business development workshops, and received referrals from the led department that contributed directly to her revenue growth.

elena’s experience reflects george municipality’s commitment to small business development. while many municipalities treat businesses as revenue sources through fees and regulations, george has implemented support systems that recognise small businesses as economic development engines.

Local economic development (led) framework

Strategic economic development approach

George Municipality’s Local Economic Development strategy focuses on diversified economic growth that creates sustainable employment while building on regional competitive advantages. the approach recognises small businesses as crucial to economic resilience and innovation.

led initiatives target specific sectors including tourism, manufacturing, agriculture, technology services, and renewable energy - areas where george’s location and infrastructure create natural advantages.

the strategic approach emphasises regional economic integration by positioning george as the primary service center for the garden route region and facilitating business development through partnerships with provincial initiatives like the western cape’s investsa one stop shop and connections to regional funding platforms.

Business development support services

the economic growth division facilitates investment promotion, supports small business development including business licensing processing, and provides general business support for entrepreneurs. contact can be made with the economic development manager (Luvo Bomvana at lbomvana@george.gov.za) or economic development and investment opportunities coordinator (Dr Kosie Haarhoff at khaarhoff@george.gov.za)

the municipality facilitates access to the western cape’s investsa one stop shop initiative, which helps reduce government red tape for new businesses.

george municipality hosts capacity building workshops in collaboration with government departments, covering governance, fundraising strategies, donor relationships, and proposal writing.

Municipal procurement opportunities

Small business procurement preferences

george municipality implements preferential procurement policies under the preferential procurement policy framework act (pppfa) using an 80/20 preference point system for contracts under r50 million and 90/10 for larger contracts.

procurement preferences apply across municipal departments including renewable energy projects, infrastructure maintenance, professional services, office supplies, catering services, and specialised consulting, equipment, housing development projects, and professional consulting services

the municipality provides training sessions to help contractors and suppliers understand tender documents and cibd regulations and requirements across all areas in George.

Payment terms and cash flow

george municipality operates standard municipal payment processes with payments processed through their financial services department (contact: 044 801 9035 for general enquiries or payments@george.gov.za for proof of payments).

contractors seeking payment information can contact the supply chain management department directly at 044 801 9134 or scm@george.gov.za for specific payment terms and procedures.

Business licensing and regulatory support

Streamlined licensing processes

business license applications must be submitted in person at the department of environmental services (82 meade street, george) with application fees of r74.20 for business and entertainment licenses.

standard business license processing takes up to 30 working days for an outcome

building plan applications for business premises can be submitted through the online building plan portal, with examination involving circulation to multiple municipal departments and external authorities for compliance verification.

Zoning and development application information

george municipality’s town planning department provides walk-in consultations weekdays from 08:00-12:30 and pre-booked appointments from 14:00-16:00 (contact: 044 801 9477), with access to zoning information through the municipal website’s gis public viewer and zoning scheme maps.

the municipality has implemented an online portal system for land use applications, requiring applicants to register as users before uploading applications, and provides specific guidelines for residential-based businesses under the 2021 town planning policy.

george municipality development applications are processed through coordination between municipal departments and external authorities for compliance verification, with building plan applications circulated to relevant departments including municipal engineers, fire department, and town planning for comprehensive review

Compliance and ongoing support

george municipality provides compliance support through specific departments including environmental services for air quality management and business licensing requirements, with businesses required to complete mandatory questionnaires for inclusion in emissions inventory databases.

george municipality town planning department offers consultation hours (weekdays 08:00-12:30) and appointments (14:00-16:00) at 044 801 9477, with complaint services available through town.planning.complaints@george.gov.za for ongoing regulatory matters.

the municipality hosts annual events compliance and support workshops for event organisers, providing information on event permitting, regulations, municipal services, and support application processes

Infrastructure and business district development

Business-friendly infrastructure investment

george municipality has invested in fiber connectivity with plans for the entire business district to have high-speed fiber access by 2025, and the city is already fiber optic cable connected with excellent broadband coverage across most areas through multiple service providers.

the municipality has secured r1.115 billion in national treasury funding for infrastructure development, focusing on water, sewerage, and electricity systems to support future economic development.

current infrastructure investments include r505 million allocated for 2024/25 and an additional r250 million for 2025/26 for public transport infrastructure, road rehabilitation, transfer locations, and sidewalk upgrades to promote universal accessibility.

Property development incentives

george municipality operates standard property valuation and rates systems through the municipal property rates act, with property rates calculated based on market valuations for residential, agricultural, business and commercial properties.

property management services are available through the municipal property section which is part of the planning and development directorate.

george municipality mentions “businesses can access a basket of attractive incentives which ease the process of starting up.”

the planning and development mission includes creating “opportunities for collaboration, large scale entrepreneurship”.

interested in learning more about how municipal support can benefit your business development? connect with fellow entrepreneurs at kanwerk who have successfully navigated and leveraged george’s business-friendly municipal environment.