The Greater Knysna Business Chamber’s Planning and Economic Development Committee plays a key role in guiding sustainable growth and investment in the region. The committee focuses on economic investment, infrastructure development, and creating a business-friendly environment that encourages economic activity. By collaborating with local government and private stakeholders, it aims to unlock new opportunities, support enterprise development, and drive long-term economic resilience for Knysna.
The Waste and Energy work group forms part of the working committees associated with the Greater Knysna Business Chamber (GKBC). The objective of this work group is to provide the Knysna Municipality with support and advice on the handling of both normal as well as recyclable waste, including advice and knowledge around how waste can be disposed of with minimized effect on the environment. It is because of this latter objective that this work group is also involved in supporting the proposed deployment of a Waste to Energy Facility which will ultimately convert both the Municipality’s solid and liquid waste into electricity, which in turn will reduce the town’s dependency on Eskom by at least 25%. The work group was instrumental in carrying out the initial feasibility study on the Waste to Energy facility and stands poised to assist and support the Knysna Municipality in terms of the procurement process needed to select a suitable vendor and deployment and operations model.
The Knysna CPF Executive is a legal entity comprising volunteers elected by member organizations. It is a legislated consultative forum established under section 19(1) of the SAPS Act 68 of 1995. The CPF's mandate is to foster cooperation, jointly identify and resolve crime trends with SAPS, law enforcement agencies, stakeholders, and the community, thereby addressing crime and disorder and enhancing police-community relations. Cheryl Britz holds the position of Chairperson for the Knysna Community Police Forum and co-chairs the Partnership meeting with Knysna Station Commander Col N. Warnick. Cheryl began her journey with the CPF 15 years ago and was re-elected in 2024 for a third term as Chairperson. Under her leadership, the CPF Executive team has received the SAPS WC CPF of the Year Excellence Award consecutively for two years, the SAPS National CPF of the Year award in 2018, and most recently, the Garden Route CPF of the Year 2023/24 award, followed by securing second place in the WC SAPS Excellence Awards in January of this year. Communication and partnerships remain pivotal in crime prevention. With this focus, the bi-weekly SAPS Operational Partnership meetings chaired by Cheryl continue to serve as a vital platform for keeping Operational Partners informed about current crime trends and safety challenges, enabling collaborative planning and operations. Volunteers in all six policing sectors of the CPF work closely with SAPS Management, Social Crime Officers, and Sector Managers to mitigate crime and enhance service delivery. The SAPS, CPF, and their affiliated Neighbourhood Watch and Victim Support structures maintain a robust working relationship. As "force multipliers," they consistently initiate joint crime prevention projects, patrol hotspot areas, drive community safety awareness campaigns, assist with safety duties when required, and provide victim support as needed.
The Churches and Communities work group unites churches and NPOs to address socio-economic challenges. Collaborating with Security, Waste and Energy, and community services groups, they identify community needs and priorities. Currently, the focus is on the homeless, addressing shelter shortages, promoting skills development through outreach programs and providing social support to the needy.
